Conor Murphy’s top civil servant also answerable to Cabinet Office ministers

Sue Gray had been one of Whitehall’s most powerful officials and shocked many observers when she came to Northern Ireland in 2018 to take over as permanent secretary of Stormont’s Department of Finance.

She is now talked about within Stormont as one of the front runners to succeed David Sterling as head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service when he retires in August, although it is not clear whether she will apply for the job.

However, it can now be revealed that Ms Gray did not entirely give up her Cabinet Office role and remains responsible for the government’s role in running two major public inquiries – making her accountable not only to Mr Murphy but to Cabinet Office ministers including Michael Gove.

At the time of her appointment, no reference was made either to the fact that she was on a time-bound secondment from the Cabinet Office or that she retained responsibility for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Infected Blood Inquiry.

The news emerges at a time when Ms Gray’s Stormont minister, Mr Murphy, is in dispute with Whitehall and its ministers over how much money Stormont is receiving from the Treasury to implement the wish list of projects set out in the New Decade, New Approach deal to restore devolution.

Ms Gray’s Cabinet Office role emerged after the group Haemophilia NI held a meeting with Cabinet Office and Whitehall Department of Health ministers last month. In a Facebook comment, the group said that during the meeting “Sue Gray, senior sponsoring officer for the Cabinet Office, confirmed that a ringfenced arrangement would be in place”.

Ms Gray has divided opinion among civil servants, political figures and others who work closely with Stormont. Some see her as a necessary breath of fresh air, coming in from outside the Northern Ireland Civil Service and shaking it up in a way which some civil servants do not welcome but is long overdue.

Others believe that Ms Gray’s actions do not always match her rhetoric and are particularly concerned about long-standing allegations of secrecy which surround her and a predisposition towards blocking the release of potentially embarrassing information.

In response to questions from the News Letter, Stormont’s Department of Finance said: “Following an external recruitment campaign, Sue Gray was appointed to the NICS as a permanent secretary on loan from the Cabinet Office. This is for a period of two years with the option of an extension.

“All permanent secretaries are accountable to head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS). As DoF accounting officer, Sue is principal adviser and accountable to the finance minister.

“Prior to joining the NICS Sue held sponsorship roles for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. It was agreed for continuity Sue would retain oversight.”

The department said that Ms Gray is “accountable to the chief executive of the civil service and permanent secretary of the Cabinet Office, John Manzoni and Cabinet Office ministers only in relation to her sponsorship roles for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry.”

It added: “Since taking up appointment Sue Gray has stated publicly on numerous occasions this was a loan arrangement.”

When Ms Gray’s replacement at the Cabinet Office was announced in 2018, the department implied that Ms Gray was not returning, saying that her replacement would take over “when Sue Gray, the current director general for the propriety and ehics team, moves to the Northern Ireland Civil Service to begin her role as permanent secretary”.