HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Treasury Communications and Strategy Team [January 1999]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 20 January 1999.

John Kingman, currently head of the Treasury’s Productivity Team, has been appointed as head of Communications and Strategy. His responsibilities will cover management of the Treasury’s existing Communications Team. He will also have a new responsibility for helping to manage the interaction of policy and presentation work. He will attend policy discussions of the Treasury’s Management Board.

John succeeds Peter Curwen who, after nearly three years as Head and formerly Deputy Head of Communications, has decided to return to the policy side of the Treasury to set up a new team in the Budget and Public Finances Directorate on EU and international taxation issues.

In due course a new special adviser will be appointed, who will have a range of policy and political responsibilities.

Notes for Editors

1.  John Kingman rejoined the Treasury last year after a spell in the private sector, first on the Financial Times “Lex” Column and then in Sir John Browne’s office at BP. His civil service posts have included working on transport policy and public sector pay, as well as being Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP, both when he was Financial Secretary to the Treasury and when he was Secretary of State for National Heritage. Since returning to the Treasury, John has been Head of the Productivity Team.

2.   As now, each Treasury Minister will have a press officer dealing with the issues for which they are responsible and for their day-to-day relations with the press. Steve Bird, who will remain as Deputy Head of the Team, will continue as press officer for the Chief Secretary. Treasury press officer Fiona Hamilton will fulfil this role for the Chancellor; Helen Etheridge for the Paymaster General; Malcolm Graves for the Financial Secretary; and Charles Keseru for the Economic Secretary.