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| Sir Patrick Nairne, who has died aged 91, was one of Britain's great, and most enlightened, public servants at a time when they had the opportunity to shine. A highly civilised man of rare talents and interests, he rose to the top in Whitehall through administrative and managerial flair – virtues he combined with humanity, a deep appreciation of the arts, and enthusiasm for facing difficult intellectual and moral challenges. | Sir Patrick Nairne, who has died aged 91, was one of Britain's great, and most enlightened, public servants at a time when they had the opportunity to shine. A highly civilised man of rare talents and interests, he rose to the top in Whitehall through administrative and managerial flair – virtues he combined with humanity, a deep appreciation of the arts, and enthusiasm for facing difficult intellectual and moral challenges. |
| He spent most of his career in the Ministry of Defence – he came from a military background. But after a spell in the Cabinet Office in 1975, his special qualities – a real belief in public administration and an ability to run organisations, including the chairing of meetings, effectively – were recognised by the prime minister, Harold Wilson, who appointed him permanent secretary, the official head, of the mammoth Department of Health and Social Security. | He spent most of his career in the Ministry of Defence – he came from a military background. But after a spell in the Cabinet Office in 1975, his special qualities – a real belief in public administration and an ability to run organisations, including the chairing of meetings, effectively – were recognised by the prime minister, Harold Wilson, who appointed him permanent secretary, the official head, of the mammoth Department of Health and Social Security. |
| Denis Healey, one of Wilson's cabinet stalwarts, described Nairne in his 1989 autobiography as "the perfect choice for the most difficult two years of my service as defence secretary, when I was taking my most important decisions on equipment, commitments and strategy … Unfailing courtesy and a pretty wit made him a joy to work with." | Denis Healey, one of Wilson's cabinet stalwarts, described Nairne in his 1989 autobiography as "the perfect choice for the most difficult two years of my service as defence secretary, when I was taking my most important decisions on equipment, commitments and strategy … Unfailing courtesy and a pretty wit made him a joy to work with." |
| The agendas and priorities of the DHSS were very different from those he was used to at the MoD. Yet he drew parallels between them, comparing the often tense relationship between civilian administrators in the MoD and military chiefs with that between DHSS civil servants and the consultants and drug company lobbies. | The agendas and priorities of the DHSS were very different from those he was used to at the MoD. Yet he drew parallels between them, comparing the often tense relationship between civilian administrators in the MoD and military chiefs with that between DHSS civil servants and the consultants and drug company lobbies. |
| Born in London, Nairne was the son of a colonel in the Seaforth Highlanders and he married a daughter of a colonel. He was educated at Radley College, Oxfordshire, and University College, Oxford, where he was awarded a first in modern history. But that was only after second world war service had intervened. He joined his father's regiment, and after fighting in the Battle of El Alamein and recovering from wounds in Tunisia, he took part in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. In recognition of his initiative and outstanding bravery searching for and identifying weak points in enemy positions at Francofonte, north-west of Syracuse, he was awarded the Military Cross. | Born in London, Nairne was the son of a colonel in the Seaforth Highlanders and he married a daughter of a colonel. He was educated at Radley College, Oxfordshire, and University College, Oxford, where he was awarded a first in modern history. But that was only after second world war service had intervened. He joined his father's regiment, and after fighting in the Battle of El Alamein and recovering from wounds in Tunisia, he took part in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. In recognition of his initiative and outstanding bravery searching for and identifying weak points in enemy positions at Francofonte, north-west of Syracuse, he was awarded the Military Cross. |
| After leaving Oxford in 1947, he joined the Admiralty, one of the five organisations to be merged into a combined MoD in 1964. After a succession of posts there, many of them in ministers' private offices, and many playing a key role in integrating the three branches of the armed forces, Nairne became deputy under-secretary (1970-73). At the Cabinet Office he was second permanent secretary and he ended his Whitehall career in 1981 at the DHSS. | After leaving Oxford in 1947, he joined the Admiralty, one of the five organisations to be merged into a combined MoD in 1964. After a succession of posts there, many of them in ministers' private offices, and many playing a key role in integrating the three branches of the armed forces, Nairne became deputy under-secretary (1970-73). At the Cabinet Office he was second permanent secretary and he ended his Whitehall career in 1981 at the DHSS. |
| In what he said was a great surprise, he was asked if his name could go on a shortlist as master of St Catherine's College, Oxford, to succeed the historian Lord (Alan) Bullock. It was unusual then, though not now, for Oxbridge colleges to elect "outsiders" – even former Whitehall mandarins – as heads. | In what he said was a great surprise, he was asked if his name could go on a shortlist as master of St Catherine's College, Oxford, to succeed the historian Lord (Alan) Bullock. It was unusual then, though not now, for Oxbridge colleges to elect "outsiders" – even former Whitehall mandarins – as heads. |
