Cabinet Office
10
February 2026
Application to establish an independent consultancy
under the Business Appointment Rules from Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, former
Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.
Thank you for submitting an application for advice under the
Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) to the Civil Service Commission (the
Commission) on behalf of Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE, formerly
Permanent Secretary of the Home Office.
The application is to establish an independent consultancy and to
also take on a proposed commission with the Tony Blair Institute for
Global Change (TBI). Further detail on the content of the application is in
the Annex. The Commission’s advice is required as Sir Matthew is a civil
servant at SCS Pay Band 4. His last day of service was 28 March 2025.
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[1] is
that this application to form an independent consultancy should be subject to
the following conditions:
- Privileged
information – Sir Matthew should not draw on (disclose or use for the
benefit of himself or the persons or organisations to which this advice
refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in
office.
- Lobbying –
For two years from his last day in office, until 28 March 2027, Sir
Matthew should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK
government or its arm’s length bodies on behalf of his independent
consultancy (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and
clients). He should also not use, directly or indirectly, his contacts in
the government and/or civil service to influence policy, secure
business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage his independent
consultancy (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients).
- Bids and
contracts – For two years from his last day in the civil service, until 28
March 2027, Sir Matthew should not provide advice to any company or
organisation on behalf of his independent consultancy on a bid or contract
relating to the UK government or its arm’s length bodies.
- Independent
consultancy – For two years from his last day in civil service, until 28
March 2027, before accepting any work for his independent consultancy
and/or before extending or otherwise changing the nature of his work, he
should seek advice from the Commission. The Commission will decide whether
each piece of work is consistent with the terms of the consultancy and
consider any relevant factors under the Rules. This excludes work that
falls into the following categories: unpaid roles; non-executive charitable
roles; academic roles (such as teaching, research or peer review);
journalism and media appearances (excluding corporate or management roles
in media organisations); or one-off speaking engagements. In these cases,
the other conditions outlined in this letter will still apply.
Sir Matthew’s commission with the TBI
should be subject to all the conditions listed above as well as the following
additional condition:
- Limitation
to the role – For two years from his last day in civil service, until 28 March
2027, Sir Matthew is prevented from advising the TBI or its clients on
work regarding any policy or operational matter that he had a material
role in developing or determining, or where he had a material relationship
with the relevant client, during his time as Permanent Secretary at the
Home Office.
The Rules set out that civil servants must abide by the
Commission’s advice. It is Sir Matthew’s personal responsibility to manage the
propriety of any appointment and to understand any other rules and regulations
he may be subject to in parallel with the Commission’s advice.
Sir Matthew must seek advice if he proposes to extend or
otherwise change his consultancy work or the scope of his commission with the
TBI changes. Once this appointment has been publicly announced or taken up, the
letter will be published on the Civil Service Commission’s website.
Yours sincerely,
Gisela Stuart
First Civil Service Commissioner
Annex A: The application
Applicant
assessment
- Sir Matthew stated that he will
be setting up his own consulting service. He said the consulting work will
focus on providing advisory work on a range of topics. These include
foreign affairs, geopolitics, risk, government relations, organisational
design and leadership. He stated his consulting work will not involve
contact with, or lobbying of, the UK Government.
- Sir Matthew stated that the
skills and knowledge offered by his independent consultancy comes from his
extensive experience in government earned before his recent role as
Permanent Secretary, including roles in the Department for International
Development and the Foreign, Commonwealth Office[2].
- As Permanent Secretary of the
Home Office, Sir Matthew's role involved overall oversight of the
department's functions in national security and public safety functions
including policing, counter-terrorism, immigration, and passports. He also
served as Principal Accounting Officer, the principal adviser to the Home
Secretary, and reported to Parliament on the department’s performance.
- Sir Matthew also informed the
Commission of his proposed client the Tony Blair Institute for Global
Change (TBI), a non-profit organisation founded and led by former UK Prime
Minister, Sir Tony Blair. The TBI operates as a global advisory firm and
works directly with political leaders and governments in their strategy,
development, and crisis management. Sir Matthew stated he did not meet
with the TBI during his time as Permanent Secretary of the Home Office,
nor have involvement in policy development or decisions specific to the
organisation. He added that he was not privy to sensitive information that
could provide the TBI with an unfair advantage.
- Sir Matthew's commission with
the TBI stems from his continued contact with Sir Tony Blair, having
previously served as his Private Secretary between 2002 and 2004.
Departmental assessment
Independent consultancy
- The Cabinet Office and Home
Office do not consider Sir Matthew to have had any involvement in
decisions that would have been specific to, or provided an unfair
advantage for, the establishment of his consulting business. The
departments also noted that in his previous civil service roles before
March 2020, for which he is no longer subject to the Rules, Sir Matthew
had broad oversight of foreign affairs and geopolitics.
- As Permanent Secretary of the
Home Office, the departments stated Sir Matthew
was privy to information on UK national security, geopolitics, and
security issues. This involved his membership in the National Security
Council, which oversees the Joint Intelligence Committee – the UK's
interagency body for intelligence assessment and oversight of the Secret
Intelligence Service, Security Service, Government Communication
Headquarters, and Defence Intelligence. While he was informed on UK
national security matters, the departments concluded that any risks
related to sensitive information are appropriately mitigated by standard
conditions preventing the use of privileged information.
