Subscribe to trusted local news

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

Oct 2020

Last Updated: 20/10/2020

Politics

Watchdog refuses to release correspondence with Ripon MP over £3,000 an hour role

by John Plummer

| 21 Oct, 2020

The Stray Ferret submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments asking it to reveal its correspondence with Mr Smith relating to his advisory role with Ryse Energy, which will see him paid £60,000 for 20 hours work. It has refused to release the correspondence.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

A parliamentary watchdog has refused to publish its correspondence with Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith about his £3,000-an-hour advisory role.

The Stray Ferret revealed in August Mr Smith would be paid £60,000 for 20 hours work for low carbon transport company Ryse Hydrogen.

Because of his former government role in Northern Ireland, Mr Smith sought advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about a potential conflict in taking the role with Ryse.

In 2019, when Mr Smith was Northern Ireland secretary, Jo Bamford, the executive chairman of Ryse, became owner of Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus.

The Bamford family owns JCB and are Conservative Party donors.

Strayside Sunday: Pay MPs more and ban outside interests

MP takes advisory role at hydrogen company – at £3,000 an hour

We asked Acoba, which advises former ministers on employment and conflicts of interest after leaving office, to provide details of its correspondence with Mr Smith.

The FoI response said Lord Pickles, chair of Acoba, considered that disclosure of the correspondence "would be likely to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views; and would be likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs".

It added:

"The information being withheld includes that which was provided voluntarily by Mr Smith to

enable Acoba to properly advise on the application that had been made.

"Disclosure of the information requested would, or would be likely to, make applicants

reluctant to share information as freely with Acoba in future, especially if there was any

perceived sensitivity about the information. This in turn would compromise the advice that

Acoba is able to give."

The response said the publication of its letter to Mr Smith on its website had fulfilled public interest requirements.

The letter said the appointment was not a conflict of interest, provided Mr Smith does not lobby on behalf of the company or advise on government contracts in the two years after he departed as Northern Ireland secretary in February this year.

The Stray Ferret is to request an internal review of the decision.

Subscribe to trusted local news

Watchdog refuses to release correspondence with Ripon MP over £3,000 an hour role

Read more: