Permanent Secretary

The Permanent Secretary, in most departments officially titled the Permanent Under-Secretary of State (although the full title is rarely used), is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis. The Permanent Secretary is usually created a Knight or Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath if not already holding the title (although the Permanent Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be created a Knight or Dame Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George instead). The most senior Permanent Secretaries, such as the Secretary to the Cabinet, may be created a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and even be given a life peerage after retirement.

Related Topics:
Civil servant - British Government - Ministry - Order of the Bath - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Order of St. Michael and St. George - Life peer

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The Permanent Secretary is the Accounting Officer of the Department, which means that he or she is answerable to Parliament for ensuring that the Department spends money granted by Parliament appropriately. Permanent Secretaries are thus frequently called for questioning by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons.

Related Topics:
Parliament - Public Accounts Committee - House of Commons

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Some larger departments also have a Second Permanent Secretary who acts as deputy. In the early 1970s, there was a major reorganisation of Whitehall and many smaller Ministries were amalgamated into larger Departments. Following this reorganisation, virtually all Departments had Second Permanent Secretaries. However, this is no longer the case.

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The most famous (albeit fictional) Permanent Secretary is probably Sir Humphrey Appleby of the BBC TV series Yes, Minister.

Related Topics:
Sir Humphrey Appleby - BBC - TV series - Yes, Minister

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