| Nairne was master of St Catherine's for seven years. Soon after he took up the post, he was made a privy counsellor and appointed a member of the Franks committee, set up to review the events leading up to the Argentinian invasion of the Falklands in 1982. While the committee described a catalogue of errors, it was attacked for absolving the Thatcher government from "any criticism or blame" for the junta's decision "to commit an act of unprovoked aggression". | Nairne was master of St Catherine's for seven years. Soon after he took up the post, he was made a privy counsellor and appointed a member of the Franks committee, set up to review the events leading up to the Argentinian invasion of the Falklands in 1982. While the committee described a catalogue of errors, it was attacked for absolving the Thatcher government from "any criticism or blame" for the junta's decision "to commit an act of unprovoked aggression". |
| Nairne soon joined other recently retired top Whitehall officials in the growing campaign for the repeal of the "catch-all" Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act. "Had Sir Humphrey Appleby changed his spots?" he asked, referring to the senior official in Yes, Minister. "Any Freedom of Information bill would have important exemptions; matters affecting national security, such as the organisation of a British nuclear test, would certainly be exempted," he warned. | Nairne soon joined other recently retired top Whitehall officials in the growing campaign for the repeal of the "catch-all" Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act. "Had Sir Humphrey Appleby changed his spots?" he asked, referring to the senior official in Yes, Minister. "Any Freedom of Information bill would have important exemptions; matters affecting national security, such as the organisation of a British nuclear test, would certainly be exempted," he warned. |
| He fully recognised that ministers and civil servants were always attacked for their disposition to cover up not only what needed to be kept secret, but what could be politically damaging. "The secrecy culture of Whitehall," he openly acknowledged, "is essentially a product of British parliamentary democracy; economy with the truth is the essence of a professional reply to a parliamentary answer." He was under no illusion that there was a long way to go before that culture was fundamentally changed and the doctrine of "the need to know" is replaced by that of "the right to know". | He fully recognised that ministers and civil servants were always attacked for their disposition to cover up not only what needed to be kept secret, but what could be politically damaging. "The secrecy culture of Whitehall," he openly acknowledged, "is essentially a product of British parliamentary democracy; economy with the truth is the essence of a professional reply to a parliamentary answer." He was under no illusion that there was a long way to go before that culture was fundamentally changed and the doctrine of "the need to know" is replaced by that of "the right to know". |
| Nairne enjoyed wrestling with difficult ideas. He was the first chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (1991-96) and in 1993 published Demystifying Bioethics: A Lay Perspective, in the Journal of Medical Ethics. | Nairne enjoyed wrestling with difficult ideas. He was the first chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (1991-96) and in 1993 published Demystifying Bioethics: A Lay Perspective, in the Journal of Medical Ethics. |
| He was also a gifted painter of watercolours and his pictures were twice exhibited in the Royal Academy. A collection of his watercolours hangs in St Catherine's College. Sandy, one of his sons and director of the National Portrait Gallery, told the magazine Oxford Today in 2010 that Patrick encouraged his children to make room for art. "There's a line of art that runs through my family. Even though my father spent all his time organising things and making things better, he brought us up with the idea that art had a very strong place." | He was also a gifted painter of watercolours and his pictures were twice exhibited in the Royal Academy. A collection of his watercolours hangs in St Catherine's College. Sandy, one of his sons and director of the National Portrait Gallery, told the magazine Oxford Today in 2010 that Patrick encouraged his children to make room for art. "There's a line of art that runs through my family. Even though my father spent all his time organising things and making things better, he brought us up with the idea that art had a very strong place." |
| Nairne was also chairman of the Society of Italic Handwriting and his Whitehall memos and minutes were well known for their fine, clear script. | Nairne was also chairman of the Society of Italic Handwriting and his Whitehall memos and minutes were well known for their fine, clear script. |
| He and his wife, Penelope, a lay reader for many years, were part of the church wherever they lived and his Christian beliefs were important to him. | He and his wife, Penelope, a lay reader for many years, were part of the church wherever they lived and his Christian beliefs were important to him. |
| Penelope, whom he married in 1948, survives him, as do their daughters, Katherine, Fiona and Margaret, and sons, Sandy, James and Andrew. | Penelope, whom he married in 1948, survives him, as do their daughters, Katherine, Fiona and Margaret, and sons, Sandy, James and Andrew. |
| • Patrick Dalmahoy Nairne, civil servant, born 15 August 1921; died 4 June 2013 | • Patrick Dalmahoy Nairne, civil servant, born 15 August 1921; died 4 June 2013 |
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