Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 1 to 18 May

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – Gordon Brown appointed as the prime minister’s special reviewer on global finance and co-operation. Baroness Harman appointed as the prime minister’s adviser on women and girls. Venerable Dr Alexander Hughes appointed as Suffragan Bishop of Brixworth, succeeding Right Reverend John Holbrook following his retirement.
• Department for Business and Trade: Insolvency Service Board – Koral Anderson and Peter Walton appointed as non-executive directors for three years from 4 May.
• Cabinet Office – Naushabah Khan resigned as PPS on 11 May; Sean Woodcock MP appointed as PPS. New Cabinet Committee – Middle East Response Committee: prime minister (chair); chancellor of the exchequer (deputy chair); secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs, secretary of state for the home department and chief secretary to the prime minister, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and secretary of state for energy security and net zero (members). Equality and Human Rights Commission – David Carrigan, Martyn Jones, Sunder Katwala and Jemima Olchawski appointed as commissioners; Susan Kemp and Baroness Neate appointed as commissioners from 1 November; Alasdair Henderson’s term as commissioner extended until 26 April 2027.
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Arts Council England – Helen Birchenough re-appointed as south west area chair from 5 December until 4 September 2027. Horniman Museum and Gardens – Michael Salter-Church re-appointed as chair from 14 August until 13 August 2030. Imperial War Museum – Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures’ term as trustee extended until 31 October. National History Museum – Shahpur Kabraji re-appointed as legal trustee from 26 June until 25 June 2031. National Lottery Community Fund – Richard Collier-Keywood and Dame Helen Stephenson re-appointed from 1 July until 31 December 2027; Paul Sweeney re-appointed as member and Northern Ireland chair from 18 August until 17 August 2030; John Mothersole re-appointed as member and Northern Ireland chair from 18 August until 17 August 2030; Kate Still re-appointed as member and Scotland Committee chair from 14 May until 13 May 2028.
• Ministry of Defence: Armed Forces Pay Review Body – Joel Griffin appointed as business member until 30 March 2029.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Tom Rutland resigned as PPS on 11 May; Jayne Kirkham appointed as PPS. Natural England – Kate Gibson appointed as deputy chair from 1 May until 30 April 2029, succeeding Peter Unwin who remains on the board until 31 May; Rachel Danemann appointed as board member from 1 May until 30 April 2029; Professor Lynn Dicks re-appointed as board member until 28 April 2029; Kim Shillinglaw to stand down as board member on 31 May.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Tammy Kaur Sandhu appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Holy See from August, succeeding Christopher Trott who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Maya Sivagnanam appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia from August, succeeding Matthew Lawson. HM Government Communications Centre – Dr Simon Fabri appointed as chief executive from 11 May, succeeding Dr George Williamson CMG. 
• Department of Health and Social Care – Joe Morris resigned as PPS on 11 May; David Burton-Sampson appointed as PPS. Zubir Ahmed resigned as parliamentary under-secretary of state for health innovation and safety on 12 May; Preet Kaur Gill appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state. Gill was previously PPS at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Wes Streeting resigned as secretary of state for health and social care on 14 May; James Murray appointed as secretary of state for health and social care, previously he was chief secretary to the Treasury. Healthwatch England and Care Quality Commission – Professor David Croisdale-Appleby re-appointed as chair of Healthwatch England and non-executive director of the Care Quality Commission from 1 June until 31 July 2027; Richard Barker appointed as non-executive director of CQC for three years. NHS Blood and Transplant – Penny McIntyre and Ian Murphy re-appointed as non-executive directors for three years from 1 March 2027; Murphy re-appointed chair of the NHSBT Audit, Risk and Governance Committee for three years from 1 March 2027.
• Home Office – Sally Jameson resigned as PPS on 11 May; Michael Payne appointed as PPS. Jess Phillips resigned as parliamentary under-secretary of state for safeguarding and violence against women and girls on 12 May, Natalie Fleet appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state. Fleet was previously PPS at the Department for Work and Pensions.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Miatta Fahnbulleh resigned as parliamentary under-secretary of state for devolution, faith and communities on 12 May, Nesil Caliskan appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state. Caliskan was previously government whip (comptroller of HM Household). Ebbsfleet Development Corporation – Peter Hawthorne and Elena Lokteva appointed as non‑executive directors for four years; Baerbel Schuett appointed as non‑executive director for four years from 1 September; Lokteva will also take up the role of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee chair from 1 September. HM Land Registry – Anne Pardoe re-appointed as member of the Registration Rules Committee for four years until 29 May 2030. Local Government Boundary Commission for England – Dame Gillian Guy and Janet Waggott appointed as commissioners for five years.
• Ministry of Justice – Melanie Ward resigned as PPS on 11 May; Linsey Farnsworth appointed as PPS. Alex Davies-Jones resigned as parliamentary under-secretary of state for victims and tackling violence against women and girls on 12 May, Catherine Atkinson appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state. Atkinson was previously PPS at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. MoJ Departmental Board – Rob Whiteman appointed as lead non-executive director for one year from 5 May until 4 May 2027; Justin Russell appointed as non-executive director for three years from 11 May until 10 May 2029. His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service – Sir Richard Broadbent re-appointed as chair for one year until 30 April 2027. Tribunal Procedure Committee – Sanaz Saifolahi appointed as member for three years from 1 June; Peace Egbulefu and Jennifer McCarthy appointed as members for three years from 3 July.
• HM Treasury – Lucy Rigby appointed as chief secretary to the Treasury on 14 May, replacing James Murray MP who has been appointed as secretary of state for health and social care. Rachel Blake appointed as parliamentary secretary (economic secretary to the Treasury) on 14 May, replacing Lucy Rigby. Blake was previously a PPS at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Government Internal Audit Agency – Andy Brittain appointed as interim chief executive. Financial Conduct Authority – Simon Walls appointed as executive director; Johan Sekora appointed as chief operating officer.
• Department for Work and Pensions – Gordon McKee resigned as PPS on 11 May; Tim Roca appointed as PPS. Pension Protection Fund – Joanne Segars appointed as chair from 1 July.

