Latest civil service & public affairs moves – January 16

People Moves 9 December – 13 January

UK Government

• Prime Minister's Office – United Kingdom Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe – Jo Gideon, Sally-Ann Hart, David Morris and Jill Mortimer added; Gagan Mohindra, Edward Leigh, Paul Howell and Jerome Mayhew discharged. Beatrice Grant appointed as His Majesty's lord lieutenant of the County of Worcestershire from 17 March, succeeding Colonel Patrick Holcroft who is retiring. Ian Crowe appointed as His Majesty's lord lieutenant for the County Borough of Londonderry, succeeding Dr Angela Garvey who retired. Sir Laurie Magnus appointed as the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. Christopher ‘Kif’ Hancock appointed as church commissioner for five years from 1 January, succeeding Duncan Owen. The Right Reverend Philip North appointed as bishop of Blackburn, succeeding The Right Reverend Julian Henderson following his retirement. The Reverend Dr Robert Munro appointed as bishop of Ebbsfleet, succeeding The Right Reverend Rod Thomas following his retirement. The Right Reverend Dr Emma Ineson appointed as bishop of Kensington, succeeding The Right Reverend Dr Graham Tomlin following his resignation. The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Gainsborough appointed as bishop of Kingston, succeeding The Right Reverend Dr Richard Cheetham following his retirement.

• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy – Competition and Markets Authority – Sarah Cardell appointed as chief executive. She has held the position of interim chief executive since July 2022. Intellectual Property Office – Adam Williams appointed as chief executive and comptroller-general.

• Cabinet Office – House of Lords Appointments Commission – Baroness Noakes appointed as Conservative Party political member from 1 January.

• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport – Royal Parks – Richard Hamilton re-appointed as trustee for four years until 2 April 2026.

• Department for Education – Construction Industry Training Board – Diana Garnham re-appointed as board member for one year until 31 December 2023. Office for Students – Martha Longdon’s term as student experience board member extended by one month until 31 January.

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board – Nicholas Saphir re-appointed as chair from 1 April until 31 March 2024. Animal Welfare Committee – Professor Madeleine Campbell appointed as chair; Dr Gareth Arnott, Emily Craven, Professor Simon Girling, Dr Julian Kupfer, Stephen Lister and Dr Julia Wrathall appointed as members for four years from 1 January until 31 December 2026.

• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Darren Welch appointed as His Majesty's ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union during January, succeeding Dr Alastair McPhail who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Katy Ransome appointed as His Majesty's ambassador to the Republic of Mali during January, succeeding Barry Lowen who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Jan Thompson appointed as His Majesty's ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway during April, succeeding Richard Wood. Jane Owen appointed as governor of the Cayman Islands, succeeding Martyn Roper. Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam appointed as governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands from June, succeeding Nigel Dakin.

• Government Equalities Office – Social Mobility Commission – Katharine Birbalsingh stood down as chair on 6 January; Alun Francis OBE appointed as interim chair.

• Department of Health and Social Care – NHS England – Sir Mark Walport, Baroness Watkins of Tavistock and Professor Sir Simon appointed as non-executive directors for three years from 27 January. Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – Paul Heath, Chris Hughes and Caroline Trotter appointed as members for three years.

• Department for International Trade – Gareth Davies appointed as permanent secretary, succeeding James Bowler who became permanent recretary of HM Treasury in October 2022.

• UK Export Finance – Tim Reid appointed as chief executive from 1 January.

• Ministry of Justice – Judicial Appointments Commission – Helen Pitcher appointed chair for three years from 1 January until 31 December 2025. Law Commission – Joanna Otterburn and Stephanie Hack appointed as joint chief executives. Office of the Public Guardian – Clarah Abange, Sullay Adekulay, Louise Ahrens, Leah Austin, Saka Awokoya, Katie Barker, Kimberley Barrett, Elaine Bowden, Sarah Flaxman, Sughra Nazir, Olumide Odubawo, Debbie Parker, Barry Purdell, Janyce Quigley, Elizabeth Rees, Nicholas Rosenfeld, Suzanne Ryan, Annie Smith, Katie Smith-Palomeque, Hilary Travis, William Walton and Sarah Woodford appointed as Court of Protection general visitors for ten years; Beverley Blythe, Graeme Currie, Mark Farnsworth, Stephen Gray, Sue Joyce and Barry Whitmore re-appointed as Court of Protection General Visitors for ten years. Independent Restraint Review Panel – Colin Allars appointed as chair for three years from 1 January until 31 December 2025.

• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – Dame Alison Nimmo appointed as lead non-executive director of the departmental board for three years until 8 December 2025.

• HM Treasury – Clare Lombardelli to leave her role as director-general and chief economic adviser to the Treasury after the Spring Budget to take up the role of OECD Chief Economist. Financial Conduct Authority – The Treasury Select Committee endorses the appointment of Ashley Alder as chair, following a hearing on 14 December. Financial Policy Committee – Dr Randall Kroszner appointed as an external member. National Infrastructure Commission – Sir John Armitt re-appointed as chair for two years until January 2025; Julia Prescot  appointed as deputy chair until April 2027.

• Department for Work and Pensions – Disability Unit Regional Stakeholder Network – Joanne Wilkes-Waterworth appointed as North East chair; Lynne Turnbull appointed as North West chair; Chloe Plummer appointed as South East chair; Samantha Everard appointed as South West chair; Marc Goblot appointed as Greater London chair; Justin Donne appointed as East Midlands chair; Louise Mckiernan appointed as West Midlands chair.

• Non-Ministerial Departments – National Savings & Investments – David Woodward appointed as non-executive director to the board for three years from 3 January.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• By-elections: Stretford and Urmston by-election result: Andrew Western held the seat for Labour with a majority of 9,906 on 15 December. The turnout was just 25.8 per cent. West Lancashire by-election will take place on Thursday 9 February.
• MPs: Patrick Grady was an Independent MP; he has now returned to the SNP group. Andrew Bridgen suspended from the House of Commons for five days, starting on 10 January; also Conservative whip suspended on 11 January.
• Committees: New: High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill – Lisa Cameron, Wayne David, Antony Higginbotham, Grahame Morris, Holly Mumby-Croft, Andrew Percy and Martin Vickers added. The chair will be elected at the committee’s first meeting. Finance Committee – Nigel Evans added; Eleanor Laing discharged. Foreign Affairs Committee – Drew Hendry added; Stewart Malcolm McDonald discharged. Health and Social Care Committee – Paul Blomfield added. Home Affairs Committee – Marco Longhi added; Gary Sambrook discharged. Northern Ireland Affairs Committee – Jim Shannon added; Ian Paisley discharged. Science and Technology Committee – Katherine Fletcher added; Ian Stewart discharged. Scottish Affairs Committee – Philippa Whitford added; Mhairi Black discharged. Standards Committee – Sir Francis Habgood added as lay member for six years from 9 January; Rose Marie Parr, David Stirling and Carys Williams added as lay members for six years from 31 March. Transport Committee – Mike Amesbury added; Christian Wakeford discharged. Work and Pensions Committee – David Linden added; Chris Stephens discharged.

House of Lords

• New peers: Cleveland Anthony (Tony) Sewell (Con) raised to the peerage as Lord Sewell of Sanderstead on 16 December. His introduction to the House of Lords will take place on 26 January. Baroness O'Grady of Upper Holloway’s (Lab) introduction to the House of Lords took place on 12 January.
• Appointments: Lord Pendry was a Non-affiliated peer, now a Labour peer. Viscount Younger of Leckie replaced Baroness Stedman-Scott as parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Work and Pensions on 1 January. He was previously a lords whip. Lord Evans of Rainow appointed as a lords whip on 1 January.
• Deaths, retirements, suspensions, absences and other changes: Baroness Couttie (Con, life peer) died on 12 December. Lord Ramsbotham (CB, life peer) died on 13 December. Lord Lawson of Blaby (Con, life peer) retired on 31 December. The Bishop of Peterborough (Non-affiliated) retired on 8 January. Baroness Fullbrook (Con, life peer) granted a leave of absence 31 December. The Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford was a Conservative peer, now Non-affiliated. He was suspended from service of the House for nine months from 11 January. Baroness Goudie was a Labour peer, now Non-affiliated. She was suspended from service of the House for six months from 11 January.
• Committees: New: Special Public Bill Committee (Electronic Trade Documents Bill) – Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd added as chair; Lord Bassam of Brighton, Lord Clement-Jones, Lord Davies of Brixton, Lord Harlech, Lord Holmes of Richmond, Lord Lansley, Earl of Lindsay, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay added. House of Lords Commission – Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall added; Lord Touhig discharged. Services Committee – Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall added as Chair; Lord Touhig discharged.
• All-Party Groups added to 11 January Register: Afghan Women and Girls; Aid Match; Children in Police Custody; Clean Quarrying; Climate and Security; Defibrillators; Ethnicity Transplantation and Transfusion; Future of Employability; International Law, Justice and Accountability; and Lower Carbon Construction Vehicles.
• 2023 New Year’s Honours for Westminster parliamentarians: Lord Sedwill – GCMG; Alok Sharma – KCMG; Chris Bryant – Knighthood; Julian Lewis – Knighthood; Richard Graham – CMG; Lord Mendoza – CBE; Andrew Stephenson – CBE; Helen Grant – OBE.

