Our governance

Decision making, executive and managerial bodies in the Home Office.

Departmental Board

The Departmental Board is chaired by the Home Secretary and includes ministers of state, non-executive directors (NEDs), permanent secretaries, the Director General of Corporate and Delivery and Director General of STAR (Science, Technology, Analysis and Research).

The department’s other directors general are invited to attend as required.

It forms the collective strategic leadership of the Home Office with a broad purpose to steer and scrutinise the department’s strategy, performance and capability. Its remit is wide-ranging with the top-level committees and timebound boards reporting directly or indirectly into it.

Membership

The Departmental Board is supported by the following committees:

  • Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
  • Home Office Executive Talent Board
  • Executive Committee (ExCo)

Audit and Risk Assurance Committee

The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) supports the Departmental Board and Accounting Officer in their responsibilities for issues of risk, control, assurance and governance and provides an independent view of the adequacy of the department’s risk, control and governance arrangements.

ARAC meets quarterly and holds an additional meeting to review and make a recommendation on the approval of the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Membership

  • James Cooper, Non-Executive Director - Chair
  • John Aston, independent committee member
  • Alan Hammill, independent committee member
  • Ruth Murray-Webster, independent committee member

Home Office Executive Talent Board

The Executive Talent Board provides a forum for strategic discussions on talent, pay and performance of our most senior staff.

The Board’s core purpose is to:

  • oversee and lead on the department’s processes for developing talent in the director general (SCS PB3) population
  • decide reward and incentive strategies for the director general (SCS PB3) population
  • oversee succession planning and pipeline into these roles
  • take overall responsibility for decisions on the implementation of the SCS pay award

This is supported by the Senior Leadership Committee which fulfils the same purpose for SCS PB1 and PB2 roles.

Membership

  • Sir Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary - Chair
  • Simon Ridley, Second Permanent Secretary
  • Tim Robinson, Lead Non-Executive Director
  • Sarah Taylor, Chief People Officer

Executive Committee (ExCo)

ExCo meets twice a month and is the department’s senior management team.

ExCo provides direction on significant strategy decisions and cross-departmental issues to ensure the department is equipped to deliver its objectives.

Membership

  • Sir Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary - Chair
  • Simon Ridley, Second Permanent Secretary
  • Chloe Squires, Director General, Homeland Security Group
  • Joanna Rowland, Director General, Customer Services Group
  • Dan Hobbs, Director General, Migration and Borders Group
  • Jaee Samant, Director General, Public Safety Group
  • Richard Clarke, Director General, Safer Streets Mission
  • David Kuenssberg, Director General, Corporate and Delivery
  • Rebecca Ellis, Strategy Director
  • Professor Jennifer Rubin, Chief Scientific Adviser and Director General, Science, Technology, Analysis and Research (STAR)
  • Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, Border Security Commander
  • Phil Douglas, Director General, Border Force
  • Bas Javid, Director General of Immigration Enforcement
  • John Ward, Home Office Legal Director
  • Ruth Tomlinson, Home Office Legal Director
  • Robert Hall, Director of Communications
  • Sarah Taylor, Chief People Officer

ExCo is supported by the following committees:

People Committee

The People Committee, chaired by Bas Javid, leads on the implementation of cross-departmental people strategies, manages cross-cutting programmes and oversees performance across people issues, including estates.

Investment Committee

The Investment Committee provides governance, assurance and oversight of the Home Office’s significant investment decisions.

More information

For more information on each of our boards and committees, and to view a visual representation of our board structure, please see our annual report and accounts: 2023 to 2024.

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