Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 24 November

UK government

Cabinet committee updates

• Three new committees: Growth and Living Standards – co-chaired by the prime minister and chancellor of the exchequer; Public Services – chaired by the chief secretary to the prime minister, and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; Domestic and Border Security – chaired by the chief secretary to the prime minister, and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Science and Technology renamed Digital and Technology
• National Security Council (Ukraine), Future of Work, and Mission Boards disbanded.

• Prime Minister's Office: UK Supreme Court – The Right Honourable Lord Doherty appointed as a justice from early 2026.
• Cabinet Office: Infected Blood Memorial Committee – John Dearden, Gordon Dixon, Nigel Hamilton, Tom Koukoulis, Nicola Leahey, Neil Lewis, Clair Walton, Bessie Woodhouse and William Wright appointed as members.
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: British Tourist Authority Board – Harris Bokhari appointed as chair for three years from 1 December until 30 November 2028. Independent Football Regulator – David Kogan appointed as chair for five years until 19 May 2030; Simon Levine and Dame Helen Stephenson appointed as non-executive board members.
• Ministry of Defence – Mary Cowe appointed as director of service prosecutions, succeeding Jonathan Rees KC. Octric Semiconductors – Dr Anna Floyer-Lea and Dr Christopher Snowden appointed to the board of directors.
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE-N) – Simon Bowen appointed as chair.

HM Treasury: Royal Mint Advisory Committee – Roger Bowdler, Nick Hornby, Rod Kelly, Ruth Rowland and Sarah Turner appointed for five years from 20 November.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• Zarah Sultana now sits as an MP for Your Party.
• Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – Charles Walker appointed as member for five years from 1 January 2026; Manbhinder Rana appointed as ordinary member for five years from 11 January 2026.
• Local Government Boundary Commission for England – Beverley Smith appointed as chair from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2030.

Committees

• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Juliet Campbell added; Helena Dollimore discharged.
• Environmental Audit – Alison Hume and Jonathan Davies added; Anna Gelderd and Alison Taylor discharged.
• Northern Ireland Affairs – Mike Kane added; Leigh Ingham discharged.
• Welsh Affairs – Gerald Jones added; Claire Hughes discharged.

House of Lords

• Alan Whitehead (Labour) raised to the peerage as Lord Whitehead on 19 November and was introduced in the Lords on 20 November.

Committees

• European Affairs – Lord Frost discharged.

Devolved administrations

Scottish Government

• David MacBrayne Limited – Lucy Conway and John Nolan appointed as non-executive directors of the board for three years until 2 November 2028.

Welsh Government

Creative Wales – Professor Joe Yates appointed as chair of the non-executive board; Sara Peacock and Maris Latham appointed as board members.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission – Ann McRoberts appointed as lay magistrate commissioner for five years until 12 November 2030.

Local authorities

Councils

• Bath and North East Somerset Council – Sophie Bradfield appointed as chief executive from 1 January 2026, replacing Will Godfrey who is retiring.
• Hartlepool Council – Denis McGuckin to stand down as chief executive in summer 2026.
• Lincolnshire County Council – Andrew Crookham set to be appointed as chief executive, replacing Debbie Barnes who is retiring in March 2026.

Police and Crime Commissioners

• Norfolk PCC Sarah Taylor resigned from the Labour Party and now serves as independent, after the government’s decision to scrap police and crime commissioners.

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