Bill Jeffrey

Sir William Alexander "Bill" Jeffrey, KCB (28 February 1948-) is a British civil servant, currently Permanent Secretary for Defence in the United Kingdom.

Jeffrey was educated at Allan Glen's School, Glasgow, and Glasgow University. He joined the Home Office in 1971.

In April 2005 he joined the Cabinet Office as Security and Intelligence Coordinator, where he was the Prime Minister's principal adviser on security, intelligence, and counter-terrorism strategy. In September 2005 he was announced Permanent Secretary for Defence. [cite web
url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page8235.asp
title=New Permanent Secretary Appointments announced
date=2005-09-28
publisher=Office of the Prime Minister] Already a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2007 New Year Honours List.

Criticism

Jeffrey has been criticised by the Public Accounts Committee chairman Edward Leigh for prioritizing the renovating of leisure facilities over the "unacceptable housing" conditions for troops and their families.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title= Troops 'wait 20 years for adequate housing' | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/29/ntroops129.xml | work =Telegraph | pages = | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | language = ] The paper said 19,000 service homes were in disrepair, half of all single accommodation was "below par" and that some servicemen would have to wait 20 years for improvements.
Edward Leigh said: "...you (Bill Jeffrey) have cut £13.5 million of essential work out of regional prime contracts, but you have obliged the same contractors to do £45 million on other projects, including resurfacing tennis courts and building all-weather pitches.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title= Examination of Witnesses (Questions 1-19) | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmpubacc/537/7051402.htm | work =Parliament | pages = | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | language = ]

Offices held

References