Latest civil service & public affairs moves – February 12

 

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – Lindsay Tulloch QPM appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Shetland from 3 April. 
• Department for Business and Trade – Tom Hunt MP appointed as trade envoy to Bangladesh. Stephen Metcalfe MP appointed as trade envoy to Dominican Republic, Panama and Costa Rica. 
• Cabinet Office: Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee – Lord Janvrin appointed as chair; Baroness Amos LG CH, Dame Amelia Fawcett DBE CVO, Joe Garner, Alex Holmes, Anna Keay OBE, Sandy Nairne CBE and Sir William Shawcross CVO appointed as members. 
• Ministry of Defence: Oil and Pipelines Agency – Kate Ellis re-appointed as chair for four years from 2 June until 31 May 2028; Simon Wills re-appointed as non-executive director for three years  from 15 July until 16 July 2027. 
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agriculture and Horticulture Developmental Board – Nicholas Saphir’s term as chair extended for twelve months from 1 April until 31 March 2025. 
• Home Office – Jonathan Hall KC appointed as the independent reviewer of state threat legislation. 
• Ministry of Justice: Civil Justice Council – John Cuss, Daniel Hoadley, Amrik Kandola, Sue Prince, Laurence Shaw and Elizabeth Smart appointed as members for three years. 
• Northern Ireland Office: Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment – Jackie Bartley, Dr Michael Johnston MBE, Sheila McClelland, Professor Susan Morison and Maire Thompson appointed as Members until 25 October 2027. 
• Charity Commission for England and Wales – David Holdsworth appointed as chief executive from 1 July. 

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons 

• Rochdale by-election – Statement of Persons nominated published
• Christina Rees readmitted to Labour Party and whip restored. She is now sitting as a Labour/Co-operative MP again. 

House of Lords 

• Jon Moynihan raised to the peerage as Lord Moynihan of Chelsea on 6 February. 
• Matthew Elliott raised to the peerage as Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell on 6 February. 
• They will both be introduced in the House of Lords on 20 February. 
• Baroness Flather (Crossbench, life peer) died on 6 February. 

Political parties

Social Democratic and Labour Party 

• Matthew O’Toole MLA appointed as leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly. 
• Justin McNulty MLA suspended from the party. 

Devolved administrations

Scottish Parliament 

• Public Audit Committee – Jamie Greene added; Sharon Dowey discharged. 

Scottish Government 

• Elena Whitham MSP resigned as minister for drugs and alcohol policy on 6 February; Christina McKelvie MSP appointed as minister for drugs and alcohol policy; previously minister for culture, Europe and international development. 
• Michael Matheson MSP resigned as cabinet secretary for NHS recovery, health and social care on 8 February; Neil Gray MSP appointed as cabinet secretary for NHS recovery, health and social care; previously cabinet secretary for wellbeing economy, net zero and energy. 
• Màiri McAllan MSP appointed as cabinet secretary for wellbeing economy, net zero and energy; previously cabinet secretary for transport, net zero and just transition. 
• Fiona Hyslop MSP as cabinet secretary (designate) for transport; previously minister for transport. 
• Gillian Martin MSP appointed as minister for energy, just transition and fair work; previously minister for energy and the environment. 
• Kaukab Stewart MSP appointed as minister (designate) for culture, Europe and international development; previously convener, equalities, human rights and civil justice committee. 
• Jim Fairlie MSP appointed as minister (designate) for agriculture and connectivity. 
• The Scottish Parliament will be asked to approve the new appointments of Fiona Hyslop MSP, Kaukab Stewart MSP and Jim Fairlie MSP after recess. 

Welsh Government 

• South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority – Baroness Wilcox of Newport, Kirsty Williams, Vij Randeniya and Carl Foulkes appointed as commissioners. 

Northern Ireland Assembly 

• Edwin Poots (DUP) appointed as speaker. 
• Carál Ní Chuilín (SF) appointed as principal deputy speaker. 
• John Blair (APNI) appointed as deputy speaker. 
• Steve Aiken (UUP) appointed as deputy speaker. 

Committees: 

• Chairpersons' Liaison Group – Kellie Armstrong, Joanne Bunting, Paula Bradshaw, Phillip Brett, Jonathan Buckley, Alan Chambers, Tom Elliott, Deborah Erskine, Colm Gildernew, Declan Kearney, Liz Kimmins, Nick Mathison, Daniel McCrossan, Philip McGuigan and Matthew O'Toole appointed as members. 
• Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee – Tom Elliott appointed as chair; Declan McAleer appointed as deputy chair. 
• Assembly and Executive Review Committee – Jonathan Buckley appointed as chair; Pádraig Delargy appointed as deputy chair. 
• Audit Committee – Alan Chambers appointed as chair; Keith Buchanan appointed as deputy chair. 
• Business Committee – Edwin Poots appointed as chair; Paula Bradshaw, David Brooks, Trevor Clarke, Mark Durkan, Tom Elliott, Sinéad Ennis, Nuala McAllister, Colin McGrath, Philip McGuigan and John Stewart appointed as members. 
• Communities Committee – Colm Gildernew appointed as chair; Ciara Ferguson appointed as deputy chair. 
• Economy Committee – Phillip Brett appointed as chair; Gary Middleton appointed as deputy chair. 
• Education Committee – Nick Mathison appointed as chair; Pat Sheehan appointed as deputy chair. 
• Executive Office Committee – Paula Bradshaw appointed as chair; Connie Egan appointed as deputy chair. 
• Finance Committee – Matthew O'Toole appointed as chair; Diane Forsythe appointed as Deputy Chair. 
• Health Committee – Liz Kimmins as appointed as chair; Nuala McAllister appointed as deputy chair. 
• Infrastructure Committee – Deborah Erskine appointed as chair; John Stewart appointed as deputy chair. 
• Justice Committee – Joanne Bunting appointed as chair; Deirdre Hargey appointed as deputy chair. 
• Committee on Procedures – Kellie Armstrong appointed as chair; Sinéad Ennis appointed as deputy chair. 
• Public Accounts Committee – Daniel McCrossan appointed as chair; Cheryl Brownlee appointed as deputy chair. 
• Committee on Standards and Privileges – Philip McGuigan appointed as chair; Danny Donnelly appointed as deputy chair. 
• Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee – Declan Kearney appointed as chair; David Brooks appointed as deputy chair. 

Northern Ireland Executive 

• Michelle O’Neill (SF) appointed as first minister of Northern Ireland. 
• Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP) appointed as deputy first minister of Northern Ireland. 
• Naomi Long (APNI) appointed as minister of justice. 
• Conor Murphy (SF) appointed as minister for the economy. 
• Caoimhe Archibald (SF) appointed as minister of finance. 
• Paul Givan (DUP) appointed as minister of education. 
• John O'Dowd (SF) appointed as minister for infrastructure. 
• Gordon Lyons (DUP) appointed as minister for communities. 
• Robin Swann (UUP) appointed as minister of health. 
• Andrew Muir (APNI) appointed as minister of agriculture, environment and rural affairs. 
• Aisling Reilly (SF) and Pam Cameron (DUP) appointed as junior ministers. 
• Northern Ireland Fisheries Harbour Authority – Robert Ryans appointed as board member for four years from 12 February. 

Local authorities

• Redbridge London Borough Council – Claire Symonds stood down as chief executive; Adrian Loades appointed as interim chief executive. 
• Harlow District Council – Andrew Bramidge stood down as chief executive. 
• Salisbury City Council – Asa Thorpe appointed as chief executive. 

Industry

• Baringa – Former Home Office second permanent secretary Tricia Hayes has joined Baringa’s government and public sector team to help it develop and deliver its strategic vision.

Interest Groups 

• Big Issue Invest – Mark Porter appointed as chair. 
• Mermaids – Lauren Stoner appointed as permanent chief executive on a two-year fixed term basis. 
• National AIDS Trust – Deborah Gold to stand down as chief executive. 

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