Civil servants face private sector ban

GOVERNMENT spin doctors and top civil servants will be banned for a year from moving to lucrative private sector jobs if it creates a conflict of interest with their previous public service post.

This will prevent direct crossover into areas where sensitive information or expertise could be exploited for business purposes.

The experience gained by ministers, political advisers and departmental press officers makes them coveted goods on the private market when they leave Government posts, particularly in the lobbying, consultancy and PR industries.