Latest civil service & public affairs moves – October 14

UK government

• Prime Minister's Office – Marsha de Cordova MP appointed as second church estates commissioner.  The Reverend Mark Birch appointed as canon rector of Westminster Abbey and Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons from 7 November, succeeding The Venerable Tricia Hillas following her appointment as bishop of Sodor and Man. The Venerable Robert Cooper appointed as Dean of Guildford, succeeding The Very Reverend Dianna Gwilliams following her retirement. Kennedy Memorial Trust: Professor Kirstie Blair and Rupert Morley appointed as Trustees for five years from 30 September. 
• Department for Business and Trade – Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton’s term as defence and security advocate extended by three months until December. 
• Department for Business and Trade and Department for Education – Professor Sir Steve Smith re-appointed as the UK government’s international education champion for one year from 1 October. 
• Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury – Poppy Gustafsson OBE appointed as minister of state for investment. 
• Cabinet Office: Infected Blood Compensation Authority – Sir Rob Behrens, Gillian Fairfield, Russell Frith, Deborah Harris-Ugbomah, Helen Parker and Paula Sussex appointed as Non-executive directors. 
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport: British Museum Board – Phillipp Hildebrand re-appointed as trustee for four years until 29 July 2027; Dame Vivian Hunt and George Weston re-appointed as trustees for four years until 23 March 2027; Dame Sarah Worthington re-appointed as trustee for four years until 3 February 2028. National Lottery Community Fund – John Mothersole re-appointed as England Committee chair and Kate Still re-appointed as Scotland Committee chair for two years. 
• Ministry of Defence: Independent Monitoring Board for the Military Corrective Training Centre – Claire Beacham, James Bond, Tom Ketteley and Rick Tyson appointed as Member until 15 April 2029. 
• Department for Education – Seema Malhotra MP appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state for equalities (in addition to her role as a parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Home Office). Nia Griffith MP as parliamentary under-secretary of state for equalities (in addition to her role as a parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Wales Office). Social Work England – Andrew McCulloch appointed as chair for three years from 20 September; Adi Cooper and Sue Ross re-appointed as non-executive directors for three years from 4 October. Student Loans Company – Amanda Beech, Stephen Marston and Margaret Ollerenshaw appointed as non-executive board members for three years from 1 October. 
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Nuclear Restoration Services Limited – David Clark appointed as independent non-executive director; Jayne Scott appointed as independent non-executive director on 1 October. 
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – Robert Tinline appointed as high Commissioner to canada from February 2025, succeeding  Susannah Goshko CMG who will be transferring to another diplomatic service appointment. Libby Green appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Republic of Ecuador from August 2025, succeeding Christopher Campbell who will be transferring to another diplomatic service appointment. Hugo Shorter appointed as His Majesty’s ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, succeeding Simon Shercliff CMG OBE. 
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – Rachel Kyte appointed as the UK’s Special Representative for Climate. 
• Ministry of Justice: Family Procedure Rule Committee – Helen Sewell appointed as legal adviser member from 30 September until 29 September 2027. Mother and Baby Units – Esther Beresford, Deborah Brayshaw, Lisa Hackett, Tom Ketteley, Claire Wiggins, Laura Vincent and Glynis Williams appointed as chairs for five years from 1 October. 
• Northern Ireland Office: Intertrade UK – Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee appointed as chair. 
• Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Panel – Aidan Reilly, Anna Jerzewska and Alastair Hamilton appointed as members. 
• Scotland Office: Boundary Commission for Scotland – Gillian McGregor appointed as member from 1 October. 
• Department for Transport: Shadow Great British Railways – Laura Shoaf appointed as chair. 
• HM Treasury: Government Actuary’s Department – Les Philpott re-appointed as non-executive director and management board chair for three year until September 2027. National Infrastructure Commission – Sir John Armitt’s term as chair extended for six months until 18 July 2025. 
• HM Revenue and Customs – Mike Bracken and Bill Dodwell appointed as non-executive directors to the board. 

Houses of Parliament

House of Commons 

• Rosie Duffield resigned from the Labour Party on 28 September; she now sits as an independent MP. 

