What was your highlight of 2024?
Much to choose from, but it has to be the Ministry of Justice scooping an unprecedented three awards at the Civil Service Awards ceremony this year – for Programme of the Year, the Prime Minister’s Award for Exceptional Public Service, and the Cabinet Secretary’s Outstanding Leader Award. These awards reflect the remarkable achievements of individuals and teams across the whole department during a remarkably challenging year, including responding to the summer riots and managing the prison capacity crisis. I feel incredibly proud of the whole team.
What are the main challenges facing the Ministry of Justice in the coming year – and how are you planning to meet them?
Leading and motivating people to work round the clock under huge pressure to keep the criminal justice system going, even as the prisons were at 99% capacity and then during the summer as the violent disorder hit, required resilience and courage by leaders right across the criminal justice system. Keeping the system going and implementing measures to tackle the issues was made possible by the collaboration of teams from across the Ministry of Justice – exceptional efforts by HMPPS and HMCTS with our wider criminal justice system partners, including the police. The relentless effort required to motivate teams to do extraordinary things over several months was probably the hardest thing for MoJ leaders this year.
What are the main challenges facing your organisation in the coming year – and how are you planning to meet them?
Pressures on justice services remain high and the way that citizens expect to access our services has changed. In light of that, there’s a big opportunity to deliver our services differently. In MoJ, we have a series of pathfinders developing new ways of creating digitally ready policy through deeper partnership between our policymakers and expert colleagues. We’re also equipping our leaders with the skills they need to lead in a digital age and focusing on how harnessing technology can make our services for victims, offenders and our frontline colleagues more modern, efficient and personalised.
What was the best Christmas present you’ve ever given or received? And the worst?
Two of my three kids are at university now – so all three being at home for Christmas is rather cheesily the best present I could ask for. And I have got my executive committee cracking presents this year – this top team has done genuinely hard things together in 2024 so it’s well deserved.