Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 26 May
Appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via Dods People
UK government
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport – Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale appointed as ministerial adviser on soft power and major events.
- Ministry of Defence: Armed Forces Pay Review Body – Garry Graham appointed as collective bargaining member until 30 March 2029.
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – Lloyd Hatton appointed as PPS. Committee on Fuel Poverty – Fallon Wilkinson appointed as member for three years. UK National Nuclear Laboratory – Mandy Clarke appointed as non-executive director.
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Office for Environmental Protection – Dame Helen Ghosh appointed as chair from 1 June.
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Johanna Baxter appointed as PPS. Louise de Sousa appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Colombia from August, succeeding George Hodgson who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Edwin Samuel appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to Mongolia from July, succeeding Fiona Blyth who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Dame Sarah MacIntosh appointed as UK ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York this summer, succeeding Dame Barbara Woodward.
- Department of Health and Social Care – Steve Race and Rosie Wrighting resigned as PPS. Laura Kyrke-Smith appointed as PPS; previously PPS at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Oliver Ryan appointed as PPS. Michelle Welsh appointed as maternity adviser to DHSC.
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Chris Vince appointed as PPS.
- MHCLG Departmental Board – Mo Baines appointed as lead non-executive director for three years until 15 March 2029.
- Department for Science, Innovation and Technology – Lauren Sullivan appointed as PPS.
- HM Treasury: Crown Estate – Michael Plaut appointed to the board for four years from 1 July.
- Department for Work and Pensions – Elaine Stewart appointed as PPS. DWP Executive Leadership Board – Lisa Tremble appointed as non-executive director and chair until 31 March 2029.
House of Parliament
House of Commons
- Josh Simons (Lab) resigned as MP for Makerfield and appointed as Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern on 18 May. A by-election will take place on 18 June.
- Aberdeen South and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-elections will also take place on 18 June.
Committees
- Backbench Business – Bob Blackman re-elected as chair for the remainder of this Parliament on 19 May.
- Joint Committee on Human Rights – Euan Stainbank added; Juliet Campbell discharged.
- Selection – Deirdre Costigan added; Nesil Caliskan discharged.
House of Lords
- Lord Collins of Mapesbury (CB) retired from the Lords on 18 May.
- Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Lab) retired from the Lords on 19 May.
- Lord Haskel (Lab) retired from the Lords on 21 May.
- Lord Hannan of Kingsclere was Conservative, now non-affiliated.
- Lord Grade of Yarmouth was Non-Affiliated, now Conservative.
Committees
- Conduct – Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers added.
- Retirement and Participation – Baroness Taylor of Bolton re-appointed as Chair; Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Lord Blunkett, Viscount Chandos, Baroness Hayman, Baroness Manningham-Buller, Baroness Mattinson, Baroness Parminter, Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury, Lord Smith of Hindhead and Baroness Suttie re-appointed as members.
- Parliamentary Works Estimates Commission – Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede added; Lord Gardiner of Kimble discharged.
Parties
Liberal Democrats
- Baroness Grender appointed as Lords spokesperson for transport, replacing Baroness Pidgeon, and continues as Lords spokesperson for environment, food and rural affairs.
- Baroness Pidgeon appointed as Lords spokesperson for health, replacing Lord Scriven.
- Lord Pack appointed as Lords spokesperson for Cabinet Office, replacing Lord Wallace of Saltaire.
Reform UK
- Lee Anderson appointed as chairman, succeeding Dr David Bull.
Reform UK Wales
- Dan Thomas appointed as leader of the opposition.
- Helen Jenner appointed as deputy leader and shadow cabinet minister for education and Welsh language.
- James Evans appointed as shadow cabinet minister for health, prevention and sport.
- Francesca O'Brien appointed as shadow cabinet minister for local government, housing and planning.
- Jason O'Connell appointed as shadow cabinet minister for economy and transport.
- Laura Anne Jones appointed as shadow cabinet minister for food, farming and rural affairs.
- Cai Parry-Jones appointed as shadow cabinet minister for finance and government efficiency.
- Sarah Cooper-Lesadd appointed as shadow cabinet minister for children, young people and skills.
- Cristiana Emsley appointed as shadow cabinet minister for fairness, families and communities.
- Adrian Mason appointed as shadow counsel general and shadow minister for constitution.
- Louise Emery appointed as shadow minister for culture, tourism and hospitality.
- Gaz Thomas appointed as shadow minister for disabilities, mental health and veterans.
- Claire Archibald appointed as shadow minister for social care.
- Llyr Powell appointed as chief whip and business manager.
Scottish Conservatives
- Russell Findlay continues as leader.
- Rachael Hamilton continues as deputy leader; appointed as spokesperson for business and tourism.
- Tim Eagle appointed as spokesperson for housing and transport; continues as chief whip; previously shadow cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and fishing.
- Craig Hoy appointed as spokesperson for finance and social security; previously shadow cabinet secretary for finance and local government.
- Murdo Fraser appointed as spokesperson for public service reform and culture; previously shadow cabinet secretary for business, economy, tourism and culture.
