Dame Antonia Romeo was appointed the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service on 19 February 2026.
The Cabinet Secretary is the United Kingdom’s most senior civil servant and principal adviser to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on the effective operation of government. The role ensures the proper functioning of Cabinet processes, including preparing agendas, recording decisions, upholding collective responsibility, and safeguarding constitutional conventions. As head of the Civil Service, the Cabinet Secretary promotes the core values of integrity, impartiality and objectivity across government departments.
In addition, the Cabinet Secretary provides guidance on propriety and ethics, supports coordination during national crises, and helps maintain coherent policy delivery across Whitehall. The office exists to ensure that the machinery of government operates efficiently, constitutionally and in support of the elected administration, while preserving the enduring neutrality of the Civil Service.
The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Minister of State
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible to the Sovereign for the administration of the Duchy. However, the Chancellor has delegated certain functions, particularly those relating to asset management, to the Duchy Council.
Appointment to the role of Chancellor is made by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The Chancellor is accountable to the Sovereign personally, rather than to Parliament, for the Duchy’s affairs, and receives and surrenders the seals of office separately from other Cabinet colleagues. However, the Chancellor does answer Parliamentary Questions on matters relating to his Duchy responsibilities.
The core function of the Chief Secretary is to act as the Prime Minister’s chief policy and delivery driver. This role is unique because it is positioned directly within Number 10 Downing Street and works across all government departments.The person in this role is tasked with the day-to-day oversight of work to ensure the government’s key priorities and its “Plan for Change” are implemented effectively. This makes the Chief Secretary a central figure in ensuring that the Prime Minister’s vision is translated into concrete action.
Anna Turley was appointed Minister of State in the Cabinet Office (Minister without Portfolio) on 6 September 2025. She was previously Junior Lord of the Treasury (Government Whip) from 10 July 2024 to 6 September 2025. She was elected as the MP for Redcar in July 2024.
She is responsible for supporting the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office on
Nick Thomas–Symonds was appointed Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations) at the Cabinet Office on 8 July 2024.
Jonathan Reynolds was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) on 5 September 2025. He was previously Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 5 July 2024 to 5 September 2025. He was elected as the MP for Stalybridge and Hyde in May 2010.
The Chief Whip is responsible for administering the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote in Parliament as the party leadership desires. Whips are MPs or Lords appointed by each party in Parliament to help organise their party’s contribution to parliamentary business. One of their responsibilities is making sure the maximum number of their party members vote, and vote the way their party wants.
We support the Prime Minister and ensure the effective running of government. We are also the corporate headquarters for the government, in partnership with HM Treasury, and we take the lead in certain critical policy areas.
We have responsibility for:
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