Policy Committee Chair at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics and Political Science

His Majesty’s Treasury 

22 October 2026

Unpaid appointment with the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and Political Science: Application under the Business Appointment Rules from Ms Samantha Beckett, former Chief Economic Adviser at His Majesty’s Treasury. 

The Civil Service Commission (the Commission) has considered an application for advice under the Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) from Ms Samantha Beckett, formerly Chief Economic Adviser at His Majesty’s Treasury. The application is for an unpaid, part-time role as Policy Committee Chair at the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Further detail on the content of the application is in the Annex. The Commission’s advice is required as Ms Beckett is a former civil servant at SCS Pay Band 3. Her last day of service was 22 January 2026.

The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government. They aim to avoid any reasonable concerns that: a civil servant may be influenced in their official duties by the risk of reward; a civil servant may improperly exploit access to information; and an organisation may gain an improper influence through the employment of a civil servant.

The Commission’s advice is that the appointment should be made subject to the following conditions: 

1. Privileged information – Ms Beckett should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of herself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to her from her time in the Civil Service.
2. Lobbying – For two years from her last day in the Civil Service, until 22 January 2028, Ms Beckett should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or its arm’s length bodies on behalf of the LSE (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients). She should also not use, directly or indirectly, her contacts in the government and/or Civil Service to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage the LSE (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients). 
3. Bids and contracts – For two years from her last day in the Civil Service, until 22 January 2028, Ms Beckett should not provide advice to the LSE on a bid or contract relating to the UK government or its arm’s length bodies.

The Rules set out that civil servants must abide by the Commission’s advice. It is Ms Beckett’s personal responsibility to manage the propriety of any appointment and to understand any other rules and regulations she may be subject to in parallel with the Commission’s advice. 

Ms Beckett must seek advice if she proposes to extend or otherwise change her role with the organisation. Once this appointment has been publicly announced or taken up, the letter will be published on the Civil Service Commission’s website.

Yours sincerely, 

Kate Owen

Chief Executive

Annex A: The application

1. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public research university. According to its website, the Centre for Economic Performance carries out policy-focused research on economic performance.

Applicant assessment

2. As Policy Committee Chair, Ms Beckett stated she will chair the Centre’s biannual Policy Committee meetings. The Policy Committee reviews and supervises the Centre’s ongoing research and activities.

3. Ms Beckett confirmed her role may involve contact with government, as the current Chief Economic Adviser at His Majesty’s Treasury (HM Treasury) has been invited to join the Policy Committee. Apart from this, Ms Beckett confirmed that she will have no other contact with government.

4. As Chief Economic Adviser at HM Treasury, Ms Beckett provided economic advice to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, held responsibility for fiscal policy, and led the Government Economic Service. 

5. Ms Beckett said that in her previous role as Chief Economic Adviser she was a member of the Policy Committee but did not attend. She confirmed that the current Chief Economic Adviser has also been invited to join the Policy Committee. Apart from this, she will have no other contact with government in this role.

6. Ms Beckett stated she has not been responsible for regulatory, funding or any other decisions affecting the LSE at any time in her last two years in the Civil Service.

The Commission’s analysis

7. Application level. As a Level 1 application for an unpaid role, the Commission’s analysis applies the principle that this category of appointment poses a lower risk to government integrity.

8. Risk of reward. Ms Beckett was a member of LSE’s Policy Committee while in office, but stated she did not attend. Ms Beckett  was not involved in policy, regulatory, or contractual decisions affecting the organisation during her time in post. Additionally, this role is unpaid. The risk of the appointment being a reward for decisions made in office is therefore low.

9. Access to information. As Chief Economic Adviser at the centre of government, Ms Beckett would have been exposed to some privileged information about the government’s legislative and policy programme. The standard privileged information ban mitigates any risks around her access.

10. Improper influence. As Chief Economic Adviser, Ms Beckett would have a network of contacts in government that could provide an unfair advantage to the LSE. She stated that she may have contact with the current Chief Economic Adviser, who has been invited to join the Policy Committee, but she will not have any other contact with government apart from this. It remains Ms Beckett’s personal responsibility to manage the propriety of her interactions and strictly abide by the lobbying restriction imposed to mitigate any risk of improper influence. Any remaining risk of the perception of lobbying the government is mitigated by the standard conditions.