Our governance

Decision-making, executive and managerial bodies in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).

Roles and structure of our boards and committees

Departmental Board

The Departmental Board forms the collective strategic and operational leadership of the department. Chaired by the Secretary of State for Justice, it brings together the Ministerial and Civil Service leaders with senior non-executives from outside government. It is responsible for setting strategic direction, including reviewing delivery against the business plan.

Members:

Audit Risk and Assurance Committee

As a sub-committee of the Departmental Board, the Audit Risk and Assurance Committee supports the Board and the Principal Accounting Officer by reviewing the completeness and reliability of assurances over the design and operation of governance, risk management and internal control frameworks and the integrity of financial statements in the department.

Members:

Nominations Committee

As a sub-committee of the Departmental Board, the Nominations Committee provides assurance on senior executive appointments within the department.

Members:

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is chaired by the Principal Accounting Officer. It is the executive leadership team for the department and is comprised of senior officials. It ensures that the department is fully aligned with the strategic direction set by the Secretary of State, maintains and directs the capabilities to deliver, oversees the delivery of outcomes and prioritises and allocates financial and other resources.

Members:

Delivery Board

The Delivery Board provides assurance to the Principal Accounting Officer and the Departmental Board that the strategic outcomes and commitments defined in the Outcome Delivery Plan and Government Major Projects Portfolio are on track to be delivered. It escalates matters for consideration to Departmental Board via the Executive Committee.

Members:

  • James McEwen, Chief Operating Officer (Chair)
  • Mark Rawlinson, Lead Non Executive Board Member
  • Paul Smith, Non Executive Board Member
  • Mark Beaton, Non Executive Board Member
  • Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer
  • Alison Baptiste, Infrastructure & Projects Authority
  • Philippa Davies, HM Treasury, Director Public Services
  • Ian Blakeman, Director Planning & Performance

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. The Investment Committee has delegated powers to make investment decisions on the Executive Committee’s behalf, with oversight of the MoJ portfolio, including portfolio projects from inception through to implementation, ensuring they remain strategically aligned, affordable and deliverable.

Members:

  • James McEwen, Chief Operating Officer (Chair)
  • Adrian Hannell, Director, Financial Management and Control
  • Alex Wilks, Chief Economist
  • Andrew Baigent, Chief Financial Officer HMCTS
  • Amy Holmes, Chief Executive and Public Guardian, Office of the Public Guardian
  • Barry Hooper, Chief Commercial Officer
  • Chris Drane, Director, Data and Analysis
  • Gina Gill, Chief Digital & Information Officer
  • Jason Latham, Director, Development HMCTS
  • Jerome Glass, Director General Policy, Courts and Victims
  • Jim Barton, Executive Director, HMPPS Change and SRO for Probation Reform and One HMPPS Programmes
  • Jonathan Nancekivell-Smith, Director, Finance Strategy
  • Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer
  • Kirsten Stewart, Infrastructure and Projects Authority Representative
  • Richard McSeveney, Chief Property Officer
  • Robert Nicholas, Deputy Director, Head of Portfolio and Assurance
  • Thalia Baldwin, Director, Strategy and Innovation

Finance, Performance and Risk Committee

The Finance, Performance and Risk Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. The Finance, Performance and Risk Committee oversees and scrutinises delivery against the Outcome Delivery Plan, informs management of the department’s principal and secondary risks, and monitors compliance with functional standards and other government, legal or professional requirements.

Members:

  • Richard Price, Director General Performance, Strategy and Analysis (Chair)
  • James McEwen, Chief Operating Officer
  • Mark Adam, Chief People Officer
  • Richard McSeveney, Interim Director Property & Director Functional Reform
  • Andrew Baigent, Chief Financial Officer HMCTS
  • Ian Blakeman, Director Planning & Performance
  • Adrian Hannell, Director Financial Management & Control
  • Jonathan Nancekivell-Smith, Director Strategic Finance
  • Hannah Meyer, Executive Director Strategy, Planning & Performance, HMPPS

People Business Committee

The People Business Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. It supports the Executive Committee in the development, delivery and evaluation of leadership and management of policies.

Members:

  • Mark Adam, Chief People Officer (Chair)
  • Dave Mann, Director HR Operations
  • Caroline Murray, Director of Business Partnering and Change
  • Diane Caddle, Director Social Value and Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Louise Alexander, HR Director HMCTS
  • Simon Barrett, Director of Communications
  • Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive Legal Aid Agency
  • Johanna Keech-Jowers, Deputy Director Diversity, Inclusion and Well-being
  • Alison Fowler, Director Service Excellence
  • Ian Barrow, Executive Director Workforce and Recovery Programmes, HMPPS
  • Claire Fielder, Director Youth Justice and Offender Policy
  • Michelle Jarman-Howe, Chief Operating Officer Prisons and Executive Director for Central Operations Services, HMPPS
  • Sarah Vogt, Deputy Director Head of Corporate Communications
  • Amie Alekna, Chief Security Officer
  • Wayne Sumner, Deputy Director Planning & Performance
  • Amy Holmes, Chief Executive Office of the Public Guardian
  • Hannah Meyer, Executive Director Strategy, Planning & Performance HMPPS
  • Adrian Hannell, Director Financial Management & Control
  • Steve Hodgson, Group Chief Internal Auditor

Portfolio Committee

The Portfolio Committee provides oversight of progress across our major change portfolio, with a reporting line into both the Executive Committee and Delivery Board. It ensures projects are set up for success, resolves issues that may compromise delivery confidence, including advising on prioritisation decisions regarding the deployment of expert resources. The committee ensures that the portfolio is strategically aligned, affordable and deliverable and that project leaders comply with project delivery standards.

Members:

  • James McEwen, Chief Operating Officer (Chair)
  • Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer
  • Richard McSeveney, Interim Director Property & Director Functional Reform
  • Ian Blakeman, Director Planning & Performance
  • Paul Harris, HMCTS Operations Director
  • Annabel Burns, Director Judicial and Legal Services Policy
  • Adrian Hannell, Director Financial Management & Control
  • Jonathan Nancekivell-Smith, Director Strategic Finance
  • Jim Barton, Executive Director Change and SRO for Probation Reform and OneHMPPS Programmes, HMPPS
  • Hannah Meyer, Executive Director Strategy, Planning & Performance HMPPS

Structure of our boards and committees

For more information on our boards and committees and a visual representation of our governance structure, see our Annual report and accounts: 2021 to 2022 (pages 62-69).

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