Second Permanent Secretary

Beth Russell

Biography

Beth Russell has recently been appointed as the Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury and is based in the Darlington Economic Campus.

Beth has worked in the Treasury since 2000 in a range of policy roles across tax, welfare and public spending. Previous to her current role she was the Director General of Tax and Welfare in the Treasury and the Director General leading the Treasury economic campus in Darlington. 

Her previous Treasury roles included Director of Personal Tax, Welfare and Pensions (2013-2017), Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (2011-2013), Deputy Director of General Expenditure Policy (2008-2011), Deputy Director of Environmental and Transport Taxes (2005-07) and Speechwriter for Gordon Brown when he was Chancellor (2001-2005) and Prime Minister (2007-2008).  Beth started her career in Department of Social Security as a policy adviser on welfare (1996-2000).

Second Permanent Secretary

The role of the Second Permanent Secretary is to support the Permanent Secretary in the running and oversight of the department.

Responsibilities include:

  • oversight of tax, welfare and growth policy

  • leadership for the Darlington Economic Campus

HM Treasury

Previous roles in government

  • Acting Permanent Secretary
  • Director General, Tax and Welfare