Civil servant hopes for less publicity

Sir Richard Mottram, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Transport during the row over Stephen Byers' spin doctors, has been moved to the same post at the Department of Work and Pensions.

His departure completes the clear-out of the leading figures at the troubled ministry, leaving the new Secretary of State, Alistair Darling, with a clean slate as he attempts to rebuild public confidence in the ministry and morale among staff.

Sir Richard, 56, a career civil servant, has swapped jobs with Rachel Lomax, who moves with Mr Darling. Hetook responsibility for mistakenly telling Mr Byers that Martin Sixsmith, the communications director, had resigned.

Sir Richard's priority in his new job will be to drive through reforms in the benefits system. He will also hope to vanish from the political limelight.