Why is Sir Johns private secretary on secondment from the Treasury?
It is normal practice for civil servants to provide support to independent advisers. Sir John’s private secretary works directly to him, assisting with the running and management of his Office and its work. The Treasury has put in place arrangements to ensure there is no conflict of interest, with different parts of the department dealing with the establishment of a payment scheme and representations to Sir John. Sir John’s private secretary is only in contact with that part of the Treasury responsible for establishing a payment scheme so progress can be made on the practical issues of establishing such a scheme, in parallel to Sir John’s work.
