Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 19 September to 20 October

Appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via Dods People

By Tevye Markson

20 Oct 2025

UK government

Prime Minister's Office – The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally nominated for election as The Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby. Professor Adeeba Malik appointed as His Majesty’s Lord-lieutenant of the County of West Yorkshire from 22 December, succeeding Edmund Anderson on his retirement.
Department for Business and Trade – Stephen Hardy appointed as certification officer from 1 October. Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) – Nicola Smith and Dave Penman appointed as worker members. Fair Work Agency – Matthew Taylor appointed as chair from April 2026.
Cabinet Office – Fiona Ryland to stand down as government chief people officer from November. Ethics and Integrity Commission – The Ethics and Integrity Commission replaced the Committee on Standards in Public Life on 13 October. Infected Blood Memorial Committee – Joan Edgington appointed as vice-chair. Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists – Claire Bassett appointed as registrar of consultant lobbyists for four years from 23 September.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Advisory Council on National Records and Archives – Kate Grimley Evans re-appointed as board member for four years until 14 September 2029. Arts Council England – Pawlet Brookes appointed as Midlands Area chair for four years from 1 October. British Museum – Alison Jones, Meneesha Kellay and Erdem Moralioglu appointed as trustees for four years. Charity Commission for England and Wales – Ann Phillips re-appointed as board member until 28 February 2027; Pippa Britton re-appointed as board member from 26 September 2025 to 25 September 2028. Independent Football Regulator – David Kogan appointed as chair for five years; Dame Helen Stephenson and Simon Levine appointed as non-executive board members for five years from 8 September; Richard Monks appointed as chief executive. National Gallery – James Lambert re-appointed as trustee to the board for four years from 23 December until 22 December 2029. National Museums Liverpool – Andrea Nixon MBE appointed as chair for four years. Royal Armouries Museum – Professor Steven Gunn appointed as trustee to the board for four years. Treasure Valuation Committee – Laura Burnett and David Crisp appointed as trustees for five years. UK Anti-Doping – Mark Foster and Suman Ziaullah re-appointed as board directors for four years.
Ministry of Defence – Rupert Pearce appointed as UK national armaments director for five years from 14 October. Independent Medical Expert Group – Nicola Fear appointed as chair for three years from 19 September until 18 September 2028.
Department for Education – Shelagh Legrave’s term as further education commissioner extended until January 2026. School Teachers’ Review Body – Timothy Gilson, Josephine Grunwell, Lena Levy and Alison Macleod appointed as board members for three years.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – Committee on Radioactive Waste Management Peter Bryant appointed as member for four years from 1 October.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Paul Kissack appointed as permanent secretary from 13 October. Dan Corry and Allison Ogden-Newton appointed as non-executive directors to the board for one year. Alan Laidlaw appointed as commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector in England. Committee on Climate Change – Ian Dickie and Dr Michael Keil appointed to the Adaptation Committee for two years from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2028.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Jenny Bates stood down as director-general for economics, climate and global Issues in September. Sonia Farrey appointed as UK permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation in Vienna from January 2026, succeeding Corinne Kitsell.
Department of Health and Social Care – Matthew Hood appointed as senior adviser to the health secretary from 17 September. Health Services Safety Investigations Body – Dr Michael Durkin and Marc Esmiley’s terms as non-executive directors extended for 12 months from 1 October. Commission on Human Medicines – Professor Richard FitzGerald appointed as commissioner for four years. Independent Reconfiguration Panel – Professor Gordon Carlson, Kate Denham, Dr Rob Ghosh and Christine Morgan appointed as members for four years from 1 October. NHS Blood and Transplant – Caroline Serfass re-appointed as non-executive director for three years from 1 May 2026; Rachel Jones’ term as non-executive director extended for ten months from 1 May 2026. NHS England – Sir Andrew Morris re-appointed as non-executive director until 31 July 2027; Jeremy Townsend’s term as non-executive director and chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee extended until 31 July 2027.
Home Office – Joanna Rowland to stand down as director-general for the Customer Services Group from December. Domestic Homicide Review Quality Assurance Board – Rachel Freeman, Dame Jasvinder Sanghera and Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs appointed as members. Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration – John Tuckett appointed as independent chief inspector, succeeding David Bolt. Police Remuneration Review Body and National Crime Agency Remuneration Review Body – Dr Rebecca Driver, Frances Hill, Pamela Kelly and Stephen White appointed as members. Science and Technology Ethics Advisory Committee – Richard Guest appointed as chair for three years on 26 September.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Harris Bokhari, Ada Burns Nick Forbes and Sarah Longlands appointed as non-executive directors to the board. Thouria Istephan appointed as interim chief construction adviser for 12 months from 30 September. Boundary Commission for Wales – Sam Hartley and Huw Vaughan Thomas re-appointed as members from 5 October.
Ministry of Justice: Civil Procedure Rule Committee – Elisabetta Sciallis re-appointed as Lay Advice and Consumer Affairs member for three years from 1 June 2026. His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service – James McEwen appointed as chief executive from 13 October. Legal Services Board – Catherine Brown appointed interim chair from 1 January to 31 March 2026.
Northern Ireland Office: Independent Reporting Commission – Fleur Ravensbergen appointed as independent expert on paramilitary group transition to disbandment for one year from 23 September.
HM Treasury: National Wealth Fund – Catherine Cripps, Tom Riordan, and Joseph Schull appointed as non-executive directors. UK Debt Management Office – Martin Egan re-appointed as non-executive director for three years to the advisory board.
Department for Work and Pensions: Social Security Advisory Committee – Fran Bennett, Joanne Cairns, Tom Clark and Sharon Wright appointed as members for five years.

