Two former ministers and an ex-whip have been reported to the Cabinet Office for breaching anti-corruption rules that require past members of the government to seek clearance for new jobs they take on.
Ex-defence minister James Heappey failed to get approval from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments before signing a contract with software firm HPO Technologies – which operates in the defence sector – in September.
Former solider Heappey was a minister at the Ministry of Defence from December 2019 to March this year, when he announced he would not stand as an MP again.
The government's appointments rules require all former ministers and top officials to get clearance from Acoba before taking up any new jobs. The requirement lasts for a period of two years from their last day in office.
In a letter to Heappey yesterday, Pickles said there was an "obvious overlap" between his responsibilities in office and the job as a senior analyst in a firm operating in the defence sector.
He said the the former MP was "unambiguously in breach" of the government's employment rules.
"This is exactly the kind of risk to the integrity of government that the rules are designed to protect," Pickles said. "Had you sought advice before joining the company, a risk assessment would have been carried out in relation to this role and the appropriate conditions would have been made clear to you, HPO Technologies and the public."
The Acoba chair said such assessments were "impossible to do credibly after someone has taken on a role".
Heappey alerted Acoba to the contract he signed with HPO in mid-October. He said he had been "under the impression" that Acoba approval was only required before he started work with the company.
However, he said: "Having chatted about Acoba with friends also going through your process, I suspect that I probably shouldn't have signed the contract prior to receiving your advice."
Heappey apologised to the watchdog and said he would not start work with HPO until its advice had been provided.
Ex-rail minister fails to get clearance for new rail role
Huw Merriman was a minister in the Department for Transport from October 2022 to July this year. Railways were a central part of his brief.
Acoba wrote to the former MP in early October after the Greater Manchester Combined Authority announced his appointment to lead a board tasked with supporting the development and delivery of a new railway line between Liverpool and Manchester.
Merriman was asked why he had not sought Acoba's advice on the role before the appointment was announced. The former MP apologised, but noted that the announcement stressed his appointment was subject to Acoba approval.
Pickles said the risks posed by unpaid appointments were "limited" in the watchdog's experience, but said Merriman's failure to wait for advice before his appointment was announced was "disappointing".
He also noted that Merriman's LinkedIn profile had been updated to include his Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board role without specifying that his appointment was subject to Acoba approval.
"Failing to await advice before announcing the role is a clear and unambiguous breach of the government’s rules and the requirements of the ministerial code," he added.
Ex-government whip guilty of 'clear and unambiguous' rule breach
Correspondence published yesterday reveals that former assistant government whip Mark Jenkinson sought Acoba's retrospective approval for two appointments in October.
Jenkinson, who held posts under both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, formally registered a management consultancy called Redghyll Ltd on 8 July – four days after he failed to win the seat of Penrith and Solway in this year's general election.
In addition to that sole directorship, he also took up work as a technical author with nuclear-industry engineering and construction company Nuvia in September.
Jenkinson said he had no recollection of receiving a letter from Acoba offering advice to departing ministers, but said he fully accepted that it was his responsibility to understand that he was subject to the appointment rules.
Pickles said Jenkinson's conduct was a "clear and unambiguous breach of the rules" and also cautioned that the former MP should seek clearance for all work his consultancy looks to take on between now and July 2026.
The Acoba chair referred all three rule breaches to Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden to decide on what action to take.