Harrington, Richard - Minister for Refugees at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office - ACOBA Advice
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-09)

Correspondence with Richard Harrington, former Minister for Refugees at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office, in relation to appointments after leaving Crown service

Lord Harrington left his role at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities at the Home Office in September 2022.

Non-executive Chairman, Stephenson Harwood LLP, and Director, Regal Holdco Limited

ACOBA wrote to Lord Harrington about his failure to seek advice (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686e69cc2557debd867cbe9f/Letter_to_RH__outcome__-_breach_-_Stephenson_Harwood__Regal_Holdco__Cluster_Partners.pdf) in relation to joining Stephenson Harwood LLP as Non-executive Chairman and Regal Holdco Limited as Director. An accessible version of the letter is available here (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/correspondence-from-acoba-to-richard-harrington-breach-of-the-rules-stephenson-harwood-llp-regal-holdco-limited?preview=8734258).

This correpondence followed a previous letter to Lord Harrington about those appointments which ACOBA was alerted to through an enquiry from a member of the public (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686e68f32557debd867cbe97/Letter_to_RH__initial__-_breach_-_Stephenson_Harwood__Regal_Holdco__Cluster_Partners.pdf). An accessible version of the letter is available here (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/correspondence-from-acoba-to-richard-harrington-appointments-without-advice-stephenson-harwood-llp-regal-holdco-limited-cluster-partners-limited?preview=8734245). Read Lord Harrington’s reply (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686e699210d550c668de3cfc/Letter_from_RH_-_breach_-_Stephenson_Harwood__Regal_Holdco.pdf). An accessible version of the letter is available here (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/correspondence-from-richard-harrington-to-acoba-appointments-without-advice-stephenson-harwood-llp-regal-holdco-limited-cluster-partners-limited?preview=8734248).

ACOBA wrote to the Cabinet Office (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686e6a122cfe301b5fb6792a/Letter_to_Cabinet_Office_RH_Stephenson_Harwood__Regal_Holdco.pdf) reporting this historcial breach of the Rules between 2023-2024. An accessible version of the correspondence is available here (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/letter-from-acoba-to-the-cabinet-office-regarding-breach-of-the-rules-stephenson-harwood-llp-regal-holdco-limited?preview=8734323).

Senior Advisor, Canaccord

Lord Harrington sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a role with Canaccord. The letter (https://draft-assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1122994/ACOBA_Advice_Letter_-_Richard_Harrington__Canaccord.pdf) containing the Committee’s consideration imposed on the appointment was sent in December 2022; and the appointment was taken up in March 2023. An accessible version of the letter is available here. (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/advice-letter-richard-harrington-senior-advisor-canaccord?preview=7084525)

Chairman, Intelligent FS Ltd

Lord Harrington sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a role with Intelligent FS Ltd. The letter (https://draft-assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1118312/ACOBA_Advice_Letter_-_Richard_Harrington__Intelligent_FS_Ltd.pdf) containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in November 2022; and the appointment was taken up later that month. An accessible version of the letter is available here. (https://draft-origin.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/publications/harrington-richard-parliamentary-under-secretary-of-state-at-the-department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-acoba/advice-letter-richard-harrington-chairman-intelligent-fs-ltd?preview=7041206)

Richard Harrington left his previous role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in March 2019

APCO Wordwide

The Committee wrote to Richard Harrington about his failure to seek advice in relation to work with APCO Worldwide in February 2021. Read the correspondence (https://draft-assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/961461/Letter_to_Mr_Harrington_5_February_2020.pdf) between the Committee and Richard Harrington.