The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister and in agreement with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has appointed James Bowler as the new Permanent Secretary to the Treasury.

James is currently Permanent Secretary for the Department for International Trade and was previously Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office. James brings to the role a wealth of knowledge and experience of HM Treasury from over 20 years in the department, combined with experience working with business and representing Britain internationally from his time at DIT.

James will have overall responsibility for managing the department, will supervise Treasury policy development, and will be the principal adviser to the Chancellor and his Ministerial team.

The Cabinet Secretary and the Permanent Secretary have announced Cat Little and Beth Russell as Second Permanent Secretaries. Cat has worked as the Director General of Public Spending since March 2020 and previously worked at the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence and spent over a decade in the private sector. Beth has worked for the Treasury for more than 20 years, most recently as the Director General of Tax and Welfare; she also currently heads up the Darlington Economic Campus.

These appointments have been made by the Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister and in agreement with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Rt. Hon. Kwasi Kwarteng MP.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said:

I’m delighted to welcome James back to the Treasury and Beth and Cat into their new roles as Second Permanent Secretaries. James joined the Civil Service over 20 years ago and has enormous experience delivering across a range of Government departments. Beth and Cat bring experience and continuity and it’s fantastic to have them as part of the Treasury’s top team.

James has a proven track record of delivery and strong leadership, both of which will be vital as we drive towards our mission of igniting growth and raising living standards for everyone across the UK.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, said:

James is one of our most expert and experienced economic policy makers, who has served many chancellors over the last two decades. I am delighted for James and congratulate him on his appointment.

I would like to thank Cat and Beth for their excellent leadership of the Treasury over recent weeks and congratulate them both on their substantive promotion to Second Permanent Secretaries. HMT is at the heart of the government’s plan for growth and I know James, supported by Cat and Beth, will bring dedicated leadership to deliver on this agenda for the government and the country.

James Bowler said:

I am delighted to be returning to HM Treasury. Having spent over 20 years at the Department, I know first-hand the excellence of its people. I plan to bring my wider experience back to the Department to help navigate the opportunities and challenges of the global economy that lie ahead. I look forward to working with the Chancellor as part of a strong team alongside the proven experience and talent of Beth Russell and Cat Little.

Beth Russell and Cat Little said:

Working for the Treasury and delivering for the public are privileges – we’re both honoured to be chosen and we look forward to working with the Chancellor, James and the whole ministerial and official team as we continue to deliver for the country.

Notes to Editors

James Bowler

James has over 20 years experience in the Treasury, including as head of tax and then spending policy. He has led multiple Spending Reviews and Budgets at Treasury and was also Principal Private Secretary in Number 10. He has worked in senior roles in Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice. James has also helped lead international trade deal negotiations including with India, Trans-Pacific and Australia. James has been a Permanent Secretary since September 2020, first in the Cabinet Office and then in his current role at DIT.

Cat Little

Cat spent over a decade in the private sector dedicated to government and public sector finance at professional services firm PwC. Since joining government in 2013, Cat has led finance, digital and commercial teams in MoJ and most recently as Director General Finance at the MoD. Cat has been Director General of Public Spending since March 2020 and led the comprehensive spending review in 2021. Cat also is head of the Government Finance Function, leading over 10,000 finance professionals across Government, and will continue in this role alongside her new position as second permanent secretary.

Beth Russell

Beth has worked for over 20 years in the Treasury, most recently as Director General Tax and Welfare, Director Personal Tax Welfare and Pensions, and Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor. Over the last year, Beth has been heading up the new Darlington Economic Campus (DEC) and will continue to be based in Darlington in this new role. DEC will eventually have 1100 new roles across 8 government departments.

The process to recruit the First Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury ran over three weeks. Given the seniority of the job, the process was only open to existing Permanent Secretaries. Candidates were interviewed by a panel including the First Civil Service Commissioner, the Lead NED for HM Treasury and the Cabinet Secretary. Candidates also met with the Chancellor as part of the process. As with all Permanent Secretary appointments, the Prime Minister’s approval was required.

The process to recruit the Second Permanent Secretaries at HM Treasury ran over four months, following Charles Roxburgh’s departure. The competition was open to external candidates. Candidates were interviewed by a panel including the First Civil Service Commissioner, the Lead NED for HM Treasury and the Cabinet Secretary. As with all Permanent Secretary appointments, the Prime Minister’s approval was required.

