Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of whether a six month restriction is sufficient in length in relation to the head of the gambling regulator working for gambling industry.

The Civil Service business appointment rules do not apply to Gambling Commission employees. The Gambling Commission's employee Code of Conduct and employment contracts provide the Commission with the ability to manage conflicts of interest. We have no plans to review the number of staff leaving the Gambling Commission to work in the gambling industry, or the length of appropriate restricted periods for conflicts of interest. The Gambling Commission regularly reviews employee turnover, and should any trends be identified, they have confirmed these will be reviewed as necessary. The Commission’s Corporate Governance Framework requires former employees to maintain safeguards against conflicts of interest for six months after their departure.

Given the specific nature of job titles and ability to individually identify employees, these titles have not been provided.