Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 15 September

UK government

Government reshuffle: full details can be found here or you can read our story here on the biggest moves

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: British Tourist Authority (VisitBritain) – Neil Rami and Mary Walsh appointed as board members for five years. Historic England – Ulrike Knox, Jamie Ritblat and Philip Shepherd appointed as commissioners for four years. National Gallery – David Marks re-appointed as trustee for two years. UK Sport – Gavin Boyd appointed as Northern Ireland member of the board for four years. VisitEngland – Helen Bonser-Wilton and Dr Sarah Green appointed as board members for five years.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Lord Mandelson withdrawn as UK ambassador to the USA on 11 September. Simon Wood appointed as UK ambassador to North Korea from September 2025, replacing Dr David Ellis
• Department of Health and Social Care – Professor Henrietta Hughes re-appointed as the patient safety commissioner for three years from 12 September
• Ministry of Justice: Parole Board – 29 new psychologist members appointed for five years from 4 November 2025: Eleni Belivanaki, Catherine Bell, Carol Bond, Lucy Courtney-Brisbane, Kate Geraghty, Charlotte Griffiths, Madeleine Hamilton, Eliza Harris, Ionnie Henry, James Jackman, Nicola Jackson, Rupi Johal, Sharon Jones, Jacqueline Kennedy, Sarah Khan, Suzanne Lee, Leiya Lemkey, Avril McAlees, Amy Meeson, Khyati Patel, Emma Pearce, Sanjit Saraw, Samantha Scott, Diarmuid Sheehan, Yvonne Shell, Annita Tasker, James Taylor, Nicola Wallis, Rachael Wheatley. Five psychiatrist members appointed for five years from 20 January 2026: Jonathan Barker, Christine Brown, Caroline Mulligan, Samrat Sengupta, Rosalyn Tavernor. Seven judicial members appointed for five years from 20 January 2026: Andrew Bright KC, Francis Burrell KC, Patrick Fields, Michael Hopmeier, Judith Hughes KC, Richard Parkes KC, Caroline Wright. Independent Public Advocate – Cindy Butts appointed as standing advocate for five years from on 23 September. Privy Council Office – James Murray, Emma Reynolds and Anna Turley appointed to the Privy Council on 10 September.
• Department for Transport: Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain – Kate Grimley Evans, Giles Pengelly, Rakesh Sharma, Mair Williams and Tehniat Watson appointed as deputy traffic commissioners
• HM Treasury – William MacFarlane appointed as director general for tax and welfare, succeeding Dan York-Smith. Financial Policy Committee – Professor Stephen Blyth appointed as external member for three years from the autumn; Dr Randall Kroszner re-appointed as external member from 1 February 2026.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• Oliver Ryan, MP for Burnley, has had the Labour whip reinstated.

Committees:

• Ecclesiastical – Baroness Butler-Sloss appointed as chair; Dan Tomlinson discharged
• Modernisation – Alan Campbell appointed as chair; Lucy Powell discharged
• Committee of Selection – Nesil Caliskan, Lilian Greenwood and Gen Kitchen added; Samantha Dixon, Chris Elmore and Jeff Smith discharged
• Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission – Steve Reed added; Rushanara Ali, Jim McMahon and Angela Rayner discharged
• Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – Alan Campbell added; Lucy Powell discharged.

House of Lords

• Jason Stockwood (appointed as minister of state for investment on 6 September) and Liz Lloyd (appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state and Lords whip on 11 September) will receive a life peerages and become members of the Lords
• The Bishop of Portsmouth joined the Lords on 8 September. The date of his introduction in the Lords is still to be announced.
• Baroness White of Tufnell Park (Crossbench) was introduced in the Lords on 8 September
• Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour) died on 10 September
• Baroness Murphy (Crossbench) is no longer on a leave of absence
• Baroness Shafik (Labour) has been granted a leave of absence for the remainder of this Session
• UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe – Lord Jones of Penybont added; Jake Richards discharged.

Political parties

Labour Party

• New deputy leader will be announced on Saturday 25 October. Candidates are: Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell

Green Party

• Dr Ellie Chowns chosen unanimously as leader of the Parliamentary Green Party in the House of Commons.

Devolved administrations

Scottish Parliament

• Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee – Jamie Halcro Johnston appointed as deputy convener
• Economy and Fair Work Committee – Daniel Johnson appointed as convener; Colin Smyth discharged
• Conveners Group – Daniel Johnson added; Colin Smyth discharged.

Scottish Government

• Fife NHS Board – Arlene Wood re-appointed as a member for four years from 13 September until 12 September 2029
• Forth Valley NHS Board – Neena Mahal appointed as chair for four years from 1 October until 30 September 2029
• Scottish Social Services Council – Peter Murray appointed as convener until 31 August 2028; Tricia Stewart and Alison Todd appointed as members for three years until 31 August 2028.

Northern Ireland Assembly

• Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee – Daniel McCrossan added; Patsy McGlone discharged
• Business Committee – Robbie Butler added; Andy Allen discharged
• Communities Committee – Mark Durkan added; Daniel McCrossan discharged
• Education Committee – Jon Burrows added
• Infrastructure Committee – Justin McNulty added; Mark Durkan discharged
• Justice Committee – Patsy McGlone added; Justin McNulty discharged
• Standards and Privileges Committee – Mark Durkan added; Colin McGrath discharged

Northern Ireland Executive

• Paul Mageean re-appointed as chief commissioner to the Parole Commission for Northern Ireland for three years from 9 September
• Arts Council of Northern Ireland Board – Nora Douds appointed as chair from 1 October until 30 September 2029; Michael Cameron, Dee Crooks, Paul Grocott, Margaret Henry and Darren Milligan appointed as members to the board until 31 August 2029

Local Authorities

Councils

• Kent County Council – Amanda Beer to retire as chief executive officer from November
• Lincolnshire County Council – Debbie Barnes to retire as chief executive from March 2026
• County Councils Network – Matthew Hicks (Conservative Leader of Suffolk County Council) elected as chair.

Combined Authorities

• UK Mayors Group – West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin re-elected as chair; East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward elected as deputy chair.

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