Sussex MP paid £1,600 by research firm for two hours' work

Arundel and South Downs Tory MP Andrew Griffith registered the payday in Parliament’s register of members’ financial interests earlier this month.

He received £1,600 from American market research company Mosaic Research Management “for market research on European tech companies” for two hours on June 19, his entry read.

Mr Griffith was a revered name in the tech industry before he was elected as an MP in the 2019 General Election.

He was first chief financial officer, then chief operating officer of broadcaster Sky.

He also worked as a non-executive director for delivery firm Just Eat, a role for which he was awarded “Non-Executive Director of the Year” by The Sunday Times in 2018.

Mr Griffith was a revered name in the tech industry before he was elected as Arundel's MP last year

Former Arundel parliamentary candidate Alison Bennett said the £1,600 payday was “nice work if you can get it”.

“I am sure we would all prefer it if Mr Griffith spent his time helping his constituents in Arundel and South Downs navigate the coronavirus crisis,” Liberal Democrat Ms Bennett said.

MPs are allowed to earn money outside of their parliamentary salary provided they register any new financial interests “which someone might reasonably consider to influence their actions or words” within 28 days.

Mr Griffith registered the payday with Parliament on July 7, 21 days after he was paid.

The Conservative MP said the payment "did not relate in any way" to his role as an MP.

"This related entirely to my previous 27 year career in business where I sat on the boards of two companies in the broader tech sector which the UK is very much a European leader in," he said.

"It was rightly disclosed under the high standards of transparency Parliamentarians adhere to."

The news came after it was announced former Hastings MP Amber Rudd has taken up a part-time job with Norwegian energy firm Equinor as chairwoman of its advisory board.

Amber Rudd has taken up a new job at Norwegian energy firm Equinor

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which advises ex-ministers on job applications, published an open letter on the appointment as Ms Rudd had held a number of Cabinet positions, including Energy Secretary under former Prime Minister David Cameron.

She left the role in July 2016 when new Prime Minister Theresa May appointed her as Home Secretary.

The committee said Ms Rudd “had no dealings with Equinor while in office”.

It said it was “aware of no reason it might be perceived this appointment is a reward for decisions or actions taken or made in office.”

But it warned Ms Rudd it would be “unfair” to use any of her Government contacts to Equinor’s advantage.

And the committee advised the ex-minister not to become “personally involved” in government lobbying for the energy firm until two years had passed since her last day in office. Ms Rudd resigned from her final post of Work and Pensions Secretary in September last year.

The committee also advised the ex-MP on her other new job as a senior adviser at advisory firm Teneo. Another letter by the committee noted Ms Rudd had taken part in a panel event organised by Teneo during her time as Work and Pensions Secretary but had not met with the firm in the past two years.

Ms Rudd was advised not to personally lobby the Government on behalf of Equinor or Teneo until two years after her last day in office as Work and Pensions Secretary

“The committee did not consider it could reasonably be perceived you were offered this paid role as a reward for decisions made or actions taken in office,” it wrote.

But it advised Ms Rudd should not lobby for the company for two years since her last day in office.

And it also suggested she should not advise Teneo for the same time period on any policy she had “specific involvement” with during her time as Work and Pensions Secretary.