HMRC appoints Chief Digital and Information Officer

News story

Daljit Rehal has been appointed as Chief Digital and Information Officer at HM Revenue and Customs.

Daljit is a senior technology and data executive with broad experience in the sector, including modernising digital capabilities, adopting Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies and Agile methods and leading change. He replaces interim CDIO Director General Mark Denney, who played a leading role in the search for his successor.

Daljit joins HMRC after nearly nine years at Centrica as Global Digital and Data Services Director. He previously held senior positions at Talk Talk and Virgin Media.

Jim Harra, HMRC’s Chief Executive and First Permanent Secretary, said:

I’m delighted to welcome Daljit to HMRC as our new Chief Digital and Information Officer. He proved an exceptional candidate and his appointment will be a tremendous asset to the department as we continue to pursue our ambitions of becoming a digitally-enabled, world-class organisation.

His passion for leading change focused on customer outcomes and breadth of experience in both technology and business is particularly relevant for us at this time as we continue to expand our online services to business and personal customers and implement the digital strategy we’ve developed over the past two years.

I would also like to pay tribute and thank Mark Denney for his work as Interim Director General. His work in the last few months in delivering the coronavirus support schemes has been a particular highlight and his leadership has helped the department deliver for millions of people affected by the pandemic.

Daljit Rehal said:

I’m really excited to be joining HMRC at a time of such unique challenges and opportunities and continuing the journey to becoming a truly modern and progressive tax authority fit for the 21st century. I look forward to building on the excellent work of my predecessors Mark Denney and Jacky Wright.

Daljit will take up his role on 14 September 2020.

Published 1 September 2020



Appointment of Commissioners to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Brandon Lewis MP has today announced the appointment of six Commissioners to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission who will take up office on 1 September 2020.

The successful candidates, who will serve for a period of 3 years, are as follows:

  • Helen Henderson
  • Jonathan Kearney
  • David Lavery
  • Maura Muldoon
  • Edmond Rooney
  • Stephen White

Speaking earlier today Mr Lewis said:

I am delighted to make these appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, under the leadership of Chief Commissioner, Les Allamby, continues to play an important role in keeping under review the adequacy and effectiveness in protecting human rights and promoting understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland’s increasingly diverse society.

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution with an ‘A’ status accreditation from the United Nations (UN). The Commission is funded by the UK Government but is an independent public body that operates in full accordance with the UN Paris Principles.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 for making appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

More information can be found on the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission website http://www.nihrc.org/

Terms of appointment

The positions are part-time appointments for three years.

The positions attract a fixed remuneration of £7,500 per annum for a commitment of approximately three days a month.

These positions are not pensionable.

Biography of Appointees

Helen Henderson is currently Managing Director of St Columb’s Park House, a peace and reconciliation centre and is a serving Harbour Commissioner.

Jonathan Kearney is currently a consultant with a focus on policing and human rights.

David Lavery is currently Chief Executive of the Law Society of Northern Ireland and former Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service.

Maura Muldoon is retired but previously had a public sector career focused on mainstreaming human rights and equality into organisational policies, procedures and practices.

Edmond Rooney is currently a business associate with the Health and Social Care Leadership Centre and has previously served as a Northern Ireland Human Rights Commissioner.

Stephen White is currently a self-employed, freelance Security Sector Reform Specialist.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.

Helen Henderson has declared that she canvassed on behalf of the Alliance Party and People before Profit.

Regulation

These appointments are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA) and all stages of the process were overseen by an independent panel member.



Sheffield river maintenance works to reduce flood risk

The Environment Agency will be starting work in the river channel in Sheffield this month (September) to help reduce the risk of flooding in the city.

These works will take place in the River Loxley at Malinbridge and Hillsborough, and on the River Don at Norfolk Bridge.

During high river flows it is important to ensure that bridges and the nearby channel don’t restrict the flow of water. To ensure this, gravel, brick and stone deposits will be reduced from areas where it has built up underneath bridge arches and in the adjacent river.

Overhanging vegetation and trees around bridges will also be removed to ensure the flow of water in the river is not restricted and debris is less likely to get caught.

