About Us
The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments was set up by the then Prime Minister in 1975 to advise him on applications from the most senior Crown servants. The Committee advises the Foreign Secretary on applications from senior diplomats.
Crown servants whose applications are considered by the Advisory Committee or the Head of the Home Civil Service must apply for permission to take up any outside appointment in the two years after they leave the service. Other Crown servants need only apply in the circumstances set out in the rules.
A similar but voluntary system to that for Crown servants was introduced for former Ministers in 1995. The Committee gives its advice directly to the former Minister concerned.
The current members of the Advisory Committee are:
- The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG FRSE (interim Chairman)
- Sir John Blelloch KCB (Vice-chairman)
- The Rt Hon Lord Morris of Aberavon KG QC
- The Rt Hon Lord Maclennan of Rogart
- Admiral Sir Kenneth Eaton GBE KCB FEng FIEE
- Sir Bryan Nicholson GBE
The Chairman of the Advisory Committee, the Rt Hon Lord Mayhew of Twysden QC DL, retired on 31 March 2008 for reasons of ill health, after serving on the Committee for 9 years. On 22 July 2008 the Prime Minister announced that the Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG FRSE had agreed to step into the role of Chairman, on an interim basis, to allow time for the Government to refresh the membership of the Committee.
The secretariat is provided by the Cabinet Office.