House of Parliament

House of Commons

Apsana Begum and John McDonnell had the Labour whip reinstated on 26 September.

Committees

Modernisation Committee – Bobby Dean added; Marie Goldman discharged.

House of Lords

Lord McFall of Alcluith to stand down as Leader of the House on 1 February 2026.
Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Lib Dem, life peer) died 26 September.
Jason Stockwood (Labour) raised to the peerage as Lord Stockwood on 9 October and was introduced in the Lords on 16 October.
Liz Lloyd (Labour) raised to the peerage as Baroness Lloyd of Effra on 13 October and was introduced in the Lords on 16 October.
Lord Sugar (Crossbench) granted a leave of absence on 6 October.
Lord Barwell’s (Conservative) leave of absence ended on 13 October.

Committees

NEW Malvern Hills Bill [HL] – Lord Hope of Craighead appointed as chair; Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, Lord Evans of Guisborough, Lord Inglewood and Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede appointed as members.
NEW Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – Lord Hope of Craighead appointed as chair; Baroness Berger, Baroness Berridge, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, Lord Goddard of Stockport, Lord Goodman of Wycombe, Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, Lord Markham, Bishop of Newcastle, Lord Patel, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Baroness Smith of Newnham and Lord Winston appointed as members.
Communications and Digital Committee – Lord Dunlop discharged.

Parties

Liberal Democrats reshuffle:

Max Wilkinson appointed as spokesperson for home affairs, previously spokesperson for culture, media and sport.
Lisa Smart appointed as spokesperson for Cabinet Office, previously spokesperson for home affairs and women and equalities.
Sarah Olney no longer spokesperson for the Cabinet Office, continues as spokesperson for business.
Joshua Reynolds appointed as spokesperson for investment and trade.
Charlie Maynard appointed as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.
Jess Brown-Fuller appointed as spokesperson for Justice, previously spokesperson for Hospitals and Primary Care.
Will Forster appointed as spokesperson for immigration and asylum.
Marie Goldman appointed as spokesperson for women and equalities, previously shadow leader of the House of Commons.
James MacCleary appointed as spokesperson for defence, previously spokesperson for Europe.
Al Pinkerton appointed as spokesperson for Europe, previously spokesperson for Northern Ireland.
Helen Maguire appointed as spokesperson for primary care and cancer, previously spokesperson for defence.
Anna Sabine appointed as spokesperson for culture, media and sport.
Caroline Voaden appointed as spokesperson for schools.
Olly Glover appointed as spokesperson for transport.
Gideon Amos appointed as spokesperson for communities, previously spokesperson for planning, continues as spokesperson for housing.
Zöe Franklin appointed as spokesperson for local government.
Sarah Dyke appointed as spokesperson for rural affairs.
Paul Kohler appointed as spokesperson for Northern Ireland, previously spokesperson for transport.
Bobby Dean appointed as shadow leader of the House of Commons.
Josh Babarinde no longer spokesperson for justice.
Clive Jones no longer spokesperson for trade.
Vikki Slade no longer spokesperson for housing, communities and local government.

Scottish National Party

Carol Beattie stood down as chief executive for "personal health reasons"; Callum McCaig appointed as chief executive on 21 September.

Welsh Conservatives

Peter Fox no longer shadow minister for infrastructure, transport and rural affairs.
Sam Rowlands appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for transport and infrastructure, continues as shadow cabinet secretary for finance and policy director.
Samuel Kurtz appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for economy, energy and rural affairs, previously shadow minister for economy and energy.

Devolved administrations

Scottish Parliament

Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian region, suspended from the Labour Party on 27 September.
Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, resigned from Alba Party on 10 October.
Parliamentary Bureau – Graeme Dey added; Jamie Hepburn discharged.
Criminal Justice Committee – Jamie Hepburn added; Ben Macpherson discharged.
Economy and Fair Work Committee – Sarah Boyack added.

