Oliver O'Hanlon
11 September 2012

Cabinet and Ministerial reshuffle

In September the UK Prime Minster, David Cameron, undertook a Cabinet reshuffle. We have provided a roundup of key appointment and moves that are applicable to the roles of environmental professionals.

Department for Environment, Food, Rural Affairs

Staying put

  • Conservative MP Richard Benyon retains his post as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Fisheries
  • Conservative Peer Lord Taylor of Holbeach retains his post as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Leaving

  • Conservative Caroline Spelman steps down from role as Environment Secretary
  • Conservative Jim Paice steps down as Minister of State

New faces

  • Conservative MP Owen Paterson takes over as the new Environment Secretary
  • Liberal Democrat MP David Heath is appointed as Minister of State

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Staying put

  • Vince Cable and David Willetts retain their posts as Business Secretary and Universities and Science Minister (attending Cabinet) respectively
  • Conservative MP Greg Clark retains his post as Minister of State for Decentralisation and Cities
  • Conservative Peer Lord Green retains his post as Minister of State for Trade and Investment
  • Baroness Wilcox retains her post as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Leaving

  • Conservative MP John Hayes moves to the Department for Energy & Climate Change to take up the post of Minister of State
  • Conservative MP Mark Prisk moves to the Department for Communities and Local Government to take up the position of Minister of State

New faces

  • Conservative MP Michael Fallon appointed as Minister of State for Business and Enterprise
  • Conservative MP Matt Hancock appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Skills
  • Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs
  • Conservative Peer Lord Marland appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (jointly with the Department for Education)

Department for Education

Staying put

  • Michael Gove retains his post as Education Secretary
  • Conservative Peer Lord Hill of Oareford retains his post as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Leaving

  • Conservative MP Nick Gibb steps down as Minister of State for Schools
  • Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather steps down as Minister of State for Children and Families
  • Conservative MP Tim Loughton steps down as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families role

New faces

  • Liberal Democrat MP David Laws appointed Minister of State for Schools. He will have a joint Education Minister and Cabinet Office Minister brief. He also has a remit to advice Nick Clegg on broader policy and will lead the review of Trident for the Liberal Democrats
  • Conservative MP Elizabeth Truss appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Early Years. As a potential guide to the Government’s policy direction on early years education read “Academic rigour and social mobility”, a paper authored by Miss Truss in 2011
  • Conservative MP Edward Timpson appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
  • Conservative MP Matthew Hancock appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (jointly with Department for Business, Innovation and Skills)

Select Committees
The reshuffle has not removed any members of the Business, Innovation and Skills, the Education or the Science & Technology Select Committees.

 

 

Analysis from the archive

Analysis: An introduction to contaminated land investigation and remediation
Analysis: Book Review: The Ecology of Everyday Things