- The departments said they did
not have concerns with Sir Matthew’s independent consultancy
establishment, provided it is subject to the standard conditions,
including that Sir Matthew returns to the Commission in the taking up of
any new client whilst he is subject to the Rules.
Commission with the TBI
- The Cabinet Office and Home
Office confirmed that, during his recent civil service role, Sir Matthew
did not meet with the TBI and was not involved in decisions specific to
the organisation. The departments acknowledged that the appointment might
attract public comment due to Sir Matthew’s previous role as Private
Secretary to Sir Tony Blair between 2002 and 2004. However, given the
significant passage of time and Sir Matthew’s extensive subsequent career
in the Civil Service, the departments concluded that the proposed
commission with the TBI could not be perceived as a reward.
- The departments recognised a
perception risk due to Sir Matthew's knowledge of the Home Office's
functions and operations. Given the broad nature of TBI’s work, there is a
potential for Sir Matthew to advise the TBI or its clients on matters that
significantly overlap with his recent time in the civil service. In
addition to the standard consultancy conditions, the departments
recommended a limitation to his role - specifically preventing Sir Matthew
from advising the TBI or its clients on matters he was materially involved
in as Permanent Secretary of the Home Office.
CSC analysis
Independent consultancy
- Risk of reward. As Sir Matthew is establishing
a new company, the risk of reward in relation to his independent
consultancy for decisions or actions taken in office, is likely to be low.
- Access to information. Sir Matthew held privileged
insight into government national security policy and Home Office
departmental strategies. While there is an overlap between his former
responsibilities and the proposed remit of his consultancy, the Commission
considered this risk to be general rather than specific. By virtue of his
seniority as Permanent Secretary, his oversight of government priorities
and strategies was broad. Further, he has been out of government service
for over nine months, creating a gap between his last access to
information and the establishment of his consultancy.
- Furthermore, a number of significant
government announcements regarding policy decisions and security
objectives have been made since he
left office and have therefore reduced the currency of the information he
possesses. These include:
● The 2025 Spending Review[3] and
the Home Office’s Main Estimates Memorandum[4],
which publicly sets out the department’s financial, funding and policy
priorities for the next year.
● The Home Office’s 2025-2026
Priorities and Structural Reforms[5],
where Sir Matthew’s successor and the current Permanent Secretary of the Home
Office publicly outlining the priorities and structural reforms intended for
the department for the current financial year.
● The National Security Strategy 2025[6]
published by the Cabinet Office, which outlines the strategic framework for all
aspects of national security and international policy facing the UK.
● The Home Office’s Research,
Development and Innovation Strategy 2025 to 2030[7],
which sets out the department’s five year strategy and
commitments on these areas.
● The Home Office’s 2030 Digital
Strategy[8],
which outlines how the department will use digital, data and technology in the
next five years.
The Commission therefore agrees with
the departments that the risks relating to Sir Matthew’s access to information
to be appropriately mitigated by the standard conditions.
- Improper influence. As a senior official, there is
a risk that Sir Matthew’s government contacts may present an unfair
advantage to potential clients of his consulting work. Given the lobbying
ban that applies to all former senior civil servants, Sir Matthew should
not have contact with ministers or officials that could reasonably be seen
as seeking to influence government. It is significant to note that Sir
Matthew stated he would not have contact with government as part of his
consulting work. The risks relating to lobbying and/or involvement in
government bids and contracts are mitigated by the standard conditions.
- Independent consultancy. This advice provides Sir
Matthew consent to set up a consultancy and take up his proposed
commission with the TBI, subject to a number of conditions. Before
accepting any work for his independent consultancy and/or before extending
or otherwise changing the nature of his work, he should seek advice from
the Commission. The departments noted that Sir Matthew should return to
the Commission before taking up work with any new client whilst he is subject
to the Rules. However, the Commission’s view is that this requirement
should exclude any work that falls into the following categories: unpaid
roles; non-executive charitable roles; academic roles (such as teaching,
research or peer review); journalism and media appearances (excluding
corporate or management roles in media organisations); or one-off speaking
engagements. In these cases, the other conditions outlined in this letter
will still apply.
- Waiting period. As an SCS Pay Band 4 official,
Sir Matthew is subject to a three month waiting
period upon leaving government service in taking up any appointments. This
is not applicable as it has been over nine months since he left the civil
service.
Commission with the TBI
- Risk of reward. Over 20 years have passed since
Sir Matthew worked as Private Secretary to Tony Blair between 2002 and
2004. Given his extensive subsequent career and the departments'
confirmation that he made no decisions specific to the TBI in his recent
role, the Commission agreed with the Home Office that this commission
could not be perceived as a reward.
- Access to information and
limitation to the role. The Commission recognised the departments’ concern that a
perception risk exists regarding Sir Matthew's access to information,
particularly given the TBI's status as a global advisory firm operating
across a wide range of subject areas. The risk is most acute where the
TBI’s work overlaps with matters Sir Matthew was directly involved in, or
where he had access to relevant sensitive information while in office. To
mitigate this remaining risk, the Commission agreed with the
recommendation that Sir Matthew be prevented from advising the TBI or its
clients on work regarding any policy or operational matter that he had a
material role in developing or determining, or where he had a material
relationship with the relevant client, during his time as Permanent
Secretary at the Home Office.
- Improper influence. Sir Matthew’s role with the
TBI does not involve contact with, or lobbying of the UK government on
behalf of the organisation. The Commission considered the standard
conditions sufficiently mitigate the risks in relation to his initial work
with the TBI.