The Northern Ireland Office has announced the appointment of Mr David Watkins as senior director of policing and security. He will take over from Mr John Steele, who retires at the end of July.
Mr Watkins is the director of the central secretariat in the Department of Finance and Personnel. He was educated in Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, and joined the civil service in 1972. He also served with the European Commission and was principal private secretary to the former Northern secretary, Mr Tom King.