Another senior civil servant announces he is leaving job

THE MINISTRY of Justice’s permanent secretary is to leave his job this summer when his contract ends, the department has confirmed.

Sir Richard Heaton is the latest in a string of senior civil servants to depart from their roles this year.

He will step down after a fiveyear tenure and nearly 30 years in the civil service, having previously confirmed his term was due to expire in August.

Last month he told the Commons Public Accounts Committee: “Whether or not I will continue beyond that will be the subject of an announcement, I dare say, in due course.”

Downing Street was rumoured to have vetoed an agreed extension to Sir Richard’s term, according to unverified reports.

The news comes as it emerged Sir Mark Sedwill, inset, was stepping down as Cabinet Secretary, head of the civil service and national security adviser, amid reports of clashes with the Prime Minister’s chief aide, Dominic Cummings.

Sir Richard’s career in government began in 1991, when he joined the Home Office as a legal adviser.

He spent five years at the Department for Work and Pensions as head of law and governance and then as director general for pensions and ageing society.

In 2012 he was appointed permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office and in 2014 became the civil service race champion, leading work to improve ethnic diversity, before joining the MoJ in August 2015.

His departure adds to changes of permanent secretaries at other Government departments this year, including the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sir Richard said it had been a privilege to lead the MoJ through challenging years adding: “Throughout, we have been able to deliver on the priorities of successive governments.” Justice Secretary Robert Buckland described Sir Richard as an “exceptional civil servant, with the strongest of reputations across Government and the legal sector”, adding he was a pleasure to work with.

Sir Mark said Sir Richard had “earned the country’s appreciation for his three decades of dedicated public service”.