Private secretary

For the TV series starring Ann Sothern, see Private Secretary (TV series).

A private secretary (PS) is a civil servant in a governmental department or ministry, responsible to a secretary of state or minister.

A private secretary is normally of middle management level; however, as the key official responsible for disseminating the decision of ministers and indeed as their gatekeeper, his or her role is of considerably greater significance than this grade or level suggests. Depending on what level of politician the official works for they will be assisted by one or more assistants and or deputy secretaries, or even head a whole office in which those may be section chiefs.

United Kingdom

Main articles: Her Majesty's Civil Service and Northern Ireland Civil Service

A junior minister may have a two-person private office consisting of a private secretary and an assistant private secretary. Whereas a cabinet secretary may have a five-person private office consisting of a private secretary, two deputy private secretaries and two assistant private secretaries. The same applies to the prime minister’s private office but on a much larger scale.

Where the private secretary is a member of the Senior Civil Service, he or she will be referred to as a principal private secretary, making the order of precedence principal private secretary, senior private secretary (rarely now in existence), private secretary and assistant private secretary (APS). A similar role to a principal private secretary in the United States administration would be a chief of staff.

The private secretary is the principal link between a government minister and officials in the Department or Ministry. He or she has overall responsibility for coordinating the development of the minister's policy remit, ensuring that the aims of ministers are clearly and fully implemented by the department. In that respect a PS and APS will often be in a position of debate with colleagues of much higher seniority.

A PS or an APS is always in attendance with the minister at every meeting or event to provide support and to ensure that a member of the UK civil service, who are non-political appointees, takes a factual note of discussions and commitments.

They also have ownership of the ministerial diary, managing the ministerial diary secretary whose task is to sift and prioritise invitation, commitments, policy briefings and parliamentary business. A PS is always the initial source of advice to Ministers on parliamentary protocol, the process of cabinet business and departmental policy.

Often the APS and DPS will take on specific responsibilities within the private office such as dealing solely with correspondence or diary matters. They often deputise and support other members of the PO but would be considered subject matter experts for that area of work.

Working in a private office as a private secretary or an assistant private secretary is often seen as essential for advancement to the Senior Civil Service. Although considered to be a highly rewarding and sought-after post, it is one of the most difficult when compared to others at the equivalent grade.

Depending upon the seniority of their political principal, private secretaries may be regarded an important officials in their own right; the Queen's private secretary and the prime minister's private secretary being the most important.

A parliamentary private secretary (PPS) is a Member of Parliament appointed to act as unpaid assistant to a Minister. The PPS allows the prime minister, or other minister, to reward party colleagues without cost, test potential future ministers and strengthens the whip system as a PPS is expected to support the government's policies and vote for them in the parliament regardless of their personal opinions.

India

Main article: Civil Services of India

In India, the post of a private secretary and an additional private secretary to the Union Council of Ministers of India (cabinet ministers and minister of state) are Group A officers, appointed by the President of India.

Japan

A system of the Ministerial Secretary (秘書官, Hishokan), one to several per minister playing a role similar to the private secretary's, is also employed by the political system in Japan. The seven secretaries appointed to the prime minister are called the Executive Secretaries to the Prime Minister (内閣総理大臣秘書官).