David Normington
Encyclopedia
Sir David John Normington is the First Civil Service Commissioner
and Commissioner for Public Appointments
for the British
government. He previously served in the British Civil Service
as the Permanent Secretary
of Department for Education and Skills from 2001 to 2005, and then the Home Office
until 2011.
, Oxford, Sir David's career began in the Department of Employment. There he was responsible variously for the previous Government’s programme of trade union reform, for measures to reduce unemployment, and for youth training. He was Principal Private Secretary
to Tom King
, Secretary of State for Employment
in 1983 and 1984. He was also responsible for co-ordinating the efforts of central Government to regenerate the seven most deprived London boroughs.
In 1995, when the Department of Employment and Department of Education merged, he played a central role in the creation of the new Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). From there he moved on to become DfEE’s Director-General for Strategy and Analytical Services and for the International Division in the run-up to the UK
Presidency of the European Union. In 1998, Normington became the Director-General for Schools, bringing together responsibility for all schools policy and operations. He became Permanent Secretary in 2001 where he served for five years until joining the Home Office as its Permanent Secretary in January 2006.
He has been called "something more akin to James Bond
than a top civil servant.and his nickname in his previous appointment as permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Skills was ‘the smiling assassin’ He is also described as ‘extremely charming’, ‘civilised and urbane’ – and a ‘tough nut. One of Normington's lasting legacies in the DfES was his decision to reduce the Department's workforce by approximately a third, made in 2003. This decision came in advance of the subsequent budget announcing a large reduction of the civil service as a whole, leading some to speculate that Normington had made his own cuts early in an attempt to curry favour. He applied for the job of Cabinet Secretary but was beaten by Sir Gus O'Donnell
.
Sir David is a Government member of the DA Notice
committee.
Already Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), he was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2011 New Year Honours. In 2010 it was announced that he would retire from the Civil Service and become the First Civil Service Commissioner and Commissioner for Public Appointments, the first time the two rôles had been combined.
, allegedly because Green told the press that the government had given licenses to illegal workers, that an illegal worker was employed in the Houses of Parliament, and two more documents.
The complaint was dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service
(CPS), after MP's concluded "that growing frustration in both the Home Office and the Cabinet Office may have led officials to give an exaggerated impression of the damage done by the leaks that could reasonably be presumed to have emanated from the Home Office" .
First Civil Service Commissioner
The First Civil Service Commissioner heads the Office of Civil Service Commissioners, which ensures that the Civil Service in the United Kingdom is effective and impartial and that appointments are made on merit, and hears appeals under the Civil Service Code....
and Commissioner for Public Appointments
Commissioner for Public Appointments
The Commissioner for Public Appointments in England and Wales is a British public servant who heads the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in England and Wales. They ensure that Ministerial public appointments in the United Kingdom are made on merit...
for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government. He previously served in the British Civil Service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
as the Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
of Department for Education and Skills from 2001 to 2005, and then the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
until 2011.
Career
A graduate of Corpus Christi CollegeCorpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, Oxford, Sir David's career began in the Department of Employment. There he was responsible variously for the previous Government’s programme of trade union reform, for measures to reduce unemployment, and for youth training. He was Principal Private Secretary
Principal Private Secretary
In the British Civil Service and Australian Public Service the Principal Private Secretary is the civil servant who runs a cabinet minister's private office...
to Tom King
Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater
Thomas Jeremy King, Baron King of Bridgwater, CH, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1983–92, and was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bridgwater in Somerset from 1970-2001...
, Secretary of State for Employment
Secretary of State for Employment
The Secretary of State for Employment was a position in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. In 1995 it was merged with Secretary of State for Education to make the Secretary of State for Education and Employment...
in 1983 and 1984. He was also responsible for co-ordinating the efforts of central Government to regenerate the seven most deprived London boroughs.
In 1995, when the Department of Employment and Department of Education merged, he played a central role in the creation of the new Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). From there he moved on to become DfEE’s Director-General for Strategy and Analytical Services and for the International Division in the run-up to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Presidency of the European Union. In 1998, Normington became the Director-General for Schools, bringing together responsibility for all schools policy and operations. He became Permanent Secretary in 2001 where he served for five years until joining the Home Office as its Permanent Secretary in January 2006.
He has been called "something more akin to James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
than a top civil servant.and his nickname in his previous appointment as permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Skills was ‘the smiling assassin’ He is also described as ‘extremely charming’, ‘civilised and urbane’ – and a ‘tough nut. One of Normington's lasting legacies in the DfES was his decision to reduce the Department's workforce by approximately a third, made in 2003. This decision came in advance of the subsequent budget announcing a large reduction of the civil service as a whole, leading some to speculate that Normington had made his own cuts early in an attempt to curry favour. He applied for the job of Cabinet Secretary but was beaten by Sir Gus O'Donnell
Gus O'Donnell
Sir Augustine Thomas "Gus" O'Donnell GCB is a British civil servant, who is the current Cabinet Secretary, the highest rank in the British Civil Service. He is consequently, under current practice, Head of the Civil Service, which means he has authority over all civil servants except those who are...
.
Sir David is a Government member of the DA Notice
DA-Notice
A DA-Notice or Defence Advisory Notice is an official request to news editors not to publish or broadcast items on specified subjects for reasons of national security...
committee.
Already Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), he was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2011 New Year Honours. In 2010 it was announced that he would retire from the Civil Service and become the First Civil Service Commissioner and Commissioner for Public Appointments, the first time the two rôles had been combined.
The arrest of opposition MP Damian Green
He was responsible for initiating the investigation that ended with the police arresting shadow immigration minister Damian GreenDamian Green
Damian Howard Green is a British politician who has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for Ashford since 1997. He came to national prominence after being elected in his constituency. Before standing for parliament, Damian Green was Channel 4's business editor...
, allegedly because Green told the press that the government had given licenses to illegal workers, that an illegal worker was employed in the Houses of Parliament, and two more documents.
The complaint was dismissed by the Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
(CPS), after MP's concluded "that growing frustration in both the Home Office and the Cabinet Office may have led officials to give an exaggerated impression of the damage done by the leaks that could reasonably be presumed to have emanated from the Home Office" .