§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2003,Official Report, column 1014W, on the Civil Service, to whom the Cabinet Secretary, while still a Crown servant, was required to report approaches from external commercial employers; whether, the Cabinet Secretary reported an approach to him during 1997 to join the Advisory Board of IBM UK; to whom the newly retired Cabinet Secretary was required to report offers of employment and consultancy in his retirement in 1998; whether the newly retired Cabinet Secretary reported an offer to join the Advisory Board of IBM UK in 1998; and whether permission for him to take up the appointment was granted by the Prime Minister. [149107]
§ Mr. AlexanderDecisions on applications under the Business Appointment Rules submitted by serving and former Cabinet Secretaries are for the Prime Minister. The former Cabinet Secretary referred to in the Question submitted an application when in office to take up an appointment with IBM on retirement. On advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, the Prime Minister approved the appointment.