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
  • Senior Talent Committee
  • 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
  • Abi Tierney, independent committee member

Senior Talent Committee

The Senior Talent Committee provides a forum for strategic discussions on talent, pay and performance of the Home Office’s most senior staff.

Membership

  • Dame Antonia Romeo DCB, Permanent Secretary - Chair
  • Simon Ridley, Second Permanent Secretary
  • Richard Clarke, Director General, Public Safety Group and SRO for the Safer Streets Mission
  • Phil Douglas, Director General, Border Force
  • Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, Border Security Commander
  • Dan Hobbs, Director General, Migration and Borders Group
  • Bas Javid, Director General , Immigration Enforcement
  • David Kuenssberg, Director General, Corporate and Delivery
  • Joanna Rowland, Director General, Customer Services Group
  • Professor Jennifer Rubin, Chief Scientific Adviser and Director General, Science, Technology, Analysis and Research (STAR)
  • Chloe Squires, Director General, Homeland Security Group
  • Sarah Taylor, Chief People Officer
  • Tim Robinson, Lead Non-Executive Director
  • Phil Swallow, Non-Executive Director

Executive Committee (ExCo)

ExCo meets twice a month on a formal basis and twice a month informally.

It is the department’s senior management team and provides direction on significant strategic and cross-departmental issues to ensure the department is equipped to deliver its objectives.

Membership

  • Dame Antonia Romeo DCB, Permanent Secretary - Chair
  • Simon Ridley, Second Permanent Secretary
  • Richard Clarke, Director General, Public Safety Group and SRO for the Safer Streets Mission
  • Phil Douglas, Director General, Border Force
  • Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, Border Security Commander
  • Dan Hobbs, Director General, Migration and Borders Group
  • Bas Javid, Director General, Immigration Enforcement
  • David Kuenssberg, Director General, Corporate and Delivery
  • Professor Jennifer Rubin, Chief Scientific Adviser and Director General, Science, Technology, Analysis and Research (STAR)
  • Joanna Rowland, Director General, Customer Services Group
  • Chloe Squires, Director General, Homeland Security Group

Other senior colleagues will attend as needed for specific topics.

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.