- Liam Kerr appointed as spokesperson for energy; previously shadow cabinet secretary for justice.
- Miles Briggs appointed as spokesperson for health and care; previously shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills
- Stephen Kerr appointed as spokesperson for justice; previously shadow minister for employment and investment.
- Meghan Gallacher appointed as spokesperson for education and equalities; previously shadow cabinet secretary for housing.
- Alexander Burnett appointed as spokesperson for local government.
- Finlay Carson appointed as spokesperson for rural affairs and environment.
Welsh Conservatives
- Darren Millar continues as leader, Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd; appointed as shadow minister for the armed forces and veterans.
- Paul Davies continues as deputy leader in the Senedd and chief whip; appointed as shadow Trefnydd and shadow minister for Welsh language, culture, tourism and sport; previously shadow cabinet secretary for the constitution.
- Natasha Asghar appointed as shadow minister for health and social care; previously shadow cabinet secretary for children, young people and education.
- Andrew RT Davies appointed as shadow minister for farming and environment.
- Janet Finch-Saunders appointed as shadow minister for enterprise, connectivity and energy; previously shadow minister for climate change and environment.
- Peter Fox appointed as shadow minister for finance, local government and communities; previously shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care.
- Sam Rowlands appointed as shadow minister for education, families and constitution; previously shadow cabinet secretary for finance, transport and infrastructure and policy director.
Welsh Labour
- Ken Skates appointed as interim leader and spokesperson for health, care andnNational security; previously cabinet secretary for transport and North Wales.
- Jayne Bryant appointed as spokesperson for housing, communities, public and preventative health; previously cabinet secretary for housing and local government.
- Mike Hedges appointed as spokesperson for culture, sport, local government and legislation; previously minister for further and higher education.
- Vikki Howells appointed as chief whip and spokesperson for environment, farming, energy and transport.
- Lynne Neagle appointed as business manager and spokesperson for children, education, and lifelong learning; previously cabinet secretary for education.
- Shav Taj appointed as spokesperson for employment, equalities and economic transformation.
- Huw Thomas appointed as spokesperson for finance, democracy, citizenship and Welsh language.
Devolved administrations
Scottish Parliament
- Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – Jackie Dunbar, Stephen Kerr, Liam McArthur, Pauline McNeill and Graham Simpson appointed as Members; Maggie Chapman re-appointed as member.
Scottish Government
The new Scottish Government announced on 20-21 May:
- John Swinney re-appointed as first minister of Scotland.
- Stephen Gethins appointed as minister for Europe, external affairs and energy.
- Jamie Hepburn appointed as minister for parliamentary business and veterans.
- Jenny Gilruth appointed as deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for finance and local government; previously cabinet secretary for education and skills.
- Hannah Mary Goodlad appointed as minister for public finance (reporting jointly to the cabinet secretary for public service reform).
- Ivan McKee appointed as cabinet secretary for public service reform; previously minister for public finance.
- Hannah Mary Goodlad appointed as minister for public finance (reporting jointly to the deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for finance and local government).
- Neil Gray appointed as cabinet secretary for Justice; previously cabinet secretary for health and social care.
- Kirsten Oswald appointed as minister for victims and community safety.
- Angela Constance appointed as cabinet secretary for health and care; previously cabinet secretary for justice and home affairs.
- Alison Thewliss appointed as minister for community care.
- Maree Todd appointed as minister for mental wellbeing, public health, sport, alcohol and drugs; previously minister for drugs and alcohol policy and sport.
- Gillian Martin re-appointed as cabinet secretary for climate action; appointed as cabinet secretary for rural affairs; previously cabinet secretary for energy.
- Jim Fairlie re-appointed as minister for agriculture; appointed minister for marine and the Islands; previously minister for connectivity.
- Màiri McAllan appointed as cabinet secretary for education, culture and Gaelic; previously cabinet secretary for housing.
- Siobhian Brown appointed as minister for children, young people and The Promise; previously minister for victims and community safety.
- Ben Macpherson appointed as minister for innovation, technology and tertiary education; previously minister for higher and further education.
- Shirley-Anne Somerville re-appointed as cabinet secretary for social justice; appointed as cabinet secretary for housing.
- Simita Kumar appointed as minister for equalities and international development.
- Stephen Flynn appointed as cabinet secretary for economy, tourism and transport.
- Tom Arthur appointed as minister for business and fair work; previously minister for social care and mental wellbeing.
- Jenni Minto left the Scottish Government
- The lord advocate and solicitor general for Scotland will be announced in due course.
Welsh Parliament
- Business Committee – Huw Irranca-Davies appointed as chair; Lynne Neagle and Llyr Powell appointed as members; Paul Davies and Heledd Fychan re-appointed as members; Kerry Ferguson, Paul Rock and Anthony Slaughter appointed as guests; Jane Dodds re-appointed as guest.
Northern Ireland Assembly
- Infrastructure Committee – Sinéad Ennis added; Cathal Boylan discharged.
Local Authorities
- Broxtowe Borough Council – Zulfiqar Darr appointed as permanent chief executive.
- Cardiff Council – Paul Orders to stand down as chief executive.
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