Rishi Sunak indadvertedly breached the code of conduct when he failed to declare his wife’s shares in a childcare company, parliament’s standards commissioner has said.
Daniel Greenberg launched an investigation into the prime minister in April over whether he breached transparency rules.
Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murthy, is a shareholder in Koru Kids, which looks set to benefit from the government’s new childcare policy.
But the prime minister did not mention Murthy’s links the company when he was questioned by MPs at the liaison committee in March.
Following his inquiry, Greenberg said: “I reviewed the information available to me and concluded that, in accordance with the Code, Ms Murty’s shareholding was a relevant interest that should have been declared during the Liaison Committee meeting on 28 March 2023
“Having considered the information available to me, I have decided that the breach of the code appears to have been inadvertent. I confirm that the matter is now closed.”
Greenberg added Sunak’s breach of the code had arose out his “confusion” over the rules.
The government has launched a pilot of incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession, a sum that doubles to £1,200 if they sign up through an agency.
Koru Kids is one of six childminder agencies listed on the government’s website that could benefit.