Iain Duncan Smith: No investigation over conflict of interest claims

Iain Duncan Smith was Conservative leader between 2001 and 2003

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith will not be investigated over accusations that a second job conflicted with his role as an MP.

He chaired a government-commissioned review that recommended looking at guidelines on alcohol-free hand sanitiser, while advising a firm that manufactures it.

Labour accused him of a "brazen conflict of interest".

However, he will not be investigated by Parliament's standards commissioner.

Sir Iain referred himself to the commissioner following a report in the Guardian newspaper and denied there was any conflict.

He has now received a reply that a formal probe will not be launched.

The commissioner, Kathryn Stone, told him the matter was not within her remit as it came "under the umbrella of government work".

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The company, Byotrol Technology, has paid Sir Iain £25,000 a year for 12 hours' work a month as an adviser since January 2021.

The Chester-based firm says it provides more than 92% of all NHS alcohol-free hand sanitisers.

In June, the taskforce chaired by Sir Iain said the current guidance on alcohol- and non-alcohol-based sanitiser was "unclear" and should be reviewed by the government.

Its report argued there was "confusion" among industry and consumers, and called on ministers to put the two different products on a "level playing field".

The taskforce said there was "confusion in industry" over sanitiser guidance

Sir Iain, the Chingford and Woodford Green MP, insisted this call did not represent a conflict of interest, and that he was not pushing for special treatment for non-alcoholic gel.

The taskforce report had gone on to say that "this should only be done where non-alcohol-based products can be shown to be as effective at killing the coronavirus on hands through rigorous, independent testing".

Sir Iain pointed out that the taskforce was asking for a "conformity mark" for sanitiser to inform and assure the public about which hand gels were safe and effective.

It is understood that the conformity mark and "level playing field" idea had been suggested by a cross-party group of MPs who had submitted evidence to the taskforce.

The group had written to the Department of Health and Social Care, advocating a similar course of action.

Labour MP Fleur Anderson also asked the Cabinet Office to look in to the allegations - but has seen her request rebuffed.

Responding to her, Cabinet Office Minister Lord True said all three MPs on the taskforce had declared their interests publicly in the MPs' register of interests.

The taskforce was chaired by Sir Iain, alongside fellow Conservatives Theresa Villiers and George Freeman.

It was set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to recommend how the UK could make the most from being outside EU regulations, but carried out its work independent of government.