Parties

Scottish National Party

• Dave Doogan appointed as leader of the SNP Group at Westminster.

Welsh Labour

• Eluned Morgan stood down as leader; Ken Skates appointed as interim leader on 9 May.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• Stephen Gethins (SNP) resigned as MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry on 14 May, after being elected as MSP for Dundee City East on 7 May. He was appointed as Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern and a by-election will take place in due course.
• Stephen Flynn (SNP) resigned as MP for Aberdeen South on 14 May, after being elected as MSP for Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine on 7 May. He was appointed as Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead and a by-election will take place in due course.
• Josh Simons (Lab) announced on 14 May he intends to stand down as MP for Makerfield.
• Gen Kitchen appointed as government whip (comptroller of HM Household) on 12 May, previously government whip (junior Lord of the Treasury).
• Deirdre Costigan appointed as government whip (junior Lord of the Treasury) on 12 May, previously assistant government whip.
• Shaun Davies appointed as assistant whip on 12 May, previously PPS at the Ministry of Defence.

House of Lords

• Baroness Burt of Solihull (Lib Dem) retired from the Lords on 7 May.
• Lord Evans of Watford’s (Non-Affiliated) suspension from the Lords ended on 9 May.
• Lord Irvine of Lairg (Lab) retired from the Lords on 11 May.
• Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede appointed as senior deputy speaker on 13 May, succeeding Lord Gardiner of Kimble.
• Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede was Labour, now Non-affiliated.
• Lord Gardiner of Kimble was Non-affiliated, now Conservative.
• Baroness Billingham (Lab) ceased to be a member of the Lords on 13 May, due to non-attendance.
• Lord Christopher (Lab) ceased to be a member of the Lords on 13 May, due to non-attendance.

Leave of absence granted to the following members of the Lords for the remainder of this Session on 14 May:

• Lord Barker of Battle (Con)
• Lord Davies of Abersoch (Non-Affiliated)
• Lord Feldman of Elstree (Con)
• Lord Freud (Con)
• Lord Hague of Richmond (Con)
• Lord Harris of Peckham (Con)
• Lord Llewellyn of Steep (Con)
• Baroness Longfield (Non-Affiliated)
• Lord Malloch-Brown (CB)
• Baroness Mone (Non-Affiliated)
• Baroness Shafik (CB)
• Lord Watson of Wyre Forest (Lab)
• Baroness Worthington (CB)

Leave of absence has ended for the following members of the Lords:

• Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Lab)
• Lord Collins of Mapesbury (CB)
• Baroness Fullbrook (Con)
• Lord Geidt (CB)
• Baroness Morgan of Ely (Lab)
• Lord Sugar (CB)
• Baroness Vadera (Non-affiliated)
• Lord Low of Dalston (Crossbench) retired from the Lords on 15 May.