Parties

• Scottish National Party – Westminster group reshuffle: Westminster leader – Stephen Flynn, previously Ian Blackford; deputy Westminster leader – Mhairi Black, previously Kirsten Oswald; chief whip – Martin Docherty-Hughes, previously Owen Thompson; economy spokesperson – Stewart Hosie, previously Alison Thewliss; social justice spokesperson – David Linden; home affairs spokesperson – Alison Thewliss, previously Stuart C McDonald; justice and immigration spokesperson – Stuart McDonald, previously Anne McLaughlin; Scotland spokesperson – Philippa Whitford, previously Mhairi Black; Europe and EU accession spokesperson – Alyn Smith, previously Philippa Whitford; foreign affairs spokesperson – Drew Hendry, previously Alyn Smith; environment, food and rural affairs spokesperson – Patricia Gibson, previously Pete Wishart; women and equalities spokesperson – Kirsten Oswald, previously Kirsten Oswald; international trade spokesperson – Richard Thomson, previously Drew Hendry; Thomson continues as Northern Ireland and Wales spokesperson; energy and industrial strategy spokesperson – Alan Brown, previously Stephen Flynn; digital, culture, media and sport spokesperson – John Nicolson; defence spokesperson – Dave Doogan, previously Stewart Malcolm McDonald; House of Commons business spokesperson – Deidre Brock; levelling up spokesperson – Chris Stephens, previously Tommy Sheppard and Patricia Gibson; Cabinet Office spokesperson – Kirsty Blackman, previously Brendan O'Hara; transport spokesperson – Gavin Newlands; health spokesperson – Martyn Day; international development spokesperson – Brendan O’Hara, previously Chris Law; education spokesperson – Carol Monaghan; Chris Law, Stewart Malcolm McDonald and Pete Wishart resigned from the frontbench.

Devolved Administrations

Scottish Government

• Professor John McKendrick appointed as commissioner for fair access to higher education from 10 January.
• Fife College Board – David Watt re-appointed as chair for four years from 3 March until 2 March 2027.

Welsh Government

• Ian Bancroft appointed as Senedd regional returning officer for North Wales, succeeding Iwan Davies who is retiring.
• Roger Lewis to chair a task and finish group on Cadw’s current governance arrangements and how effective they are for its operation and the wider provision of public heritage services at a national level across Wales.
• Dr Richard Irvine appointed as chief veterinary officer for Wales from March. He will leave his current role as deputy chief veterinary officer and policy deputy director for Global Animal Health in Defra.
• Professor Jas Pal Badyal appointed as chief scientific adviser for Wales from February.
• Brecon Beacons National Park Authority – Dr Liz Bickerton, Dr Yvonne Howard-Bunt, Professor John Hunt and Craig Stephenson appointed as members for four years from 1 January.
• Commission for Tertiary Education and Research – Professor Dame Julie Lydon appointed as chair of the board until January 2028; Professor David Sweeney as deputy chair of the board and chair of the Research and Innovation Committee until January 2028.
• Wales Audit Office – Dr Kathryn Chamberlain appointed as chair from 16 March until 15 March 2027.
• Welsh Revenue Authority – Ruth Glazzard appointed as chair.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Charity Commission for Northern Ireland – Gerard McCurdy appointed as interim chair and chief commissioner from 21 December.
• Community Relations Council – Martin McDonald re-appointed as chair until May; Dr Maire Braniff, Rory Campbell, Claire Harris, John McCallister, Sheila McClelland, Michael McDonnell, Dr Audrey Simpson and Nisha Tandon re-appointed as members until May.
• Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland – Ciaran McQuillan and Diane Nixon appointed as legal commissioners; Deepak Anand and Dr Kate Geraghty appointed as psychology commissioners.

Local Authorities

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• Bradford Council – Kersten England to retire as chief executive at the end of June.
• Burnley Council – Mick Cartledge to retire as chief executive at the end of July.
• Exeter City Council – Karime Hassan to stand down as chief executive at the end of March.
• Rossendale Council – Rob Huntington appointed as chief executive from April.
• Staffordshire County Council – John Henderson to stand down as chief executive. He has agreed to remain in post until the arrival of a successor.

Industry

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Interest Groups

• Action for Children – Paul Carberry appointed as chief executive from March.
• Community Integrated Care – Jim Kane appointed as chief executive.
• Outward Bound Trust – Martin Davidson appointed as chief executive from the end of March.
• Wellcome – Dr Jeremy Farrar to step down as director in February; he will join the World Health Organization as chief scientist and oversee the science division; Paul Schreier appointed as interim chief executive of Wellcome from 25 February.
• Wildlife Trusts – Duncan Ingram appointed as chair.

Trade Associations

• Construction Plant-hire Association – Stu McInroy appointed as chief executive from the second quarter of 2023, replacing Kevin Minton who announced his retirement in August 2022.
• ScotlandIS – Dermot Murray appointed as chair; Roz Barrance and Maggie Morrison appointed as board members.

Trade Unions

• Trades Union Congress – Paul Nowak has now taken up the post of general secretary.