This project is part of the £32 million programme of recovery works across Yorkshire to repair defences damaged by the flood event last February. Since November officers have inspected over 3,000 flood defence assets along the Rivers Don, Rother and Aire, carried out urgent repairs, and continued work to improve flood defences.

To plan these works, the project team has worked with flood risk, geomorphology and fisheries specialists from the Environment Agency to minimise the impact the reduction of the deposits may have on fish and wildlife in the area. Carrying out the work in September also avoids fish spawning periods and the bird nesting season.

Lianne Grogan, Sheffield catchment advisor for the Environment Agency, said:

These works are important as part of our river maintenance programme to help reduce the risk of flooding. We’ve worked closely with teams to consider flood risk, fish and wildlife, and this approach ensures the works balance the need to improve the flow of water through the river during a flood, whilst also retaining channel gravels for aquatic species and vegetation cover for fish.

We can’t entirely prevent flooding from rivers and streams, but we can reduce the likelihood of flooding by ensuring that rivers, becks and streams are free from excess debris and vegetation that might block the watercourse so that in high rain events water remains in the channel.

Works are planned to start from 7 September and expected to take around a week at each location depending on weather conditions. The Environment Agency has employed contractors AmcoGiffen to carry out the work.

For any enquiries about the work email: SYPSO@environment-agency.gov.uk



Approved Enforcement Agency Services Contracts commences

Frontage of Royal Courts of Justice

New providers for Approved Enforcement Agency (AEA) services begin work for HMCTS today. The new providers will manage all warrants of control and warrants of arrest in relation the enforcement of criminal financial impositions in England.

The new contracts will see savings to the Ministry of Justice of approximately £4 million pounds per year over the next five years and will provide a consistent, efficient service. Robust performance reporting and monitoring will be implemented with protocols in place around conduct, complaint handling and dealing with vulnerable defendants.

New services in Wales are expected to commence from 1 April 2021 with incumbent providers ensuring continuity of service under existing arrangements until then as follows:

Region From 1 September 2020 From 1 April 2021
London CDER Group  
Midlands CDER Group  
North East Marston Holdings Ltd  
North West Marston Holdings Ltd  
South East CDER Group  
South West Marston Holdings Ltd  
Wales No change – Marston Holdings Ltd (Swift) and Excel Civil Enforcement Jacobs
Secondary Provider A (North East, North West, South West and Wales) CDER Group  
Secondary Provider B (London, Midlands and South East) Marston Holdings Ltd  
Published 1 September 2020
Last updated 2 September 2020 + show all updates

  1. Added translation

  2. First published.



Expired driving licences automatically extended by 11 months

Photocard driving licence

Under the changes, drivers whose photocard driving licence or entitlement to drive runs out between 1 February 2020 and 31 December 2020 will have their entitlement automatically extended from the expiry date, for a period of 11 months. Drivers do not need to apply to renew their licence until they receive a reminder before their extension expires.

The initial extension expired at the end of August. This has now been further extended to the end of the year under temporary changes announced by DVLA today (1 September 2020).

DVLA Chief Executive Julie Lennard said

“Being able to drive is a lifeline for millions of people and this further extension will ensure that in these continued uncertain times, drivers don’t need to worry about the admin or the associated costs with renewing their licences.

The temporary extension is automatic, and drivers do not need to do anything. Drivers who have already applied to renew their photocard driving licence or entitlement to drive can usually carry on driving while we process their application, providing they have not been told by their doctor or optician that they should not drive.”

Notes to editors:

The initial extension from the EU expired at the end of August and we have now agreed a further extension with the EU to the end of December.

The extension only applies to full driving licences, not provisional driving licences.

If a driver applies to DVLA to renew their photocard or their entitlement, they can continue to drive while DVLA is considering their application, providing they have not been told by their doctor or optician that they should not drive. Further information is available here.

By law, all drivers must ensure they always meet the medical standards for fitness to drive when driving. Information about driving with a medical condition is available on GOV.UK.

Published 1 September 2020
Last updated 21 September 2020 + show all updates

  1. Small update to notes to editors to add clarity around affected licences.

  2. Added Welsh translation

  3. First published.