Political Updates 1 April 2019

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

  UK Government

James Sharp has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan. (more info).

Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright has appointed Sherry Coutu as a Non-Executive Board Member to DCMS for a term of three years. (more info).

Lieutenant General Tim Radford has been appointed NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), demonstrating the leading role the UK plays in the transatlantic alliance. (more info).

Professor Sir Adrian Smith has been appointed to provide to provide independent advice on the design of UK funding schemes for European and international science, research and innovation collaboration. (more info).

Dame Heather Hallett appointed as the new Chair of the Security Vetting Appeals Panel. (more info).

Jennie Price CBE, Peter Latham OBE and Liz Philip have been appointed as Non-Executive Commissioners to Forestry Commission England for three years commencing on 1 April 2019. (more info).

Professor Elizabeth Fisher is to replace Professor Fran Balkwill as board member if the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.

Seven new members have been appointed to the Arts Council of Wales by Lord Elis-Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. The new members are Alison Mears, Devinda De Silva, Gwennan Mair Jones, Lhosa Daly, Sarah Younan, Tudur Hallam and Victoria Provis. (more info)

House of Lords

The Lord Bishop of Derby joined the House of Lords. (more info).

In the by-election following the death of Viscount Slim, Lord Ravensdale was elected as Crossbench hereditary peer. (more info).

Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby, resigned as Shadow Housing Minister after refusing to support a second referendum or People’s Vote on Brexit.

National Assembly for Wales

Michelle Brown AM has left UKIP. She remains as an AM and as an independent. (more info).

Janet Finch Saunders replaced J Rowlands as a member of the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister.

This week, the European Parliament is in Brussels for Committee and Group sessions.