HMRC's Paul Gray slips back into the Civil Service
Less than two weeks after tendering his resignation as the Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs, Paul Gray CB, is back in full-time civil service employment.
The person who has redeployed Gray is none other than his former boss who received his resignation from HMRC just thirteen days previously; Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service, Sir Gus O'Donnell.
Gray resigned from office when the news broke that HMRC had lost two computer disks containing the personal details of 25 million child benefits claimants. Many commended him at the time for doing what so many officials in recent government have refused to do; taking responsibility for the failings of his department under his leadership.
Gray now continues to be paid his old salary and his pension entitlement is unchanged it is only his new job description within the civil service that is less than clear. He is, according to Channel 4, who broke the story yesterday, now working on projects to "develop Civil servants skills".
Past news and comment:
Tuesday for HMRC: Chairman resigns over data breach
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Latest questions on 
Can only partly agree with Phil
I think Phil has got it right about Phil Gray's honour and the fact that it is probably better that he is doing something constructive with his time and our money as he sees out his notice.
However, the notion that it was simply the fault of a 'minion' and a minion's manager is wide of the mark, but understandably something the PM would have us believe. Aren't we already aware that the failure is systemic? On that basis he is surely culpable.
Call me a cynic but...
And who said he is "working out his notice"? That would be fair enough; but merely being re-deployed within the Civil Service isn't quite the same thing is it? It's rather as if the Chief Executive of Northern Rock had done the honourable thing and resigned amid great fanfare .... and quietly been re-employed as Finance Director!
If it is a long term job
... was it on the cards before he resigned !
You said it
I think that David Forbes has hit the nail on the head.
Had he resigned, he would not have been re- employed.
If this was to be a movement in his job profile, why was it not commented as such, rather than the farce, it is now being shown to be.
Was it that the press and the public needed a "head" to placate them ?