The following former hereditary peers are due to receive a life peerage:

• Lord Altrincham (Con)
• Lord Ashcombe (Con)
• Lord Camoys (Con)
• Viscount Camrose (Con)
• Earl of Clancarty (CB)
• Viscount Colville of Culross (CB)
• Earl of Courtown (Con)
• Lord Cromwell (CB)
• Lord de Mauley (Con)
• Earl of Effingham (Con)
• Viscount Goschen (Con)
• Lord Grantchester (Lab)
• Lord Hampton (CB)
• Lord Harlech (Con)
• Earl Howe (Con)
• Lord Londesborough (CB)
• Earl of Minto (Con)
• Lord Moynihan (Con)
• Lord Ravensdale (CB)
• Lord Reay (Con)
• Lord Roborough (Con)
• Lord Russell of Liverpool (CB)
• Viscount Stansgate (Lab)
• Lord Strathclyde (Con)
• Lord Vaux of Harrowden (CB)
• Duke of Wellington (CB)

Devolved administrations

Scottish Parliament

• Kenneth Gibson elected as presiding officer on 14 May, succeeding Alison Johnstone who stood down as an MSP.
• Clare Adamson (SNP) and Katy Clark (Lab) elected as deputy presiding officers on 14 May, succeeding Annabelle Ewing and Liam McArthur.
• Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body – Kenneth Gibson appointed as convener.

Scottish Government

• New ministerial appointments are expected next week.

Welsh Parliament

• Huw Irranca-Davies elected as presiding officer on 12 May, succeeding Elin Jones who is now a minister.
• Kerry Ferguson (PlC) elected as deputy presiding officer on 12 May, succeeding David Rees who was not re-elected as an MS.

Welsh Government

• Rhun ap Iorwerth elected as first minister of Wales on 12 May, succeeding Eluned Morgan.

The following ministers were appointed on 13 May:

• Sioned Williams appointed as deputy first minister and cabinet minister for social justice and equality
• Elin Jones appointed as cabinet minister for finance
• Heledd Fychan appointed as Trefnydd, chief whip and cabinet minister for culture and sport
• Dafydd Trystan Davies appointed as cabinet minister for government effectiveness and constitution
• Mabon ap Gwynfor appointed as cabinet minister for health and care
• Adam Price appointed as cabinet minister for enterprise, connectivity and energy
• Anna Brychan appointed as cabinet minister for education and Welsh language
• Llyr Gruffydd appointed as cabinet minister for rural resilience and sustainability
• Siân Gwenllian appointed as cabinet minister for local government, housing and planning
• Nerys Evans appointed as deputy minister for public and preventative health
• Delyth Jewell appointed as deputy minister for social care, mental health and women’s health
• Mark Hooper appointed as deputy minister for transport
• Cefin Campbell appointed as deputy minister for skills and tertiary education
• Elfyn Llwyd (not elected as an MS) appointed as counsel general designate

Northern Ireland Assembly

• Education Committee – Julie Middleton added; Peter Martin discharged.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Northern Ireland Social Care Council – Colin Reid appointed as non-executive registrant member until 31 March 2030; Colm Donaghy and Frederick Smyth appointed as non-executive stakeholder members until 31 March 2030; Gerard Guckian’s term extended from 1 May until 31 August.

London Assembly

• Zoë Garbett (Green) resigned as AM for the Londonwide region, following her election as mayor of Hackney; Benali Hamdache (Green) replaced her on 11 May.
• Andrew Boff elected as chair of the London Assembly.
• Lord Duvall of Woolwich elected as deputy chair of the London Assembly.

Local authorities

• East Surrey Council – Elmbridge Borough Council chief executive Adam Chalmers appointed as interim head of paid service.
• Herefordshire Council – Paul Satoor appointed as chief executive from June, succeeding Paul Walker.
• Shropshire Council – Tanya Miles appointed as chief executive permanently from 14 May.
• West Surrey Council – Surrey County Council deputy chief executive Andy Brown appointed as interim head of paid service.

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