UK government
The King’s New Year Honours List was announced on 29 December. The full list of civil servants can be found here
Prime Minister's Office – Alex Heitmueller appointed head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and expert Adviser on delivery.
Cabinet Office: Equality and Human Rights Commission – Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry appointed interim commissioners from 1 January 2026 for 12 months.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Horserace Betting Levy Board – Madeleine Campbell appointed board member from 1 January 2026 for 4 years.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Forestry Commission – Paul Brannen appointed Non-Executive Commissioner from 1 December 2025 for 3 years. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew – Sir Andrew Steer appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees from 1 February 2026 for 4 years. Regional Flood and Coastal Committees (RFCC) – David Hickman appointed Chair of the Trent RFCC from 6 February 2026 for 3 years; Dave Throup appointed chair of the Southern RFCC from 1 July 2026 for 3 years; Elizabeth Grey appointed chair of the North West RFCC from 1 September 2026 for 3 years.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Homes England – Lesley-Ann Nash and Mark Henderson reappointed as board members until November 2027. John Reid appointed executive director for technical capacity and coordination from March 2026.
Northern Ireland Office – Fiona Ross appointed non-executive board member for the Northern Ireland Office for 3 years, ending on 28 February 2029.
Department for Transport: Maritime and Coastguard Agency – Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell, Britt Pickering and Kevin Daffey appointed as non-executive directors from 1 January 2026. Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain – Sharon Clelland appointed traffic commissioner from 6 April 2026.
Non-Ministerial Departments: Government Legal Department – Susanna McGibbon to step down as Treasury solicitor, GLD perm sec and head of the government legal profession in Spring.
Houses of Parliament
House of Commons
Committees
- Environmental Audit – Sojan Joseph added, Alison Hume discharged.
- House of Commons Commission – Bobby Dean added, Marie Goldman discharged.
House of Lords
- Lord John of Southwark (Labour) and Baroness Dacres of Lewisham (Labour) were introduced in the Lords on 8 January.
Parties
Liberal Democrats
- Josh Babarinde MP elected as president for three years from 1 January.
Devolved administrations
Northern Ireland Executive
Arts Council of Northern Ireland – Pádraig Ó Duinnín appointed board member from 1 January 2026 for 3 years.
Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery – Karen Diamond and Siobhan Caslin (lay members), and Brenda Kelly Murnion and Kieran McCormick (professional members) have been reappointed as non-executive members.
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