People Moves 8-15 March

Houses of Parliament:

House of Commons

Lee Anderon, MP for Ashfield, defected from the Conservative Party to Reform UK on 11 March.

Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough, had the Labour whip restored on 11 March.

Joint Committee on Human Rights – Sarah Dines added; David Simmonds discharged.

Liaison Sub-Committee on Scrutiny of Strategic Thinking in Government – Jeremy Quin added.

Treasury Committee – Samantha Dixon added; Emma Hardy discharged.

House of Lords

Lord McAvoy (Lab/Co-op, life peer) died on 8 March.

Paul Goodman raised to the peerage as Lord Goodman of Wycombe, of High Wycombe in the County of Buckinghamshire on 11 March. The date he will be introduced in the House still to be announced.

James Jamieson raised to the peerage as Lord Jamieson, of Maulden in the County of Bedfordshire on 11 March and will be introduced in the House on 18 March.

Rosa Monckton raised to the peerage as Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest, of Earlsdown in the County of East Sussex on 12 March and will be introduced in the House on 21 March.

John Hannett raised to the peerage as Lord Hannett of Everton, of Bramley-Moore Dock in the City of Liverpool on 12 March and will be introduced in the House on 19 March.

Carmen Smith raised to the peerage as Baroness Smith of Llanfaes, of Llanfaes in the County of Ynys M?n on 13 March and will be introduced in the House on 21 March.

Jane Ramsey raised to the peerage as Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath, of Dulwich in the London Borough of Southwark on 13 March and will be introduced in the House on 19 March.

Ayesha Hazarika raised to the peerage as Baroness Hazarika, of Coatbridge in the County of Lanarkshire on 14 March. The date she will be introduced in the House still to be announced.

Baroness Black of Strome and Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws appointed to the Order of the Thistle.

UK Government:

Prime Minister's Office

The Duke of Edinburgh appointed as His Majesty’s Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2024.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

BBC – Sir Robbie Gibb has been re-appointed as Board Member for England for four years from 7 May until 6 May 2028.

S4C – Guto Bebb appointed as Interim Chair until 31 March 2025.

Ministry of Defence

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin’s term as Chief of the Defence Staff extended until autumn 2025.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

National Energy System Operator – Dr Paul Golby CBE named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the inaugural Chair and will be scrutinised by the Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee at a forthcoming pre-appointment hearing on 24 April.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Will Quince MP as appointed an Independent Adviser to support the government’s ongoing work to improve food procurement in the public sector.

Natural England – Lord Blencathra, Catherine Dugmore and Henry Robinson’s terms as Board Members extended for nine months from 12 March until 11 December 2024.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Alex Ellis CMG appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and Non-resident Ambassador to the Principality of Andorra from the summer, succeeding Hugh Elliott who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.

Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission – John Raine CMG OBE re-appointed as Chair for three years until 31 January 2027.

Home Office

Animals in Science Committee – Professor David Main re-appointed as Chair until May 2025; Professor Jonathan Birch, Caroline Chadwick, Dr Stuart Greenhill, Professor Martin Knight, Tina O’Mahony, Professor Hazel Screen, Dr Dharaminder Singh and Dr Carl Westmoreland appointed as Member for three years until January and February 2027; Professor Johanna Gibson, Professor Andrew Jackson, Wendy Jarrett Professor Stephen May and Professor Christine J Watson re-appointed for three years until March 2026.

Ministry of Justice

Susie Alegre, Nicholas Cobill, Barbara Fontaine, Melissa Harrison, Bronia Hartley, Abigail Holt, Matt Jackson and Belinda McRae appointed as Court Examiners for five years from 1 April.

Privy Council Office

Niall Clarke-Petty appointed as Deputy Clerk of the Council.

Non-Ministerial Departments

Government Legal Department – Dame Janet Paraskeva appointed as Lead Non-executive Board Member for three years; Tim Fallowfield OBE appointed as Non-executive Board Member for three years.

Devolved Administrations:

Scottish Government

Professor Jason Leitch to stand down as National Clinical Director at the end of April.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Assembly and Executive Review Committee – Kate Nicholl added; Sian Mulholland discharged.

Northern Ireland Executive

Matrix Panel – Robert Hill appointed as Chair for five years.

Northern Ireland Housing Executive – Keith Kerrigan, Paul McCusker and Cathal Mallaghan appointed as Board Members until the next local council election; John McMullan re-appointed as Vice-chair until 31 March 2029.

Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission – District Judge Anne Marshall appointed as Member for five years until 10 March 2029.

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.

Barnet Council – John Hooton to stand down as Chief Executive at the end of June.

Birmingham City Council – Deborah Cadman OBE to stand down as Chief Executive at the end of March; Professor Graeme Betts CBE appointed as Acting Chief Executive while a permanent replacement is sought.

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council – Lorraine Gore to retire as Chief Executive later this year.

Nottingham City Council – Councillor David Mellen to stand down as Council Leader in May.

Industry:

Interest Groups

ActionAid UK – Hannah Bond, Taahra Ghazi and Shade Odupelu appointed as Interim Co-Chief Executives.

Leukaemia Care – Colin Dyer appointed as Chief Executive from April.

Royal College of Psychiatrists – Sonia Walter appointed as Chief Executive; she has been Interim Chief Executive since December 2023.

Safe Passage – Wanda Wyporska appointed as Interim Chief Executive.