Following the general election on May 7th, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced ‘appointments to government’. Many ministerial positions remained unchanged, but there were a few significant new appointments. The following is a list of ministers at the three departments, whose activities affect the learning disabled and carers.
Department of Health
● Secretary of State for Health – Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP
● Minister of State – Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Jane Ellison MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – George Freeman MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Ben Gummer MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – David Prior
Department for Work and Pensions
● Secretary of State for Work and Pensions – Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP
● Minister of State – Priti Patel MP
● Minister of State – Lord Freud
● Minister of State – Ros Altmann CBE
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Justin Tomlinson MP
Department for Education
● Secretary of State for Education – Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP
● Minister of State – Nick Boles MP
● Minister of State – Nick Gibb MP
● Minister of State – Edward Timpson MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Lord Nash*
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Sam Gyimah MP
● Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – Caroline Dinenage MP
The key new appointment is that of Justin Tomlinson as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Disabled People) at the DWP, replacing Mark Harper. Tomlinson was previously the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ed Vaizey MP. Before being elected as MP for Swindon North in May 2010, he served as a councillor in Swindon for 10 years. He served 4 years in the council’s cabinet as the lead member for culture, leisure and recreation.
For information, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People is responsible for:
● cross-government disability issues including disability strategy and independent living
● Right to Control – giving disabled people more choice and control over the support they need
● carers and disability benefits
● Access to Work
● Work Choice
● child poverty
We have also been reminded that results mean that the All Party Parliamentary Group on Learning Disability (APPGLD) has lost its long-standing chair, Tom Clarke, and several other members will have to be ‘restructured’. We will notify you of developments.