Latest civil service & public affairs moves – July 29

UK government

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport – Baroness Twycross appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state for gambling.
• Ministry of Defence: Armed Forces Pension Board – Lisa McCrory appointed as the non-executive director chair for three years until 1 February 2027.
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Great British Energy –  Juergen Maier appointed as chair.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – James Hooley appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Cuba from March 2025, succeeding Sir George Hollingbery. Paul Turner appointed as British high commissioner to Solomon Islands from January 2025, succeeding Thomas Coward who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
• Ministry of Justice – Nic Dakin appointed as a parliamentary under-secretary of state.
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Building Digital UK – Simon Blagden resigned as chair.
• Non-ministerial Departments: Competition and Market Authority – Daniel Lambauer appointed as chief operating officer from October.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• Nusrat Ghani (Con) elected as chairman, ways and means and deputy speaker on 23 July.
• Judith Cummins (Lab) elected as first deputy chairman of ways and means and deputy speaker on 23 July.
• Caroline Nokes (Con) elected as second deputy chairman of ways and means and deputy speaker on 23 July.
• Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain, Rebecca Long Bailey, John McDonnell and Zarah Sultana had the Labour Party whip suspended on 23 July.
• House of Lords
• Baroness Moyo was a Conservative peer; now a non-affiliated peer.
• David Hanson raised to the peerage as Lord Hanson of Flint on 19 July and was introduced in the Lords on 23 July.
• Baroness Twycross appointed as government spokesperson for Cabinet Office.
• Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent appointed as government spokesperson for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Committees

• Conduct Committee – Baroness Manningham-Buller re-appointed as chair; Lord Garnier, Baroness Kidron and Lord Scriven re-appointed as members; Baroness Mallalieu added; Lord Kennedy of Southwark discharged; Cindy Butts, Mark Castle, Andrea Coomber, Vanessa Davies re-appointed as external lay members.
• Finance Committee – Lord Morse re-appointed as chair; Baroness Buscombe, Earl of Courtown, Baroness Goudie, Lord Reay, Lord Redesdale, Lord Stoneham of Droxford and Lord Young of Old Windsor re-appointed as members; Baroness Blake of Leeds added; Lord Kennedy of Southwark discharged.
• House of Lords Commission – Lord McFall of Alcluith re-appointed as chair; Lord Gardiner of Kimble re-appointed as deputy chair; Earl of Kinnoull, Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall, Lord McLoughlin, Lord Morse, Lord Newby, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, Baroness Smith of Basildon and Lord True re-appointed as members; Charlotte Moar and Nora Senior re-appointed as external members.
• Liaison Committee – Lord Gardiner of Kimble re-appointed as chair; Lord Bach, Lord Bichard, Lord Blencathra, Lord Collins of Highbury, Baroness Garden of Frognal, Lord Haskel, Earl Howe, Earl of Kinnoull, Lord Taylor of Holbeach and Baroness Walmsley re-appointed as members.
• Procedure and Privileges Committee – Lord Gardiner of Kimble re-appointed as chair; Baroness Bull, Lord Haskel, Baroness Humphreys, Lord Kennedy of Southwark, Earl of Kinnoull, Lord Lisvane, Lord McFall of Alcluith, Lord McNally, Lord Newby, Baroness Pitkeathley, Baroness Sanderson of Welton, Lord Sherbourne of Didsbury, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Lord Stoneham of Droxford, Lord Strathclyde, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, Lord True and Baroness Williams of Trafford re-appointed as members; Earl of Caithness, Lord Collins of Highbury, Lord Goddard of Stockport, Baroness Gohir and Lord Laming re-appointed as alternate members.
• Services Committee – Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall re-appointed as chair; Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Lord Hogan-Howe, Lord Howard of Rising, Baroness Hussein-Ece, Earl of Kinnoull, Baroness Stedman-Scott, Lord Stoneham of Droxford, Baroness Wheeler and Baroness Williams of Trafford re-appointed as members.

Political parties

Conservatives

• A new leader will be announced on 2 November.

Welsh Labour

• Eluned Morgan appointed as Leader on 24 July.

Devolved administrations

Welsh Government

• The Senedd to be recalled on 6 August to nominate a new first minister, subject to receiving The King’s acceptance of Vaughan Gething formal resignation.
• Education Workforce Council – David Edwards and Karl Jones appointed as members from 2 September.

Northern Ireland executive

• Stranmillis University College – Maureen Bennett and Lavinia Boyce re-appointed to the Board for four years.

Local authorities

• Cheshire East Council – Sam Corcoran stood down as council leader; Nick Mannion appointed as council Leader.
• Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council – Kevin O’Keefe to retire as chief executive.
• Kirklees Council – Cathy Scott stood down as council leader after no confidence vote; Carol Pattinson appointed as council leader.
• Wiltshire Council – Lucy Townsend appointed as chief executive.
• London Councils – Claire Holland appointed as chair.