AM alleges that Welsh Minister may have broken Ministerial Code
FIRST Minister Carwyn Jones has been urged to investigate whether Leader of the House Julie James broke the Ministerial Code in a “conflict of interest” row arising out of her son’s employment by a lobbying firm.
Ms James’ son Oliver James-Flatt works for Deryn Consulting, which represents clients including women-inwork body Chwarae Teg.
In her capacity as Leader of the House, Ms James is responsible for deciding on the core funding that Chwarae Teg receives from the Welsh Government. This year the organisation’s core funding amounted to £351,000.
Independent AM Neil McEvoy claims that her involvement in the decision to approve grant funding for Chwarae Teg contravened the Ministerial Code, which states that a minister with a registered private interest should remain “entirely detached” from any official business involving that interest.
Ms James had declared her son’s employment by Deryn in the list of Relevant Ministerial Private Interests published on July 12, 2018.
But, wrote Mr McEvoy in his letter to the Mr Jones: “In January 2018, it was announced that core funding for Chwarae Teg was moved into Julie James’ portfolio. Chwarae Teg is a client of Deryn Consulting, representing in my view a clear conflict of interest.
“On June 13, 2018, a Ministerial Decision Report stated: ‘The Leader of the House and Chief Whip and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport have approved grant funding to deliver the Chwarae Teg programme from April 2018 to March 31 2019’.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Government said the letter would be responded to “in due course”.
In the letter, Mr McEvoy goes on to tell the First Minister that he checked the minutes of relevant Cabinet meetings and found no evidence that Ms James had declared her interest to Ministerial colleagues.
Paragraph 5.5 of the ministerial code states that even where relevant interests have been declared, ministers must remain “entirely detached” from dealing with issues that infringe on their private interests.
It states: “Where it is proper for a Minister to retain a private interest, he or she should declare that interest to Ministerial colleagues if they have to discuss a matter of public business which in any way affects it; and the Minister should remain entirely detached from the consideration of that business. Similar steps may be necessary in relation to a Minister’s previous interests.”
Further, paragraph 5.3 states that minister should meet the Permanent Secretary to discuss how interests should be handled, and must record that action in writing.
It states: “Where appropriate, the Minister will meet the Permanent Secretary to agree action on the handling of interests. Ministers must record in writing what action has been taken, and provide the Permanent Secretary with a copy of that record.”
In his letter to the First Minister, Mr McEvoy wrote: “Ms James had core funding to one of her son’s clients moved into her portfolio, without any evidence of a conflict of interest being declared, or of her detaching herself from that business. Instead, there is evidence in a Decision Report that she approved grant funding to one of her son’s employer’s clients.
“As a result, I ask that you promptly begin an investigation into whether Julie James has broken the Ministerial Code. I would also be grateful to receive any written record from Ms James to the Permanent Secretary to agree action on the handling of her interests.”
Chwarae Teg was founded in 1992 and has received grant funding from the Welsh Office and latterly the Welsh Government since its inception.
Mr McEvoy’s letter to the First Minister also made further allegations about Ms James’ involvement in leading a debate about the publication of the report of an inquiry into the leaking of news about the sacking of the late Carl Sargeant.
As Leader of the House, Ms James was responsible for explaining the Welsh Government’s decision not to publish the report, but was not responsible for making the decision.
Mr McEvoy alleged that because of the employment of Ms James’ son by Deryn, she should not have spoken for the Welsh Government in the debate, on the basis of evidence he suggested proved that the lobbying firm had been leaked details of the sacking in advance of its announcement.
Ms James was present in a cabinet meeting to discuss a move by the Conservatives to force the publication of the report, but there is no evidence from the minutes that she spoke or contributed in any other way.
A Welsh Government spokeswoman responded: “As Mr McEvoy makes clear in his letter, the Leader of the House properly declared her son’s employment in the list of Relevant Ministerial Private Interests. We will respond to the letter in due course.”
Huw Roberts, who chairs Deryn, said he did not wish to comment.
A spokeswoman for Chwarae Teg said: “Chwarae Teg’s relationship with the Welsh Government long predates the very existence of Deryn.”