The UK has imposed sanctions on senior security and political figures in Iran and the so-called Morality Police.

Mahsa Amini’s death, following her arrest by the Morality Police, has sparked protests across Iran and shocked the world. For decades the Morality Police have used the threat of detention and violence to control what Iranian women wear and how they behave in public.

In response, the UK has today sanctioned the Morality Police in its entirety, as well as both its chief Mohammed Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi and the Head of the Tehran Division Haj Ahmed Mirzaei.

The UK is also imposing sanctions today on five leading political and security officials in Iran for committing serious human rights violations, including:

• Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Basij force, responsible for internal security in Iran.
• Hassan Karami. the Commander of the NAJA Special Forces Unit of the Iranian police.
• Hossein Ashtari, the Commander-in-chief of the Iranian police.

The Basij force, NAJA Special Forces Unit and the wider Iranian police have played a central role in the crackdown on protests across Iran in recent weeks, as well as the fuel-related protests in 2019.

There have been reports of live ammunition being used against protestors, including when students were blockaded by security forces at the Sharif University earlier this week, and the bodies of protestors killed by security services buried without the families’ knowledge.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK stands with the people of Iran who are bravely calling for accountability from their government and for their fundamental human rights to be respected.

These sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian authorities – we will hold you to account for your repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence you have inflicted on your own people.

These sanctions will ensure that the individuals on the list cannot travel to the UK and any of their assets held in the UK, or by UK persons anywhere, will be frozen.

Earlier this week the Foreign Secretary instructed the FCDO to summon the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires to express the UK’s condemnation of the Iranian authorities’ violent crackdown on protests.

Background:

The Sanctions List has been updated here.

The list of those who have been designated as part of the Morality Police designations is below:

• Morality Police
• Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi (Head of the Morality Police)
• Haj Ahmad Mirzaei (Head of the Tehran division of the Morality Police)

Sanctions are imposed on the group below over their role in the violent crackdown on fuel-related protests in Iran in 2019:

• Gholamreza Soleimani (Head of the Basij Organisation)
• Hassan Karami (Commander of the NAJA (Police) Special Unit)
• Hossein Ashtari (Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Police Forces)
• Leila Vaseghi (former Governor of Shahr-e Qods province)
• Hassan Shahvarpour (commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Khuzestan province and Deputy of the South West Karbala Headquarters)

Jagriti experienced a broad range of diplomatic activities; including leading meetings with diverse stakeholders, chairing discussions and attending several events during the day. She met the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi, the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, and the Executive Chairman of Wipro Rishad Premji. Other highlights included interacting with project leads working on the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) project at the British Council and beneficiaries of the Chevening-funded SheLeads project – a women leadership programme that helps aspiring female political leaders.

Alongside Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, she also launched a book honouring 75 Indian Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). This year’s competition was made possible through the gracious support of partners Cosmopolitan India, Taj Hotels, and Vistara.

Jagriti Yadav, High Commissioner for the Day, said:

It was an intellectually inspiring experience to serve as the British High Commissioner for a day. My day was full of opportunities – discussions with established business leaders, a meeting with the Mayor of West Yorkshire and interacting with a leading female politician of India about significant obstacles to women’s professional advancement and the value of women as leaders.

Meeting the SheLeads project beneficiaries and female STEAM role models was motivating, and I learned about STEAM engagement between the UK and India and the UK’s efforts to advance gender equality. The day gave me the opportunity to learn from a diverse perspective and, as a young woman, it gave me the confidence to be more determined and considerate towards the role of women in society.

Alex Ellis, Deputy High Commissioner for the Day (on other days, High Commissioner to India), said:

The High Commissioner for a Day is an event I look forward to every year. Jagriti is articulate and focused and shows the talent across India. As women rise, we all rise.

The UK and India do a lot together to promote gender equality, including on research and education. I’m delighted that 50% of the Chevening scholarships for India this year were awarded to women. The UK is a world leader at incorporating gender equality in universities and India is a top country for girls studying STEM-subjects. I wish Jagriti the best for the future and hope she enjoyed being High Commissioner for the day.

The British High Commission in New Delhi has organised the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11). More than 270 young girls from all around India applied for this year’s competition.

Further information

Free-to-use high resolution images of Jagriti’s day as High Commissioner are available here.

The International Day of the Girl is also being celebrated in UK’s other diplomatic missions across India, where one young girl will have the opportunity to be the ‘British Deputy High Commissioner for a Day’: Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Chennai.

