Tributes to Rupert Hughes, a humble hero of Whitehall

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/aug/31/tributes-to-rupert-hughes-a-humble-hero-of-whitehall

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The sad death of the senior civil servant Rupert Hughes (Obituary, 26 August) makes me wonder whether, if he were still working, we might have avoided the sudden collapse of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering and Kids Company in a single week, with its devastating impact on children, families and so many dedicated voluntary sector workers.

He was his department’s link person for the many charities with an interest in his children bill. He was masterly at cajoling and steering while also listening and responding. At one point my staff at Family Rights Group (FRG) were reeling with the speed at which we had to respond to his draft proposals on the new legislation. I wrote to say it was not fair consultation, and I slipped the letter to Community Care. He rang me immediately, to say he called in sorrow, we needed to work in a trusting way, the media did not fit with that. I denied releasing the letter, but we both knew that I had. When I was next cross with something his colleagues had done, I sent him a private note, asking if he could help avoid a recurrence. He started the next meeting by explaining publicly the error his staff had made and apologising to me for the upset caused.

That humility and humanity epitomised Rupert, and I came to realise over the years the extent to which his work reflected his personal values. I met him last year and we chatted about retirement and the recent death of his only brother. He said he had valued the work we did at Family Rights Group because links over time and across the generations were so important for children, in childhood and beyond.

One year he saved FRG from closure. So many of us have reason to be grateful for the life and achievements of this gentle giant.Jo TunnardLondon

• As a quite new MP, I had the privilege of serving on the standing committee of the Children Act 1989, with Rupert Hughes the key civil servant responsible.

Having been professionally involved in child protection before entering the Commons, I found that committee refreshingly open to new approaches to child welfare primarily because Hughes was a man very much prepared to think and listen. At a time when there was no system of formal pre-legislative scrutiny, I have a lasting memory of the committee, at Hughes’ behest, abandoning formal procedures and sitting down on a non-party basis to thrash out the way forward on a particularly difficult part of the legislation.

The Children Act remains a landmark piece of British child care law which has truly stood the test of time. Various politicians will claim credit for its success but the key figure responsible was a shy and unassuming civil servant called Rupert Hughes.David HinchliffeLabour MP for Wakefield 1987-2005