Prime Minister restructures Cabinet following disastrous week for government
Gordon Brown has made a radical reshuffle of his cabinet at the end of a tumultuous week for the government.
In terms of what it means for construction, there will be a new housing minister, a new communities secretary, a new work and pensions secretary and a restructuring of the business department which oversees construction.
The reshuffle means that:
John Healey replaces Margaret Beckett as housing minister. Healey was formerly a minister for local government
John Denham becomes communities secretary, overseeing the government’s regeneration policy, replacing Hazel Blears who stood down from the cabinet on Wednesday
Yvette Cooper, the former housing minister, moves to head up the department of work and pensions in place of James Purnell, who quit the cabinet last night. Cooper will oversee the work of the Health and Safety Executive.
Ben Bradshaw is appointed culture secretary after Andy Burnham, the government’s design champion, moved to become health secretary.
Lord Mandelson heads up the new Business, Innovation and Skills Department, a merger between the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
A full list of the new Cabinet follows
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service: The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal; Minister for Women and Equality (and deputising for the Prime Minister at PMQs): The Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP
First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lord President of the Council: The Rt Hon Lord Mandelson
Chancellor of the Exchequer: The Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: The Rt Hon David Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor: The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Secretary of State for the Home Department: The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
Secretary of State for International Development: The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: The Rt Hon John Denham MP
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: The Rt Hon Ed Balls MP
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change: The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP
Secretary of State for Health: The Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: The Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP
Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: The Rt Hon Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
Minister for the Cabinet Office, and for the Olympics and Paymaster General: The Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP
Secretary of State for Scotland: The Rt Hon Jim Murphy MP
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury: The Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
Secretary of State for Wales: The Rt Hon Peter Hain MP
Secretary of State for Defence: The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP
Secretary of State for Transport: Lord Adonis
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Ben Bradshaw MP
Other Cabinet attendees
Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury): The Rt Hon Nick Brown MP
Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office: The Rt Hon Lord Malloch-Brown
Minister of State (Housing), Department for Communities and Local Government: The Rt Hon John Healey MP
Minister of State (Business), Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP
Minister of State (Science and Innovation), Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: The Rt Hon Lord Drayson
Attend Cabinet when their Ministerial responsibilities are on the agenda
Attorney General: The Rt Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC
Minister of State (Children), Department for Children, Schools and Families: The Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP
Minister of State (Employment), Department for Work and Pensions: The Rt Hon Jim Knight MP
Minister of State (Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination) Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: The Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP
