All in this together: the corporate capture of public health

Abstract

Overseeing the revolving doorCorporations can exert influence on ministers, civil servants, and special advisers while they are in post by holding out the possibility of employing them once they are no longer in post, and can benefit from their insider knowledge once they have stopped working for the government.This highly unsatisfactory situation should be rectified by the code of conduct overseen by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, from which those in senior positions in government should seek advice if they take up any new appointment within two years.However, as described in detail by the House of Commons Public Administration Committee, 44 this process is not working.The system is described as opaque and confusing, and its voluntary nature creates scope for abuse.The Public Administration Committee calls for a system of clear, statutory regulation,