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Our governance

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

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 in their responsibilities to ensure that there are effective arrangements for governance, risk management and internal control in place for the department. It does this by focusing on assurance arrangements over governance, financial reporting, and the annual report and accounts, including the evidence for and content of the governance statement. The Committee ensures that there is an adequate and effective risk management and assurance framework in place to meet the Board and Accounting Officer’s assurance requirements.

Members:

Nominations Committee

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

Members:

  • Jo Farrar CB OBE, Permanent Secretary (Chair)
  • Rob Whiteman CBE, Lead Non-Executive Board Member
  • Jennifer Rademaker, Non-Executive Board Member
  • Mark Adam, Director General People and Capability

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:

  • Jo Farrar CB OBE, Permanent Secretary (Chair)
  • Clara Swinson CB, Second Permanent Secretary
  • Nick Goodwin, Chief Executive, HMCTS
  • James McEwen, Director General, Chief Executive, HMPPS
  • Michelle Jarman-Howe, Interim Director General Operations
  • Megan Lee Devlin, Director General, Service Transformation
  • Nick Donlevy, Director General, Chief Operating Officer
  • Emma Churchill, Director General, Policy - Courts and Access to Justice, and interim Director General Policy – Prisons, Offenders and International Justice
  • Vacant, Director General, Policy - Prisons, Offenders and International Justice
  • Mark Adam, Director General People and Capability
  • Simon Barrett, Executive Director, Communications
  • Kelby Harmes, Director, MoJ Legal Advisors

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. The Committee considers and, where appropriate, approves investment decisions on behalf of Executive Committee, including gated release of funds for change programmes, ensuring that investments deliver value for money, meet regularity and propriety considerations and are affordable and sustainable.

Members:

  • Nick Donlevy, Director General, Chief Operating Officer (Chair)
  • Adrian Hannell, Director, Financial Management, Control, Risk and Governance
  • Alex Wilks, Chief Economist
  • Catherine Blair, Chief Financial Officer HMCTS
  • Tim Snow, Chief Commercial Officer
  • Chris Drane, Director, Data and Analysis
  • Emma Churchill, Director General, Policy - Courts, Access to Justice, International Justice and Legal
  • Matt Grey, Executive Director for Rehabilitation
  • Farhad Chikhalia, Director, Financial Strategy and Partnerships
  • Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer and nominated Director for Service Transformation
  • Kirsten Stewart, National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority
  • Megan Lee Devlin, Director General, Service Transformation
  • Richard McSeveney, Chief Property Officer
  • Robert Nicholas, Deputy Director, Head of Portfolio and Assurance
  • Vacant, Director, Strategy and Innovation
  • John Laverick, Chief Digital & Information Officer, HMCTS

Finance, Performance and Risk Committee

Finance, Performance and Risk Committee (FPRC) is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee. The Committee has responsibility for scrutinising, challenging, and supporting departmental delivery against the Outcome Delivery Plan (ODP) and the Department’s performance framework. It also informs management of the Department’s principal and secondary risks, examines in-year finances, and monitors compliance with functional standards and other government, legal or professional requirements.

Members:

  • Nick Donlevy, Director General, Chief Operating Officer (Chair)
  • Raj Johal, Director, Planning and Performance
  • Thalia Baldwin Director, Strategy and Analysis (HMCTS)
  • Vacant, Director, Strategy and Innovation
  • Richard McSeveney, Chief Property Officer
  • Catherine Blair, Chief Financial Officer HMCTS
  • Adrian Hannell, Director, Financial Management and Control
  • Farhad Chikhalia, Director, Financial Strategy and Partnerships
  • Jo Collins, Chief Risk Officer
  • Chris Drane, Director, Data and Analysis
  • Tim Snow, Chief Commercial Officer
  • Jon Griffiths  Chief Project Delivery Officer
  • James Dowler, Director, International Rights and Constitutional Policy
  • Jonathan Lawrence, Director, Security and Information Group
  • Ben Charfnock, Director, Strategy, Performance and Corporate Delivery
  • Joan Lewis, Deputy Director, management Accounting and Synergy Finance Lead
  • Andrew Sanderson, Finance Director, HMPPS
  • Mark R. Thompson, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer

Interim Members:

  • Kris Barnfield-Guest, Deputy Director, Business Effectiveness
  • Claire Fielder, Director, Criminal Justice System, Strategy and Reform

Standing Attendees:

  • Matt Ellis, Group Chief Internal Auditor, GIAA
  • Rory Heard, Deputy Director, performance and Improvement
  • Wayne Sumner, Deputy Director, Planning and Performance

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, Director General, People and Capability (Chair)
  • Dave Mann, Director, People Services
  • Diane Caddle, People Director, Centre of Expertise, People and Capability
  • Allison Gerrard, HR Director, HMCTS
  • Ben Stack, Interim Director, Communications
  • Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive, Legal Aid Agency
  • Louise Alexander, Director, Business Partnering MoJ HQ and HMPPS
  • Ian Barrow, Interim Executive Director, Probation Workforce Programmes, HMPPS
  • Paul Candler , Director, Youth Justice and Offender Policy
  • Sarah Coccia, Interim Chief Operating Officer Prisons and Executive Director for Central Operations Services, HMPPS
  • Raj Joahl, Director, Planning and Performance
  • Ruth Duffin, Public Guardian and Chief Executive for the Office of the Public Guardian
  • Adrian Hannell, Director, Financial Management and Control
  • Dominic Herrington, Executive Director, Transforming Delivery, HMPPS
  • Steve Hodgson, Group Chief Internal Auditor
  • Jo Collins, Chief Risk Officer
  • Marcina Dunwell, Director, Corporate Service Transformation and SRO for MoJ Synergy
  • Sarah Brooks, Deputy Director, Digital Capability & Engagement, Justice Digital
  • Claire Barcham, Deputy Director for Public Bodies Centre of Expertise
  • Dan Bateman, HR Director, HMCTS
  • Daniel Flury, Operations Director HMCTS

Portfolio Committee

The Portfolio Committee provides oversight of 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 successful delivery and improves delivery confidence, further 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:

  • Megan Lee Devlin, Director General, Service Transformation (Chair)
  • Nick Donlevy, Director General, Chief Operating Officer
  • Jon Griffiths, Chief Project Delivery Officer
  • Richard McSeveney, Chief Property Officer
  • Raj Johal, Director, Planning and Performance
  • Adrian Hannell, Director, Financial Management andControl
  • Farhad Chikhalia, Director, Financial Strategy and Partnerships
  • Jim Barton, Executive Director, HMPPS Change
  • Thalia Baldwin, Director, Strategy and Innovation
  • David Magee, HMCTS Change Portfolio
  • Robert Nicholas, Deputy Director, Head of Portfolio and Assurance
  • Matt Grey, Executive Director, Rehabilitation and Change, HMPPS
  • Colin Shaw, Director, Transformation
  • Tim Snow, Chief Commercial Officer
  • Vacant, Director, Strategy, Priorities and Innovation
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