Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 22 December

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – Mark Pendlington appointed as His Majesty's Lord-lieutenant of the County of Suffolk from 15 April 2026, succeeding The Countess of Euston. The Reverend Jennifer Adams-Massmann appointed as residentiary canon of Westminster Abbey, succeeding The Right Reverend Anthony James Ball following his retirement.
• Department for Business and Trade – Amy Barklam appointed as His Majesty’s trade commissioner to Latin America and the Caribbean and consul general São Paulo from 27 April 2026, succeeding Oliver Ballhatchet who will be acting in the interim after Jonathan Knott’s departure on 23 January 2026.
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Creative Industries Council – Lisa Nandy, Peter Kyle, Baroness Vadera and Sir Peter Bazalgette appointed as co-chairs; Stephen Pegge, Sinead Rocks, Professor Sara Pepper, Michael Frohlich and Francesca Hegyi appointed as working group leads; Ian Murray, Tom Adeyoola, Deborah Annetts, Hasan Bakhshi, Jade Beason, Tracy Brabin, Lee Brooks, Professor John Collomosse, Dan Conway, Hannah Essex, Jon Gilchrist, Dan Guthrie, Sophie Helm, Darren Henley, Tom Kiehl, Alison Lomax, John McVay, Deepa Mann-Kler, Natalie Melton, Keith Merrin, Minnie Moll, Iain Munro, Caroline Norbury, Paula Orrell, Nick Poole, Catryn Ramasut, Rhuanedd Richards, Ben Roberts, Mick Ross, Christopher Smith, Chloe Straw, Alison Tickell, Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick, Chris Van Der Kuyl, Claire Walker, Laura Weir, Richard Williams and Stephen Woodford appointed as members; freelance champion still to be appointed.
• Ministry of Defence – Lieutenant General Sir Rob Magowan appointed as commander of cyber and specialist operations command from March 2026, succeeding General Sir Jim Hockenhull.
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Clean Power 2030 – Craig Bennet, Juliet Davenport, Professor Robert Gross, Merlin Hyman, Cathy McClay, Alistair Phillips-Davies, Julia Pyke and Nick Winser appointed as commissioners.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: National Park Authorities: Lake District National Park Authority – Juliet Bailey appointed as board member for four years until 30 June 2029.
• South Downs National Park Authority – Robson Peisley appointed as board member for four years until 30 June 2029.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Dr Christian Turner appointed as ambassador to the United States, pending the United States agrément.
• Department of Health and Social Care: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – Jonathan Benger appointed as chief executive from 19 December, succeeding Dr Samantha Roberts.
• Home Office – Dame Carol Black appointed as an independent adviser to the UK government on drugs for three years until November 2028. Immigration Advice Authority – Gaon Hart appointed as immigration services commissioner for five years from 12 December, succeeding John Tuckett.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – Philip Rycroft appointed to lead an independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics to report at the end of March 2026. Homes England – Danielle Gillespie appointed as executive regional director for the North West from March 2026; Tom Bridges appointed as executive regional director for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber from March 2026; Jo Nugent appointed as executive regional director for the Midlands from March 2026; Vicky Savage appointed as executive regional director for London and East from March 2026; Kate McBride appointed as executive regional director for the South from March 2026.
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Women in Tech Taskforce – Anne-Marie Imafidon appointed as women in tech envoy and lead of the taskforce; Liz Kendall, Vinous Ali, Louise Archer, Kate Bell, Karen Blake, Anna Brailsford, Francesca Carlesi, Sue Daley, Charlene Hunter, Allison Kirkby, Amelia Miller, Emma O’Dwyer, Dr Hayaatun Sillem and Dr Ismini Vasileiou appointed as members.
• Department for Transport: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency – Beverley Warmington appointed as chief executive from 5 January 2026, succeeding Loveday Ryder.
• HM Treasury – Professor Mark Freeman and Professor Ben Groom appointed to lead an independent review of the Green Book discount rate, to publish findings in June 2026.

Houses of Parliament

House of Lords

• Baroness Longfield (Non-affiliated) granted a leave of absence.
• Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts (Conservative) retired on 12 December.
• The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich joined the Lords on 12 December.
• Baroness Ford (Crossbench) retired on 18 December.
• Baroness D'Souza (Crossbench) returned from suspension on 18 December.

Committees

• NEW Retirement and Participation Committee – Baroness Taylor of Bolton 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, Lord Strathclyde and Baroness Suttie appointed as Members. The Committee will report by 31 July 2026.
• Audit and Risk Assurance – Lord Pitkeathley of Camden added; Baroness Ford discharged.

Parties

Scottish Labour

• Pam Duncan-Glancy no longer shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills.
• Paul O’Kane appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills, previously shadow cabinet secretary for social justice and social security and equalities.
• Claire Baker appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for social justice, social security and equalities, previously spokesperson for transport.
• Daniel Johnson appointed as spokesperson for Transport, continues as shadow cabinet secretary for economy, business and fair work.

Scottish Parliament

• Health, Social Care and Sport Committee – Gillian Mackay added; Patrick Harvie discharged.
• Finance and Public Administration Committee – Patrick Harvie added; Ross Greer discharged.

Scottish Government

• Highlands and Islands Airports Limited – Christopher Holliday appointed as chair for three years from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2029; Gillian Woolman appointed as non-executive director of the board for three years from 22 December 2025 until 21 December 2028.
• Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board – Mhairi Wylie appointed as chair for four years from 31 January 2026 until 30 January 2030.
• Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce – Ann Gow and Professor Anna Glasier appointed as vice-chairs.
• Skills Development Scotland –Stephen Davis, Danny Gallacher, Zahra Hedges, Louisa Macdonell and Lisa Thomson appointed as members of the board for four years from 8 January 2026 until 7 January 2030.

Welsh Parliament

• Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee – Mark Isherwood added; Samuel Kurtz discharged.

Welsh Government

• Estyn – Owen Evans re-appointed as chief inspector of education and training for five years from 1 January 2027.
• Group on the Future of the Crown Estate in Wales – Nick Butler appointed as chair; Michelle Davis, John Howells, Gwion Lewis KC, Mike Palmer, Tim Peppin and Gwenllian Roberts appointed as members.
• National Library of Wales – Ashok Ahir and Andrew Evans re-appointed as member of the board of trustees.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Historic Monuments Council – John Anderson appointed as member until 30 November 2030.

Local authorities

Councils

• Chesterfield Borough Council – Christine Durrant appointed as chief executive from 4 May 2026, succeeding Huw Bowen.
• Spelthorne Borough Council – Daniel Charles Mouawad to stand down as chief executive.

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