With the end of 2016 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top officials to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2017 – and shed some light on their festive favourites. Philip Rutnam, Department for Transport permanent secretary and the civil service's disability champion, takes part in our annual perm secs round-up
What was your highlight of 2016?
My highlight has been making progress on my priorities as Disability Champion. We’ve seen improvements in fundamentals like workplace adjustments – well over 95% of civil servants can now use a passport to take adjustments with them from job to job or organisation to organisation. This agenda is also about a change in attitude. There’s now more willingness to talk about mental health conditions, but we also need more recognition of the talent of disabled colleagues. It is often under-appreciated.
What has been the most significant change in your department this year?
There so much going on at DfT but I’d pick out the recent announcement on runway capacity in the South East, preferring a third runway at Heathrow. That was the fruit of years of great work.
What will be the biggest challenge of 2017 – and how are you preparing to meet it?
I see a huge opportunity not just to make progress on our fantastic portfolio of programmes, but also to keep changing the way people think and talk about the UK’s transport and infrastructure – as a vital source of our success in the 21st century. On the whole, we’re really good at transport in this country, what’s happening is really exciting, and I want us to convey even more of that in 2017.
What was the best Christmas present that you’ve ever given or received? And the worst?
It is difficult to remember presents, but I recall getting a bike when I was a kid, which was a great present and I’m still a keen cyclist today. I also remember a not very valuable Boots voucher which wasn’t of much interest to me when I was 10, but I still think you should be grateful!
More: Perm secs round-up 2016 – Britain's top civil servants review the year and look ahead to 2017