Political Updates 9th January 2018

This week’s Political Updates covers moves and changes at all levels of government. 

  Government Departments

HM Treasury

• National Infrastructure Commission – Lord Adonis resigned as Chair.
• Prudential Regulation Committee – David Belsham reappointed as an external member.
• Financial Conduct Authority – Charles Randall appointed as Chair from 1 April.

Department for Transport

• Office of Rail and Road – Stephen Glaister reappointed as Chair.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

• Veterinary Products Committee – Enrique Vega, Mark White, Ye-Mei Ruby Chang, Andrea Tarr, Helen Ballantyne and Rachel Bennett have been appointed as members and Malcolm Bennett has been appointed as Chair.
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee – Melanie Austen, Charles Banner and Marian Scott appointed as independent members.

Ministry of Justice

• European Union Fundamental Rights Agency – Charles Banner has been appointed as the UK Independent Member of the Management Board.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport

• Charity Commission – Kenneth Dibble to join the board as a member in March.

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

• Committee on Radioactive Waste Management – Laurence Williams stood down as Chair.
• Medical Research Council – Fiona Watt selected as the preferred candidate to become Executive Chair in April.

House of Commons

• Joint Committee on Human Rights – Alex Burghart replaced Mark Pritchard as a member.
• Regulatory Reform Committee – Simon Clarke replaced Mark Menzies as a member.

UK Cabinet Reshuffle

• Brandon Lewis has been appointed Chair of the Conservative Party and a Minister without Porfolio (previously Immigration Minister, attending Cabinet but not as a full member)
• James Cleverly has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party
• David Lidington has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (previously Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)
• Sajid Javid has been appointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Jeremy Hunt has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
• David Gauke has been appointed Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (previously Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
• Karen Bradley has been appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (previously Secretary of State for Digital Culture, Media and Sport)
• Matt Hancock has been appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Cutlure, Media and Sport (previously Minister for Digital)
• Damian Hinds has been appointed Secretary of State for Education (previously Minister for Employment)
• Caroline Nokes has been appointed Minister of State for Immigration (previously Minister for Government Resilience and Efficiency)
• Esther McVey has been appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (previously Deputy Chief Whip)
• James Brokenshire has resigned as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for health reasons
• Patrick McLoughlin has resigned as Chair of the Conservative Party
• Chris Skidmore has resigned as Minister for the Constitution
• Andrew Jones has resigned as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury
• Marcus Jones has resigned as Minister for Local Government
• Justine Greening has resigned as Secretary of State for Education

Scottish Labour Party

• Lesley Laird named as Interim Deputy Leader

Shadow Cabinet Reshuffle

• Iain Gray reappointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Skills and Science.
• Claudia Beamish reappointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.
• Jackie Baillie reappointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work.
• Anas Sarwar appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (previously Spokesperson for Health).
• Rhoda Grant appointed as Business Manager and Spokesperson for Women and Equality (previously Spokesperson for Rural Economy and Connectivity).
• Claire Baker appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs (previously Spokesperson for Justice).
• James Kelly appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution (previously Parliamentary Business Manager; Minister without Portfolio).
• Daniel Johnson appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice (previously Shadow Minister for Education).
• Colin Smyth appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity (previously Shadow Minister for Health; Whip).
• Monica Lennon appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities (previously Shadow Minister for Inequality Working across Health and Education portfolios.).
• Elaine Smith appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Eradication of Poverty and Inequality (previously backbench).
• Neil Findlay appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Brexit, Campaigns and Party Engagement (previously backbench).

House of Lords

• Lord MacLaurin (Conservative, Life Peer) retired on 22 December.
• Lord Blyth of Rowington (Conservative, Life Peer) retired on 1 January.
• Baroness Sharples (Conservative, Life Peer) retired on 18 December.
• Lord Condon (Crossbench, Life Peer) retired on 21 December.

European Parliament

This week, the European Parliament will be carrying out Group and Committee Meetings