# = pounds sterling
HM Treasury News Release
11/99 20 January 1999
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TREASURY COMMUNICATIONS AND STRATEGY TEAM
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.