In the British Civil Service the Principal Private Secretary is the Civil Servant who runs a minister's private office.

Trivia

A classic explanation is provided in the British sitcom Yes Minister.

Sir Humphrey (the Permanent Secretary) briefs Hacker (the Minister) on the Department's workings:

'I am the Permanent Under-Secretary of State, known as the Permanent Secretary. Woolley here is your Principal Private Secretary; I too have a Principal Private Secretary and he is the Principal Private Secretary to the Permanent Secretary. Directly responsible to me are 10 Deputy Secretaries, 87 Under Secretaries and 219 Assistant Secretaries. Directly responsible to the Principal Private Secretary are plain Private Secretaries, and the Prime Minister will be appointing two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and you will be appointing your own Parliamentary Private Secretary.'

'Do they all type?' joshes Hacker.

'None of us type,' Humphrey responds, 'Mrs. Wood types; She is your secretary.'

'Too bad, we could have opened an agency,' Hacker quips.

'Very good, Minister,' Humphrey smiles drolly.

'I suppose all new Ministers say that?' Hacker asks.

'Not all,' answers Humphrey.

See also

• Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister.