Latest civil service & public affairs moves – June 26

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – The Venerable Adam Atkinson appointed as Bishop of Bradwell, succeeding The Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath following his appointment as Bishop of Liverpool. The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth appointed as Dean of Windsor, succeeding The Right Reverend David Conner following his retirement.
• Cabinet Office – Politicians who received awards as part of the 2023 Birthday Honours 2023: Jackie Baillie MSP – DBE; Ben Bradshaw MP – knighted; Lord Boateng – CVO; John Baron MP – CBE; Bob Blackman MP – CBE; Jane Hutt MS – CBE; Damian Collins – OBE; Heather Wheeler – OBE. Political honours announced on 16 June: Brandon Lewis MP – knighted; Michael Ellis MP – KBE
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport – Susannah Storey appointed as permanent secretary
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Nuclear Decommissioning Authority – Martin Chown will stand down as chief executive of Sellafield Ltd in July 2023; Euan Hutton appointed as interim chief executive.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Stephen Hitchen appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Iraq from July, succeeding Mark Bryson-Richardson. Dr Liane Saunders OBE appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, succeeding William Murray who has retired from the Diplomatic Service. Peter Vowles appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe from September, succeeding Melanie Robinson CMG.
• Department of Health and Social Care: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency – David Crundwell appointed as lay commissioner of the Commission on Human Medicines for four years.
• Ministry of Justice: Independent Monitoring Boards – Elisabeth Davies appointed as national chair for three years from 1 July until 30 June 2026.
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities:Regulator of Social Housing – Kate Dodsworth appointed as chief of regulatory engagement.
• Northern Ireland Office – Chris Quinn appointed as commissioner for Children and Young People for Northern Ireland from 18 September.
• HM Treasury – Steve Bagshaw appointed to support the review of pro-innovation regulation of advanced manufacturing. Sir Michael Barber re-appointed as adviser on skills policy delivery to the chancellor and education secretary.
• Office for Budget Responsibility – Baroness Hogg and Dame Susan Rice appointed as non-executive members.
• Department for Work and Pensions: Office for Nuclear Regulation – Mark McAllister re-appointed as chair for three years from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2027.
• Non-Ministerial Departments: Competition and Markets Authority – David Stewart appointed as executive director for Markets, Remedies and Regulation.

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons

• David Warburton (Independent) appointed as steward and bailiff of the manor of Northstead on 19 June. The writ was issued on 19 June and a by-election will take place on 20 July to elect a new MP for Somerton and Frome.
• A recall petition was opened on 20 June by South Lanarkshire Council to decide whether Margaret Ferrier should lose her seat as MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West and a by-election should be held. The petition is open until 5pm on 31 July.
• Energy Security and Net Zero Committee – Mark Pawsey added.
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee – Cat Smith added; Geraint Davies discharged.
• Joint Committee on Human Rights – Harriet Harman appointed as chair; Joanna Cherry returns to being a member.
• Liaison Sub-Committee on the Scrutiny of Government Strategic Thinking – Harriett Baldwin, Clive Betts, Sarah Champion, Greg Clark, Philip Dunne, Tobias Ellwood, Meg Hillier, Bernard Jenkin, Diana Johnson, Darren Jones, Alicia Kearns, Angus Brendan MacNeil and Iain Stewart added.

House of Lords

• Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood (Crossbench, life peer) retired from the House of Lords on 19 June.
• Darren Mott was raised to the peerage as Lord Mott, of Chatteris in the County of Cambridgeshire, on 19 June; his introduction to the House of Lords took place on 22 June; he will sit as a Conservative peer.
• Kay Swinburne was raised to the peerage as Baroness Swinburne, of Llandysul in the County of Ceredigion, on 20 June; her introduction to the House of Lords took place on 22 June.
• Earl Russell (Lib Dem, hereditary peer) took the oath on 22 June.

Parties

Plaid Cymru

• Rhun ap Iorwerth elected as leader on 16 June.

Devolved Administrations

Scottish Parliament

• Finance and Public Administration Committee – Kenneth Gibson appointed convener.
• Conveners Group – Kenneth Gibson added.

Welsh Government

• Natural Resources Wales – Lesley Jones appointed as member until 31 October 2026.
• Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board – Owen Derbyshire and Trefor Owen appointed as members for three years.

Local Authorities

• Highland Council – Derek Brown appointed as chief executive.

Industry

Interest Groups

• Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice – Gareth Pierce appointed as chief executive from September, following the retirement of Luen Thompson.
• Independent Age – Joanna Elson  appointed as chief executive; she will be leaving her role as chief executive of Money Advice Trust in early September.
• Parkrun Global – Gavin Megaw to stand down as chair in September.

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