Jagriti Yadav was High Commissioner for a Day on Wednesday, 21 September. Applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a one-minute video answering ‘which woman in public life inspires you the most and why?’ Jagriti’s winning entry can be found here.

About the winner: Jagriti hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and is a recent graduate with a BSc in Physical Science with Computer Science from Delhi University. She is an avid reader and prefers to read self-help books that provide insights and perspective on life.

Joint work on Gender: The UK and India are working together to help ensure women and girls can reach their full potential. In India, the UK is working with various Government and private stakeholders to promote gender equality. Examples include:

• The British Council has partnered with India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) on the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) project, to introduce a gender equality framework, drawing upon successful models in the UK, namely Athena Swan. This pilot project is customised to the requirements of the Indian context, with a focus on bringing about transformational change.

• The UK in India Pledge for Progress campaign launched in November 2020, which brings together over 130 partners to exchange expertise, including on gender diversity in STEMM, financial and professional services. The pledge is a joint commitment to promote gender equality and take practical steps to tackle gender challenges.

High Commissioner for a Day 2022 partners:

• Cosmopolitan is the largest-read women’s magazine in the world. Cosmopolitan encourages young women to be brave, bold, and live their best lives – a philosophy that runs through print pages, and digital media assets.

• The iconic Taj Hotels are part of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company. The group recently launched ‘She Remains the Taj’, a holistic framework of women-centric initiatives for all stakeholders including guests, employees, partners and the community. IHCL has also announced a goal to raise women participation in its workforce to 25% by 2025, and support women-led businesses and partners. Wider IHCL initiatives include the opening of South Asia’s first all-women managed luxury residences, Taj Wellington Mews in Chennai, and the all-women engineers’ team to build Ginger’s flagship hotel in Mumbai.

• Vistara has a diverse workforce and prides itself on getting superlative talent regardless of race, gender or any other factor. Women employees form almost 43% of Vistara’s workforce, and 12% of its leadership members are women. Almost 12% of Vistara’s pilots are women, which is more than double the global average, and the airline is constantly working towards taking this number higher. The airline is also a signatory to the UK in India Pledge for Progress to promote gender diversity at the workplace and in society at large.

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Almost three hundred young people started their nuclear career with Sellafield Ltd this month as the company welcomed the new cohorts of 200 apprentices and 88 graduates.

The latest intake means that the company has more than 600 apprentices currently completing their training with the company and our training provider, GEN2 in West Cumbria and Wigan and with Leigh in Risley.

Donna Connor, head of education and skills at Sellafield Ltd, said:

The sheer numbers of apprentices and graduates we continue to train and employ every year clearly demonstrates our commitment to investing in the next generation of nuclear workers.

Beyond the volume of recruits, we are particularly proud of the variety of training opportunities we are able to provide, with 18 different apprenticeship schemes. Our graduate scheme is also diverse with people starting their careers in science, engineering, technology, project management, business, and safety roles.

Sellafield Ltd was recently voted in the top 100 apprentice employers in the country for 2022.

Copeland MP Trudy Harrison said:

I’m delighted that once again Sellafield Ltd is recruiting an impressive number of apprentices and graduates across a range of courses who now have the chance of an exciting career at the most complex nuclear site in Europe.

Georgia Nevins is on the nuclear operator apprentice scheme. She said:

I’d heard a lot about Sellafield Ltd from family and friends that work here. It excited me as it offers lots of opportunities for personal development, I chose the nuclear operator route as it sounded interesting and worthwhile.

I wanted to be part of the biggest employer in the area and contribute towards its goal. I feel really privileged to be employed by Sellafield Ltd.

The apprentices will complete their training across multiple disciplines, from Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) to Level 6 (degree level) schemes.

Those who have joined the graduate schemes will embark on a two-year programme designed to develop their behavioural, business, and technical skills.

Marc Skillen, Sellafield Ltd’s graduate development manager, said:

It is amazing to welcome 88 graduates – one of our biggest ever single intakes – from all corners of the country.

The breadth and depth of knowledge and skill that they carry will undoubtedly bring innovation and creativity to help us achieve our purpose of creating a clean and safe environment for future generations.

As part of their formal welcome to Sellafield Ltd the graduates have already been involved in activities such as behavioural development, understanding what it means to be a nuclear professional, attending the Nuclear Vision Conference and working on a local community project.