Timpson takes up children's commissioner advisory role

Timpson was among several MPs in child and youth-related government roles who failed to win re-election to parliament at the June 2017 general election, losing his Crewe and Nantwich seat by just 48 votes.

His new position is as part of a five-person advisory board that provides Longfield with "advice, challenge and scrutiny".

The part-time role, which is unpaid, will involve advising Longfield on how the powers of the children's commissioner can be used to best promote and protect children and young people's rights, as well as what the key issues and challenges facing children, families and the sector at large are.

He will also seek to strengthen relationships between the commissioner and the wider children's services network across the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Timpson sought approval for the appointment from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) - the government committee tasked with rubber-stamping business appointments for former ministers within two years of leaving office.

It advised that, in accordance with the business appointment rules, he should not disclose or use any privileged information available to him as a government minister in his new position.

In addition, for a period of two years since his last day in ministerial office, the committee said he should not be involved with lobbying government, or any work that relates to securing the budget for the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England from government.