Latest civil service & public affairs moves – 9 February

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – Lord Walker of Broxton appointed as the government’s cost-of-living champion from 6 February. Hannah Bronwin appointed as expert adviser on energy and net zero. Victoria Buhler appointed as deputy adviser on business, investment and trade.
• Department for Business and Trade: Competition Service – Dr Rebecca Driver appointed as non-executive director for four years from 1 February. Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies – Andy King appointed as regulator of community interest companies, replacing Louise Smyth.
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Sport England – Michell Cracknell and Jason Fergus re-appointed as board members for three years until 31 December 2028.
• Ministry of Defence – Major General Matthew Jones appointed as chief of Defence Intelligence from the summer, replacing Adrian Bird.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Office for Environmental Protection – Julie Hill appointed as interim chair until 31 May, replacing Dame Glenys Stacey.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Corin Robertson appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to Japan from August, succeeding Julia Longbottom who will be retiring from the Diplomatic Service.
• Home Office: Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs – Professor Steve Allsop and Professor Keith Humphreys appointed as members from 1 February.
• Ministry of Justice: HM Courts & Tribunals Service – Nick Goodwin to stand down as chief executive. Prison Service Pay Review Body – Rehana Azam appointed as member for five years from 1 March until 28 February 2031.
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: UK Space Agency – Dr Paul Bate to stand down as chief executive at the end of March.
• HM Treasury: National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority – Julia Prescot appointed as chair of council of expert advisers for five years from later in February.
• Department for Work and Pensions: Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment – Dr Mark Brookes, George Fielding, Tara Flood, Mark Fosbrook, Ben Geiger, Katrina Gilman, Jean-André Prager, Dr Lucy Reynolds, Dr Felix Shi, Dr Dharshana Sridhar, Phil Stevens and Leila Talmadge appointed as members of the Steering Group.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

Committees

• UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly – Aphra Brandreth and Mike Wood added; Katie Lam and Shivani Raja discharged.
• UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe – John Slinger discharged.

House of Lords

• Lord Wallace of Tankerness (Liberal Democrat) died on 29 January.
• Lord Triesman (Labour) died on 30 January 2026.
• Russell Hobby (Non-affiliated) was raised to the peerage as Lord Hobby on 31 January and was introduced in the Lords on 3 February.
• Sir John Redwood (Conservative) was raised to the peerage as Lord Redwood on 31 January and will introduced in the Lords on 10 February.
• Lord Mandelson (on leave of absence) resigned from the Labour Party on 1 February; retired from the Lords on 4 February.
• Baroness Young of Old Scone was a Labour peer, now Non-affiliated peer.
• Lord Isaac and Baroness Linforth were introduced in the Lords on 2 February.
• The Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford was suspended from the service of the House for two weeks on 2 February.
• Baroness Teather was introduced in the Lords on 3 February.
• Ann Limb (Labour) was raised to the peerage as Baroness Limb on 5 February. The date of her introduction in the Lords is still to be announced.
• The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich wereintroduced in the Lords on for 5 February.
• The Earl of Kinnoull was created a life peer as Baron Kinnoull of the Ochils on 6 February.

Committees

• House of Lords Commission – Lord Forsyth of Drumlean appointed as chair; Lord McFall of Alcluith discharged.
• Procedure and Privileges – Lord Forsyth of Drumlean added; Lord McFall of Alcluith discharged.
• Selection – Lord Goddard of Stockport added; Lord Stoneham of Droxford discharged.
• Services – Lord Goddard of Stockport added; Lord Stoneham of Droxford discharged.
• Restoration and Renewal Client Board – Lord Forsyth of Drumlean appointed as chair; Lord McFall of Alcluith discharged.
• UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly – Lord Stirrup appointed as vice-chair; Lord Ricketts discharged.

Parties

Reform UK

• Dan Thomas appointed as Welsh leader.

Devolved Administrations

Scottish Government

• Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland – Lynsey Shovlin re-appointed as member for four years until 30 September 2029; Michael Tornow’s term as member extended for six months until 31 March 2026.
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Safety and Public Confidence Oversight Group – Professor Jann Gardner and Sir Lewis Ritchie appointed as co-chairs to oversee safety work at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.
• Quality Meat Scotland Board – Isla Roebuck, Frank Ross and Gareth Scott appointed as members for four years until 25 January 2030.

Welsh Parliament

• James Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, defected from Conservative Party to Reform UK on 5 February.

Welsh Government

• Melissa McCullough appointed as independent adviser on ministerial standards.
• Arts Council of Wales – Maggie Russell re-appointed as chair for three years until 30 March 2029.

Northern Ireland Assembly

• Timothy Gaston (TUV) suspended from the Northern Ireland Assembly for two days (3 and 9 February).
• Business Committee – Diana Armstrong added; Robbie Butler discharged.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Department for Communities – Grainia Long appointed as permanent secretary.
• Department of Education – David Malcolm appointed as permanent secretary.
• Department for Infrastructure – Emer Morelli appointed as permanent secretary.
• Louise Crilly appointed as departmental solicitor and head of Government Legal Service for Northern Ireland

Councils

Nottingham City Council – Commissioners appointed in 2023 to stand down later in February, to be replaced with ministerial envoys.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council – Max Holloway (Lab) to stand down as leader of the council.

Wirral Council – Matt Bennett to be appointed chief executive permanently from 2 
March

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