A Tory who was rapped by Westminster's lobbying watchdog over outside jobs with pharma firms has been named chair of the Health Select Committee.
The Mirror revealed in January that ex-health minister Steve Brine made £200-an-hour giving 'strategic advice' to drug firm Sigma without first checking with the Advisory Body on Business Appointments (ACOBA).
And last February, Mr Brine arranged a meeting between Sigma and then-Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi.
Two months later, the firm was awarded a £100,000 government contract to supply Covid-19 tests to pharmacies.
Mr Brine claimed to have consulted revolving door watchdog about all of his outside jobs.
But an investigation by the Sunday Mirror discovered he had not consulted them over a £1,600 role giving "strategic advice" to Sigma pharmaceuticals until after he took the job - an apparent breach of the ministerial code.
Both the firm and Mr Brine denied he acted as a lobbyist, and insist he played no role in the deal.
But ACOBA chair Lord Pickles, said there was a "reasonable concern" that his contact with Mr Zahawi was "only made available to Sigma as a direct result of Mr Brine's time as a minister at the Department for Health and Social Care"
He added: "I do not consider it was in-keeping with the letter or the spirit of the government's rules for former ministers for a former minister at DHSC to contact a minister with responsibilities for health on behalf of a pharmaceutical company which pays him."
Mr Brine quit all of his second jobs - worth a combined £38,000 a year - after the Sunday Mirror revealed his apparent rulebreaking.
Mr Brine was today elected chair of the Health Select Committee - a vacancy left by Jeremy Hunt when he was promoted to Chancellor by Liz Truss.
He did not declare any interests when putting himself forward for the role.
Neither did he mention his previous outside employment in his candidate statement.
He wrote: "We’re all known for one thing during our time in Parliament.
"For me, it’s health and I think I have a strong record on the subject - in Government and on the backbenches - working collegiately and respectfully with MPs from every party. "
Acoba has no power to impose punishments on ministers or former ministers who break the rules.
Former Ministers have to consult ACOBA before taking any job within two years of leaving government.
Lord Pickles handed Mr Brine's case to the Cabinet Office to decide what - if any - punishment he should receive.
In a letter to Lord Pickles, Mr Brine said his failure to consult ACOBA before starting the job was an "error" and apologised for "poor admin on my part."
He admitted personally arranging for Mr Zahawi to attend the meeting with Sigma, but denied he was using his contacts to "influence Government policy or secure business" for the firm.
