Latest civil service & public affairs moves – August 1

UK government

• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – Kathryn Cearns appointed as a non-executive board member for three years from 1 August until 31 July 2025. 
• Cabinet Office – Lord Maude of Horsham appointed to chair the review of civil rervice governance and accountability. 
• Ministry of Defence – Major General Gwyn Jenkins CB OBE appointed as vice chief of the defence staff and aide-de-camp to Her Majesty The Queen from September, succeeding Admiral Sir Tim Fraser KCB ADC. 
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: British Tourist Authority – Dame Judith Macgregor's term as interim Chair extended by three months from 31 July until 31 October. UK Sport – Baroness Grey-Thompscn appointed as Welsh member for four years until 3 July 2026. Wallace Collection – Kate de Rothschild-Agius, Dr Ashok Roy and Timothy Schroder re-appointed as trustees. 
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs : Food Standards Agency – Hayley Campbell-Gibbons and Justin Varney appointed as members for three years from 1 September. 
• Department of Health and Social Care: Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel – Sally Shearer appointed as a panellist until 14 November 2025. Commission on Human Medicines – Professor Tony Williams, Professor David Hunt, Professor David Dockrell, Dr Gerri Mortimore, Professor Paul Dargan, Dr Vanessa Raymont, Julia Cons, Professor David Moore and Professor Rui Providencia appointed as commissioners for four years; Susan Bradford, Professor Jamie Coleman and Dr Jamie Fraser re-appointed. 
• Home Office – Robin Simcox appointed as commissioner for countering extremism for three years; he has been interim commissioner since March 2021. 
• Ministry of Justice – General Sir Gordon Messenger KCB DSO OBE appointed as constable of Her Majesty's Tower of London from 1 August, succeeding Lord Houghton of Richmond. Sentencing Council – Dr Elaine Freer appointed as a non-judicial member for three years until 30 June 2025. 
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Planning Inspectorate – Sarah Richards to stand down as chief executive this autumn. 

Houses of Parliament

House of Lords 

• Lord Trimble (Conservative, life peer) died on 25 July. 

All-Party Groups added to 22 July register: 

• Arab World 
• Central Bank and Digital Currency 
• Covid-19 Vaccine Damage 
• Eurovision Song Contest 
• Schools, Learning and Assessment 

Political parties

Labour 

• Chris Elmore appointed as parliamentary lead for the Labour Party chair; continues as a whip; previously shadow minister for media, data, and digital infrastructure. 
• Stephanie Peacock appointed as shadow minister for media, data, and digital infrastructure; previously shadow minister for veterans. 
• Rachel Hopkins appointed as shadow minister for veterans and defence people. 
• Sam Tarry sacked as shadow minister for buses and local transport. 

Devolved administrations

Northern Ireland Executive 

• Invest NI – Dominic Darby, Melanie Dawson, Dawn McLaughlin, Ciaran Mulgrew, Patrick O'Gorman, Julie-Ann O'Hare and Scott Ritchie appointed to the board for three years until 30 June 2025. 

Local authorities

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• Conwy County Borough Council – Iwan Davies to retire as chief executive. 
• East Suffolk Council – Stephen Baker to retire as chief executive at the end of the year. 
• Harlow Council – Brian Keane to retire as chief executive. 
• Northumberland County Council – chief executive Daljit Lally to leave the council at the end of July; Rick O'Farrell appointed as interim chief executive. 
• Wandsworth and Richmond upon Thames Councils – Mike Jackson appointed as joint chief executive. 
• Westmorland and Furness Council – Sam Plum appointed as chief executive from 31 December; she is currently chief executive of Barrow Borough Council and Interim Head of Paid Service for Westmorland and Furness Council. 

Industry  

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Interest groups 

• Architects Registration Board – Alan Kershaw appointed as chair of the board for four 
• years until 19 June 2026. 
• Crisis – Juliet Mountford appointed as Director of Services from September. 
• Hanover – Stephanie Lis appointed as head of campaigns from this autumn. 
• Our Streets Now CIC – Claire Barnett, Laura Ottery, Tom Hunter, Georgina Laming, Deeba Syed and Sunil Chityal appointed to inaugural Board of Directors. 
• Royal Pharmaceutical Society – Neville Carter appointed as chief education and membership officer from October.