Latest civil service & public affairs moves – June 13

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – John Penrose MP resigned as the prime minister’s anti-corruption champion on 6 June. Susan Lousada appointed as Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Bedfordshire, succeeding Helen Nellis CVO who retired on 6 September.
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Competition and Markets Authority – Marcus Bokkerink announced as the preferred candidate for chair. The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee has been invited to hold a pre-appointment hearing and to report on Mr Bokkerink's suitability for the post.
• Cabinet Office: Government Property Agency – Brindha McDonald appointed as chief security officer.
• UK Statistics Authority – Sir Robert Chote appointed as chair for five years from 1 June.
• Ministry of Defence: Armed Forces' Pay Review Body – Julian Miller appointed as chair from 17 June until 16 June 2025.
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Advisory Council on National Records and Archives – Professor Phillip Johnson and Martin Uden re-appointed as council members for two years from 21 October until 20 October 2024. Historic England – Sandra Dinneen, Paul Farmer, Patrick Newberry, Susie Thornberry and Richard Upton appointed as commissioners for three years from 1 September until 31 December 2025. National Citizen Service Trust – Amanda Timberg and Darren Xiberras appointed as board members for three years until 19 May 2025. National Portrait Gallery – Roger Blundell re-appointed as trustee for three years and seven months from 1 September until 31 March 2026. Tate – Rosalind Nashashibi appointed as artist trustee for four years until 14 April 2026.
• Department for Education: Bradford Children's Service Trust Board – Eileen Milner appointed as chair. Construction Industry Training Board – Kevin McLoughlin re-appointed as board member for four years from 1 June. Student Loans Company – Paula Sussex to stand down as chief executive at the end of the year.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – John Lamont MP resigned as PPS to Liz Truss as foreign secretary on 6 June. Baroness Morrissey resigned as lead non-executive director on 8 June. Fiona Ritchie appointed as British high commissioner to the Republic of Malawi from July, succeeding David Beer. Harry MacDonald appointed as British high commissioner to the Kingdom of Lesotho from September, succeeding Anne Macro who will be transferring to another diplomatic service appointment.
• Department of Health and Social Care – Dr Gail Marzetti appointed as director of science, research and evidence. NHS Blood and Transplant – Charles Craddock appointed as non-executive director for three years.
• Home Office – Paul Holmes resigned as PPS to Priti Patel as home secretary.
• Ministry of Justice – Sir Christopher Bellamy appointed as a parliamentary under-secretary of state.
• Northern Ireland Office: Equality Commission for Northern Ireland – Maureen Brunt, Siobhan Cullen, Ellen Finlay, Monica Fitzpatrick, Colin Kennedy, John McCallister, Sheena McKinney and Preeti Yellamaty appointed as commissioners for three years from 1 June until 30 May 2025.
• HM Treasury: National Savings & Investments – Ed Anderson's term as chair extended for 18 months, from December 2022 to the end of June 2024. Prudential Regulation Committee – Marjorie Ngwenya appointed as an external member for three years from 5 September. UK Infrastructure Bank – Bridget Rosewell CBE appointed as non-executive director and chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for four years; Tania Songini appointed as non-executive director and interim chair of the Renumeration Committee for a year, after which she will be a non-executive director for the remaining three years of her term; Marianne Økland and Nigel Topping appointed as non-executive directors for three years from 9 June; Ian Brown, Annie Ropar, Peter Knott, Patricia Galloway and Davinder Mann appointed to the executive team.

Houses of Parliament

House of Lords

• Lord Swinfen (Conservative, hereditary peer) died on 5 June. A by-election will take place on 5 July.
• Lord Prior of Brampton (non-affiliated, life peer) granted a leave of absence on 6 June.
• Lord Davies of Abersoch (non-affiliated, life peer) and Baroness Scotland of Asthal (Labour, life peer) granted a leave of absence on 9 June.
• Sir Christopher Bellamy to be appointed as a life peer.

Political parties

Scottish Conservatives

Reshuffle:

• Alexander Burnett appointed as Deputy Chief Whip, replacing Edward Mountain. Burnett was previously Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.
• Sharon Dowey appointed as Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.
• Alexander Stewart appointed as Shadow Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work and continues as Shadow Minister for Equalities and Older People.
• Sue Webber appointed as Shadow Minister for Drugs Policy and Mental Wellbeing, was previously Shadow Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health, Sport and Drugs Policy.
• Tess White appointed as Shadow Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport, was previously Shadow Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work and Whip.

Devolved administrations

Scottish Government

• Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak appointed as chief scientist (health) for the Scottish Government for three years from 1 July.
• Scottish Commission on Social Security – Dr Sally Witcher resigned as chair.

Welsh Parliament

• Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee – James Evans added; Peter Fox discharged.

Welsh Government

• Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales – Frances Duffy appointed as chair; Beverley Smith appointed as member.
• Social Care Wales Board – Helen Mary Jones appointed as member until 30 April 2026.

Northern Ireland Executive

• Jacqui Durkin’s term as chief inspector of criminal justice extended until 29 November 2024.
• Prison Service Pay Review Body – Tim Flesher re-appointed as chair for three years from 1 August until 31 July 2025; Raj Jethwa appointed as Member for five years from 13 June until 12 June 2027.

Combined authorities

• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority – Martin Swales appointed as interim chief executive and head of paid service, replacing Dr Dave Smith who will step down at the end of June.

Local authorities

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• Newham Council – Colin Ansell appointed as interim chief executive.
• Reading Borough Council – Peter Sloman to stand down as chief executive this summer.
• Southampton City Council – Mike Harris appointed as chief executive; he has been acting chief executive since February.
• Tameside Council – Steven Pleasant resigned as chief executive on 7 June.

Industry

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Interest groups

• British Science Association – Hannah Russell appointed as chief executive.
• Mayor’s Fund for London – Jim Minton appointed as chief executive.
• Motor Neurone Disease Association – Sally Light to stand down as chief executive at the end of the year, after ten years in the role.
• MS Society – Professor Sir Paul Curran appointed as chair of trustees.
• Wellcome’s Investments – Peter Pereira Gray is to retire as managing partner and chief executive end of September and will become emeritus partner, investments from 1 October. Nick Moakes will continue to lead the investments team as chief investment officer.

Check out a selection of upcoming courses from our colleagues at Dods Training:

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Working – 14 June 2022 (online)

Confidence at Work – 21 June 2022 (London)

Introduction to Public Affairs – 22 June 2022 (online)

For the full list and to book your place click here