Scottish Government

Jamie Hepburn resigned as minister for parliamentary business on 19 September.
Graeme Dey appointed as minister for parliamentary business and for veterans.
Ben Macpherson appointed as minister for higher and further education.
Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board – Marc Mazzucco re-appointed as member for one year from 1 November until 31 October 2026.
Borders NHS Board – Jacqueline Pepper appointed as member for four years from 1 November until 31 October 2029.
Children’s Hearings Scotland – Ronnie Corse and Robert Dorrian appointed as members of the Board for four years until 31 August 2029; Claire Kettlewell appointed as member of the Board for four years from 29 September until 28 September 2029.
Golden Jubilee NHS Board – David McClelland and Steve Plummer appointed as members for four years from 1 October until 30 September 2029.
Highland NHS Board – Graham Illsley and Brian Steven appointed as members for four years from 1 October until 30 September 2029.
Historic Environment Scotland – Sir Mark Jones appointed as chair for four years from 22 September until 21 September 2029.
National Galleries of Scotland – Catherine Muirden appointed as chair of the Board for four years from 1 November until 31 October 2029.
NHS Forth Valley Board – John Stuart re-appointed as member for four years from 18 October until 17 October 2029; Martin Fairbairn re-appointed as member for four years from 7 December until 6 December 2029.
National Library of Scotland – Professor Christopher Smith appointed as chair for four years from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2029.
Scottish Fiscal Commission Board – Dr Eleanor Ryan and Justine Riccomini appointed as members for four years from 8 October until 7 October 2029.
Scottish Funding Council Board – Joanna Campbell, Danny Gallagher, Elizabeth Gammie, Steven Grier and Sue Rigby appointed as members for four years from 3 October until 2 October 2029.
Scottish Housing Regulator Board – Marieke Dwarshuis and Lindsay Paterson re-appointed as members for four years from 1 November until 31 October 2029.

Welsh Parliament

Caerphilly by-election – Statement of persons nominated here: https://bit.ly/46Q0xMz
Senedd Commission – Lesley Griffiths added.
Children, Young People and Education Committee – Russell George added; Joel James discharged.
Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee – Alun Davies added.
NEW member Accountability Bill Committee – David Rees appointed as chair; Paul Davies, Lesley Griffiths, Buffy Williams and Sioned Williams.
Wales COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee – dissolved.

Welsh Government

Arts Council of Wales – Christina Macaulay appointed as member from 1 October.
Natural Resources Wales – Steve Ormerod’s tenure as board member extended for five months from 1 November until 31 March 2026.
Sport Wales – Róisín Connolly, Martin Hurst, Dr Alison Parken, Owain Schiavone and Sanjiv Vedi OBE appointed as board members for three years from 1 October.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Communities Committee – Pam Cameron added; Brian Kingston discharged.
Education Committee – Gary Middleton added; Peter Martin discharged.
Executive Office Committee – Phillip Brett and Pam Cameron added; Harry Harvey and Brian Kingston discharged.
Finance Committee – Harry Harvey and Brian Kingston added; Phillip Brett and Paul Frew discharged.
Infrastructure Committee – Harry Harvey added; Keith Buchanan discharged.
Justice Committee – Brian Kingston added; Stephen Dunne discharged.
Procedures Committee – Cheryl Brownlee added; William Irwin discharged.
Public Accounts Committee – Jon Burrows and Stephen Dunne added.

Northern Ireland Executive

Civil Legal Services Appeals Panel – Sarah Havlin appointed as presiding member; Eamonn Broderick, Conor Fegan, Jonathan Killen, Megan McCann, Nichola McCartan, Leonard Marken and Brian Roulston appointed as members for five years.
Drainage Council – Eddie Thompson appointed as non-executive councillor member for four years from 1 October.
Nutrients Action Programme Stakeholder Task and Finish Group – Karen Brosnan appointed as external facilitator.
Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency – Derek Wilson re-appointed as non-executive chair and Hall Graham re-appointed as non-executive member from 1 October.
South Eastern Regional College – Samuel Hagen re-appointed as board member for four years from 18 October.

London Assembly

Keith Prince, AM for Havering and Redbridge, defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK.

Local Authorities

Councils

Bexley Council – Baroness O'Neill of Bexley to stand down as council leader from November.
Chesterfield Council – Huw Bowen to stand down as chief executive from May 2026.
Ribble Valley Council – Sarah Threlfall appointed as chief executive, succeeding Marshal Scott who will stand down in January 2026.
Shropshire Council – Tanya Miles appointed as interim chief executive.
South Oxfordshire District Council and Vale of White Horse District Council – Mark Stone stood down as chief executive for both authorities from 30 September.
Westmorland and Furness Council – Miranda Cannon appointed as chief executive from 9 October.
Wirral Council – Matthew Bennett appointed as interim chief executive from 13 October.