Latest civil service & public affairs moves — January 11

Government departments

• Ministry of Justice: David Wolfson appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state.
• Department for Education: Julia Kinniburgh replaced Lucy Smith as director general, Covid-19 response and schools recovery. Ofqual – Simon Lebus appointed as interim chief regulator, replacing Glenys Stacey. Office for Students – Lord Wharton of Yarm announced as preferred candidate to replace Michael Barber as chair on 31st March.
• Department for Transport: Highways England – Nick Harris to become acting chief executive from 1st February, replacing Jim O’Sullivan.
• Cabinet Office: Advisory Committee on Business Appointments – Isabel Doverty, Sarah de Gay and Andrew Cumpsty appointed as members.
• Treasury: Tom Scholar reappointed as permanent secretary for another five year term. Prudential Regulation Committee – John Taylor, Antony Jenkins and Tanya Castell appointed as members.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Fiona Bruce named as envoy for freedom of religion or belief Omar Daair has been appointed British high commissioner to the Republic of Rwanda in succession to Joanne Lomas. Richard Oppenheim has been appointed Her Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Yemen in succession to Michael Aron from July. Alex Ellis has been appointed British high commissioner to the Republic of India. Kate Foster has been appointed Her Majesty’s ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia in succession to Ben Fender. Barry Lowen has been appointed Her Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Mali in succession to Guy Warrington.
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: BBC – Richard Sharp named as the preferred candidate to become chair in February, replacing David Clementi. Ofcom – Maggie Carver became chair on an interim basis. Imperial War Museum – Mike Utley appointed as naval trustee and Edward Stringer as RAF trustee. National Gallery – Rosemary Leith and Katrin Henkel appointed as trustees. British Museum – Mark Walport appointed as trustee.
• Attorney General’s Office: HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate – Andrew Cayley named as the preferred candidate for chief inspector.
• Ministry of Justice: Antonia Romeo appointed as permanent secretary from 18th January, replacing Mike Driver who was in the role on an interim basis.
• Department for International Trade: John Alty to replace Antonia Romeo as permanent secretary on an interim basis from 18th January.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Office for Environmental Protection – Glenys Stacey appointed as chair from February.
• Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland: Boundary Commission for Scotland – Susan Walker appointed as a member, replacing Paula Sharp.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• Julian Lewis had the Conservative whip restored on 30th December.

House of Lords

• Lord Hague of Richmond has been granted a leave of absence.
• Baroness Wheatcroft was non-affiliated, now crossbench.
• Lord Wallace of Tankerness was Liberal Democrat, now non-affiliated
• Lord Cavendish of Furness (Conservative, life peer) retired on 1st January.
• Lord Wolfson of Tredegar (Conservative, life peer) was introduced on 7th January.

New peers announced

• Conservative – Richard Benyon, Peter Cruddas, Jacqueline Foster, Stephanie Fraser, Dean Godson, Daniel Hannan and Syed Kamall.
• Labour – Judith Blake, Jennifer Chapman, Vernon Coaker, Wajid Khan and Gillian Merron.
• Crossbench – Terence Etherton, Simon McDonald, Andrew Parker and John Sentamu.

Political parties

Labour Party

• Jack Dromey appointed as shadow minister for Cabinet Office (formerly shadow minister for pensions).
• Fleur Anderson appointed as shadow minister for Cabinet Office (formerly PPS to shadow secretary of state for international development).
• Matt Rodda appointed as shadow minister for pensions (shadow minister for local transport).
• Sam Tarry appointed as shadow minister for buses and local transport (formerly PPS to shadow secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy).
• Helen Hayes resigned as shadow minister for Cabinet Office.
• Florence Eshalomi resigned as an opposition whip.
• Tonia Antoniazzi resigned as PPS to shadow secretary of state for work and pensions.

Scottish Labour

• Anne McGinley stood down as deputy general secretary.

Devolved authorities

Scottish Government

• Joe Fitzpatrick left his role as minister for public health, sport and wellbeing.
• Angela Constance appointed as minister for drugs policy.
• Mairi Gougeon appointed as minister for public health, sport and wellbeing (formerly minister for rural affairs and the natural environment).
• Ben Macpherson appointed as minister for rural affairs and the natural environment (formerly minister for public finance and migration).
• Ivan McKee appointed as minister for trade, innovation and public finance (formerly minister for trade, innovation and investment).

Scottish Parliament

• Andy Wightman left the Green Party and now sits as an ndependent.

Local authorities

Sheffield City Council – Bob Johnson replaced Julie Dore as Leader.

South Derbyshire District Council – Martyn Ford resigned as Leader and Andrew Churchill became interim Leader.

Industry

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Interest Groups

Trust for London – Bharat Mehta to stand down as chief executive.

Trade Associations

Oil and Gas UK – Natalie Coupar named as communications director and Jenny Stanning as external relations director.

Corporates

Sky – Jeremy Darroch to stand down as chief executive and become executive chair. Dana Strong to become chief executive.