What does a cupboard secretary do?
They’re essentially the most senior civil service adviser to the prime minister and his cupboard.
Their function is to help and advise on the operating of cupboard and cupboard committees, serving to put together agendas and supporting the federal government in reaching a collective settlement on insurance policies.
They’re typically one of many PM’s senior advisers on how authorities works, and on main coverage selections.
How the PM and his cupboard secretary work collectively makes a giant distinction to the cupboard secretary’s affect.
They’re additionally accountable for making certain the civil service acts to ship key manifesto commitments and insurance policies, brokering selections between ministers and departments and ensuring they’re adopted by.
Not all cupboard secretaries are head of the civil service, however the previous couple of have been.
This entails them managing civil servants, convening conferences of the departmental everlasting secretaries, main reform and enchancment of the civil service and representing the civil service in parliament and within the media.
Most cupboard secretaries are appointed by the prime minister of the day, typically on the advice of the outgoing cupboard secretary.
After Mark Sedwill stood down in 2020 there was a proper aggressive course of to switch him, nonetheless Simon Case reportedly didn’t apply and was requested to tackle the job by Boris Johnson.
Candidates to switch Mr Case had been requested for a CV and a canopy letter earlier than being interviewed by a panel of former cupboard secretaries, everlasting secretaries, head of the Ministry of Defence and the civil service commissioner.
Sir Keir then had the ultimate say to nominate the function, which was marketed with a wage of about £200,000.
