Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many civil servants employed within his Department have also been employed at the same time by other organisations in the last five years; and who those organisations are.

There is no central database where a record is kept of instances when Department for Transport employees are employed at the same time by other organisations.

The Department for Transport Staff Handbook requires staff to seek permission for appointments and roles in addition to their civil service employment. The general principles of these rules are:

• Individuals must seek the Department's permission.
• The Department's interests must not be likely to suffer as a result of the appointment or role.
• Individuals must not take part in activities inconsistent with their official position.

If an employee is considering taking up an outside offer of employment, approval is required under the business appointment rules. The following approach should be taken and the outcome of the decision followed;

1. Permanent Secretaries must inform the Secretary of State.

2. Other members of the Senior Civil Service (or their equivalents) must inform the Permanent Secretary, but may wish to consult Human Resources before doing so.

3. All other employees must inform their countersigning officer (or a senior line manager), who may wish to consult Human Resources.’