House of Lords 

• Lord Cryer appointed a government whip (Lord-in-Waiting). 
• Baroness Smith of Malvern appointed as government spokesperson for equalities (in addition to her role as a minister of state for skills in the Department for Education). 
• Lord Collins of Highbury appointed as government spokesperson for equalities (in addition to his roles as parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, deputy leader of the House of Lords and government whip). 
• Baroness Warsi was Conservative peer, now non-affiliated. 
• The Marquess of Lothian (Conservative) died 1 October. 
• Lord Leitch (Labour) died on 4 October. 
• The Bishop of Worcester retired from the House on 9 October. 
• Catherine Smith raised to the peerage as Baroness Smith of Cluny on 9 October and was introduced in the Lords on 10 October. 
• Poppy Gustafsson OBE to receive a life peerage. 
• Holocaust Memorial Bill Committee – Lord Etherton appointed as chair; Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Lord Hope of Craighead, Lord Jamieson and Baroness Scott of Needham Market appointed as members. 

Political parties

Labour 

• Hollie Ridley appointed as general secretary on 22 September, succeeding David Evans. 

Conservatives 

• Leadership contest candidates: Kemi Badenoch MP, Robert Jenrick MP. James Cleverly MP and Tom Tugendhat MP have been knocked out of the contest. The final result will be announced on 2 November. 
• Julian Ellacott elected as chairman of the National Convention. 

Social Democratic and Labour Party 

• Claire Hanna MP elected as party leader on 5 October, succeeding Colum Eastwood MP. 

Scottish Conservatives 

Russell Findlay MSP elected as leader on 27 September. 

Reshuffle of Scottish Parliament team announced on 8 October: 

• Rachael Hamilton continues as deputy leader; no longer shadow cabinet secretary for rural affairs and the islands 
• Craig Hoy appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for finance and local government 
• Murdo Fraser appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for business, economy, tourism and culture; previously shadow cabinet secretary for business, economic growth and tourism 
• Sandesh Gulhane continues as shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care 
• Miles Briggs appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills; previously shadow cabinet secretary for social security, housing and equalities 
• Douglas Lumsden continues as shadow cabinet secretary for net zero and energy; no longer shadow cabinet secretary for transport 
• Liam Kerr appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for Justice; previously shadow cabinet secretary for education and skills 
• Liz Smith appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for social security; previously shadow cabinet secretary for finance and local government 
• Meghan Gallacher appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for housing 
• Sue Webber appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for transport; previously convener, education, children and young people committee 
• Tim Eagle appointed as shadow cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and fishing 
• Alexander Burnett continues as chief whip 
• Pam Gosal continues as deputy chair; appointed as shadow minister for investment and employment; previously spokesperson for finance and local government 
• Sharon Dowey appointed as deputy chief whip and shadow minister for victims and community safety; previously spokesperson for justice 
• Brian Whittle appointed as shadow minister for public health, social care, mental wellbeing and Sport; previously spokesperson for business, economic growth and tourism 
• Annie Wells appointed as shadow minister for drugs, alcohol and women’s health; previously deputy chief whip 
• Alexander Stewart appointed as shadow minister for local government and public finance; previously spokesperson for constitution, external affairs and culture 
• Roz McCall appointed as shadow minister for children and young people; previously spokesperson for education and skills 
• Tess White appointed as shadow minister for equalities; previously spokesperson for health and social care 
• Jeremy Balfour appointed as shadow minister for social justice; previously spokesperson for social security, housing and equalities 
• Jamie Halcro Johnston appointed as shadow minister for agriculture, nonnectivity and islands; previously spokesperson for rural affairs and the islands 
• Edward Mountain appointed as shadow minister for veterans; previously convener, Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee 
• Graham Simpson no longer spokesperson for net zero, energy and transport 

