Inside The Box

ʺWho do you serve Humphrey, God or Mammon? ʺ “I serve you, minister”

What exactly does a Despatch Box contain? Papers may be the obvious answer. But, what sort of papers?

A senior civil servant writes....

‘The daily life of a Private Office revolves around ‘The Box’ – the red rectangular Box in which the Minister carries his or her homework. Some Ministers, to everyone’s amazement, manage to sign all their letters, & respond to all their submissions, when in the office. Others take several Boxes home each night & then never touch them. But most plough through one or two Boxes, if only because they contain some quite fascinating stuff.’

What is the Private Office?

A civil servant explains...

‘[Private Offices]... are a vital link in handling Ministerial correspondence, organising the Ministerial diary, conveying Ministers’ views to officials, & providing Ministers with information & views from their departments. They therefore play a crucial role in managing two precious commodities for Ministers: information & time.’

(To be continued)