Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come under fire for not publicly talking about Infosys — the Indian IT company owned by his wife’s family.
The business was co-founded by his father-in-law but the PM has never spoken of his interest in the company, previously saying it was a matter only for his wife Akshata Murty, and of “no legitimate public interest”.
It has since come to light that the IT giant has been involved in £172 million worth of public sector contracts, and now pressure is mounting on PM Sunak to answer questions on how the partnerships came about.
Here’s everything we know:
What is Infosys?
Infosys is an IT company that specialises in consulting and IT services. Their website claims the company is a “a global leader in consulting, outsourcing. and next-gen services, enabling clients to create and execute digital transformation” and it was named as one of the top 150 IT companies in the world last year.
Who owns Infosys?
Under information released publicly by the firm, their latest annual reports show that the company was founded by Rishi Sunak’s father-in-law.
Rishi’s wife, Akshata Murty, is reported on the findings as having a 0.93 per cent interest in the business, amounting to 38.9 million shares, which is estimated to be worth around £89m. The report shows that dividends paid to her amount to around £12 million each year, but until recently she was not liable for UK tax on account of her non-dom status.
What is the Government’s link with Infosys?
It has this week come to light from Contracts Finder, the Government’s own database of public sector tenders and contracts, that the business has been involved in public-sector contracts worth £172 million.
Information published on the fact-giving site states that the IT company has signed contracts with the UK Government to provide a range of services to a number of government clients.
In December 2022, when the most recent contract was awarded, the firm was tasked with providing £1,760,500 worth of “consulting, software development, internet and support” to Transport for London.
Infosys was first Government-linked in 2015, when it signed up to £98 million-worth of government-related contracts, including two with the Home Office for £10.8 million.
The company has also signed six contracts in its time with the Care Quality Commission, worth a whopping £20.3 million, plus a contract with Westminster Council for £10 million and a £5.35 million contract with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
The IT giant has also undertaken work for a number of local authorities, including the London Borough of Merton for £500,000 and East Sussex County Council for £25 million.
Has Rishi Sunak’s department dealt with Infosys?
There have been no contracts reported between Infosys, the Treasury, or the Cabinet Office on Contracts Finder, and although there is no suggestion of wrongdoing in relation to the awarding of any of the contracts, questions are being raised as to why Rishi Sunak has remained tight-lipped about the dealings.
