PRESS RELEASE : Sir Michael Barber appointed as adviser to the Prime Minister [September 2024]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 12 September 2024.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has announced the appointment of Sir Michael Barber KB as the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Effective Delivery.

Sir Michael will support the Prime Minister in driving forward the delivery of the five national missions. This will include coordinating ambitious, measurable, long-term objectives that deliver change across the UK.

The part-time role is a Direct Ministerial appointment and will be unpaid. Sir Michael will take up the role for an initial 12-month period, starting in September 2024.

Sir Michael has extensive experience in implementing large-scale system change, working with many governments internationally to drive delivery.

He has worked closely with several recent Prime Ministers and senior Ministers in different administrations, most recently as an adviser on skills delivery to the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Education from 2022 to 2023.

He has also served as Chief Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education on school standards (1997 to 2001), Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (2001 to 2005) and Chair of the Office for Students (2017 to 2021).

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

By changing the way we govern this country – through setting long term goals on the economy, energy, safer streets, breaking down barriers of opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future – we can rebuild the public’s trust in our politics and deliver the change Britain needs.

I’m delighted Sir Michael will be supporting us to change lives for the better as we fix the foundations and deliver our five national missions.

Sir Michael Barber KB said:

It is an honour to be asked to take on this role. The five missions are vital to the future of the country and I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister with their delivery.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• As part of the appointment process, Sir Michael has declared all potential conflicts of interest.
• He has stepped down as Chair of the company he founded, Delivery Associates, and will not undertake any work of any kind for Delivery Associates with the UK government.
• Sir Michael’s letter of appointment makes clear that as a result of this appointment, Delivery Associates should not gain any advantage in relation to any potential future work with the UK government or be disadvantaged. This stated government position is the same as that applied to Sir Michael’s role in the previous administration.