Fourth senior civil servant declares exit in six months

The everlasting secretary on the Ministry of Justice, Sir Richard Heaton, will stand down from his function this summer time.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland praised him as “distinctive”, with the “strongest of reputations”.

Sir Richard is the fourth senior civil servant to announce his departure in six months, amongst calls inside Downing Avenue for reform of the service.

On Wednesday, Boris Johnson signed off a £250,000 pay out for the UK’s most senior civil servant, Sir Mark Sedwill.

Sir Mark confirmed final month that he would depart Whitehall in September as Mr Johnson introduced plans to separate his function as cupboard secretary and nationwide safety adviser into two posts.

The change got here after stories of tensions between him and senior members of the prime minister’s group in Downing Avenue – however Sir Mark stated the choice was “amicable”.

Dominic Cummings, thought to be the prime minister’s most influential political adviser, has lengthy referred to as for an overhaul of the civil service.

• Civil service: What adjustments does the federal government need to make?
• UK’s high civil servant to get £250,000 payout

Sir Richard has been on the Ministry of Justice since 2015, and was everlasting secretary on the Cupboard Workplace for the three years.

He first got here to Whitehall in 1991 as a authorized adviser to the Dwelling Workplace, and has labored throughout a number of departments advising on prison legislation, the structure, and human rights legislation.

Talking forward of his exit, Sir Richard stated it had been “a privilege” to guide on the Ministry of Justice, regardless of “difficult years” – particularly with the coronavirus outbreak.

“However what I’m most happy with is the way in which by which individuals from each a part of the division and its accomplice organisations work collectively to get issues achieved,” he added.

Who else has resigned?

Sir Philip Rutnam resigned as Everlasting Secretary of the Dwelling Workplace in February, asserting he would take the Dwelling Secretary Priti Patel to an employment tribunal.

He stated there had been a “vicious and orchestrated” marketing campaign towards him within the division – accusations Ms Patel has denied.

And Sir Simon McDonald introduced in June he would step down in as everlasting secretary of the Overseas and Commonwealth Workplace in September “on the request” of the prime minister.

His exit comes forward of the division’s merger with the Division for Worldwide Improvement.