Dr Jo Farrar CB OBE
Biography
Dr Jo Farrar CB OBE became the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice in July 2025.
Jo was previously the Chief Executive Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, and before this she served as Second Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice with a remit covering HM Prison and Probation Service, the Office of the Public Guardian, the Legal Aid Agency, and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
Jo has a background in local government, having previously held the positions of Director General for Local Government and Public Services at MHCLG, and Chief Executive of Bath and North East Somerset Council.
Prior to her career in local government, she worked in Civil Service roles at the Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and the Cabinet Office.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice
The role of Permanent Secretary carries with it the responsibility of Principal Accounting Officer, ensuring that the resources authorised by Parliament are used for the purposes authorised by Parliament.
Other responsibilities include:
- agreeing with the Secretary of State the overarching strategy for delivering Ministerial objectives
- leading, and managing the Ministry to ensure that it operates as effectively and efficiently as possible
- reporting to the Justice Secretary and to Parliament on overall performance
Previous roles in government
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Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Chief Executive Officer, HM Prison & Probation Service
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Director General, Local Government and Public Services