Devolved administrations

Scottish Parliament 

• Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee – Stephen Kerr added; Meghan Gallacher discharged. 
• Criminal Justice Committee – Liam Kerr added; Russell Findlay discharged. 
• Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee – Roz McCall added; Tim Eagle discharged. 
• Economy and Fair Work Committee – Jamie Halcro Johnston added; Brian Whittle discharged. 
• Education, Children and Young People Committee – Miles Briggs and Douglas Ross added; Liam Kerr and Sue Webber discharged. 
• Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee – Pam Gosal and Tess White added; Meghan Gallacher and Annie Wells discharged. 
• Finance and Public Administration Committee – Craig Hoy added; Jamie Halcro Johnston discharged. 
• Health, Social Care and Sport Committee – Brian Whittle added; Tess White discharged. 
• Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee – Meghan Gallacher and Alexander Stewart added; Miles Briggs and Pam Gosal discharged. 
• Rural Affairs and Islands Committee – Tim Eagle added; Rachael Hamilton discharged. 
• Social Justice and Social Security Committee – Liz Smith added; Roz McCall discharged. 
• Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee – Sue Webber added; Oliver Mundell discharged. 

Scottish Government 

• Water Industry Commission for Scotland – Professor Donald MacRae to stand down as chair from 21 October. 

Welsh Parliament 

• Children, Young People and Education Committee – Vaughan Gething added; Jack Sargeant discharged. 
• Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee – Hannah Blythyn added. 
• Equality and Social Justice Committee – Mick Antoniw added; Carolyn Thomas discharged. 
• Health and Social Care Committee – Lesley Griffiths added; Mark Drakeford discharged. 
• Local Government and Housing Committee – Lesley Griffiths added; Sarah Murphy discharged. 
• Petitions Committee – Vaughan Gething added; Rhianon Passmore discharged. 
• Standards of Conduct Committee – Mick Antoniw added; Mark Drakeford discharged. 
• Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee – Rhianon Passmore added. 

Welsh Government  

• Commission for Tertiary Education and Research – Daniel Beard, Estelle Hart and Deio Owen appointed as associate members. 
• Community Asset Commission – Gwyn Roberts appointed as chair; Richard Baker, Chris Blake, Chris Buchan, Lyn Cadwallader, Andrew Charles, Chris Cowcher, Lorna Cross, Meleri Davies, Dominic Driver, Casey Edwards, Jonathan Fearn, Neil Frow, Alun Jones, Adam Kennerley, Sara Nason, Joanna Rees and John Rose appointed as members. 
• Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru – Bethan Williams Price appointed as member from 15 October until 14 October 2028; Karen Jones appointed as member from 1 December until 30 November 2028. 

Northern Ireland Assembly 

• Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (UUP) stood down as MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone on 27 September; Diana Armstrong co-opted as his replacement. 
• Assembly Commission – Andy Allen added. 
• Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee – Robbie Butler appointed as chair; Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard discharged. 
• Business Committee – Andy Allen and John Stewart added; Robbie Butler discharged. 
• Economy Committee – Diana Armstrong added; Colin Crawford discharged. 
• Education Committee – Colin Crawford added; Robbie Butler discharged. 
• Chairpersons' Liaison Group – Robbie Butler added. 

Northern Ireland Executive 

• Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service – Noel Brady appointed as non-executive (finance) Member and Bernadette Lunney as non-executive (lay) member from 1 October until 30 September 2028. 
• Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committee – Mark McBride appointed as chair from 1 October until 30 September 2028; Dooley Harte and Cathy Matthews appointed as independent members from 1 October until 30 September 2028; Heather McKinstry re-appointed as employee representative member from 1 May 2025 until 30 April 2029. 
• Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company – Manish Gupta, Don Leeson and Gráinne McVeigh appointed as non-executive members from 1 October. 

Local authorities

Interested in an updated contact list of Local Government leaders – get in contact with your Dods Account Manager or Customer Services for more details. 

• Caerphilly County Borough Council – Christina Harrhy stood down as chief executive. 
• Dudley Council – Balvinder Heran appointed as interim chief executive from 1 October. 
• Harlow Council – Yvonne Rees stood down as interim chief executive. 
• Knowsley Council – James Duncan appointed as chief executive from 1 February 2025. 
• North Kesteven District Council – Kath Marriot appointed as chief executive from early 2025. 
• Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council – Steve Rumbelow to stand down as chief executive in early 2025. 
• Rushcliffe Borough Council – Kath Marriott to stand down as chief executive in early 2025. 
• Tameside Council – Sandra Stewart stood down as chief executive. 
• West Berkshire Council – Nigel Lynn to stand down as chief executive from 7 November.