Sir Jonathan Stephens
KCB
Stephens in 2018
Permanent Secretary at the
Northern Ireland Office
In office
2014–2020
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byJulian King
Succeeded byMadeleine Alessandri
Permanent Secretary at the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
In office
2006–2013
Preceded byDame Sue Street
Succeeded byDame Sue Owen
Personal details
Born
Jonathan Andrew de Sievrac Stephens

(1960-02-08) 8 February 1960
Bromley, Kent, England
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
BA, 1982

Sir Jonathan Andrew de Sievrac Stephens, KCB (born 8 February 1960) is a retired British civil servant who was Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office between 2014 and 2020, and the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport between 2006 and 2013. On his retirement, he was replaced as Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office by Madeleine Alessandri.[1]

Personal life

Stephens was born in 1960 in Bromley, Kent, the son of Prescot and Peggy (née Pike) Stephens.[2] He was educated at Sevenoaks School, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He and his wife, Rev Penny Stephens, whom he married in 1983, have two children, Benjamin and Eleanor.

Career

Stephens joined the Civil Service in the Northern Ireland Office in 1983, being promoted through various grades before transferring to the Cabinet Office as Director of Modernising Public Service in 2000. In 2001, he was seconded to HM Treasury where he rose to be managing director of Public Services 2004–06, replacing Sir Nicholas Macpherson.[3]

In 2006, Stephens was appointed Permanent Secretary of DCMS to replace Dame Sue Street on her retirement.[4] During his time at the DCMS, he oversaw the organisation of major events, including 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games in London, and the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[5]

From September 2013 to May 2014, Stephens worked as a reviewer at HM Treasury, and joined the Northern Ireland Office as Permanent Secretary in June 2014.[6] As of 2015, Stephens was paid a salary of between £155,000 and £159,999 by DCLG, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.[7]

Public Accounts Committee

On 26 April 2012, Stephens appeared before the Public Accounts Committee at the House of Commons, where he was asked 10 times by Margaret Hodge MP about whether he knew that Adam Smith, a special adviser to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, was acting as a liaison between his department and media owner Rupert Murdoch.[8] Stephens refused to disclose any information about his knowledge or authorisation of the role.

Honours

Stephens was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2013 Birthday Honours for public service, especially to the Olympic Games in London.[9][10]

Offices held

References

  1. ↑ "Appointment of Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office". GOV.UK. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  2. ↑ England & Wales births 1837–2006; Vol. 5B, p. 256
  3. ↑ HM Treasury. "Departmental Report 2003" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  4. ↑ Alistair Smith (27 July 2006). "Jonathan Stephens made DCMS permanent secretary". The Stage. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  5. ↑ "Visiting Practitioner 2014: Jonathan Stephens". Blavatnik School of Government. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Permanent Secretary for Northern Ireland Office: Jonathan Stephens – Press releases". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Senior officials 'high earners' salaries as at 30 September 2015 – Government of the United Kingdom". Government of the United Kingdom. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. ↑ Kirkup, James (26 April 2012). "Top civil servant refuses to back Jeremy Hunt on BSkyB". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK.
  9. ↑ "Birthday Honours List 2013" (PDF). HM Government. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 2.
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