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UK Politics
9 May 2005 23:18

Shake-up for Education Department

Updated

The Department for Education and Skills is to undergo a radical shake-up as Tony Blair completes his post-election reshuffle of ministers.

Despite having not been in the post all that long, Higher Education Minister Kim Howells is moving to the Foreign Office, with responsibility for the Middle East. He will be replaced by a new Universities Minister, Bill Rammell, who moves from the Foreign Office.

Elected in 1997, Mr Rammell’s previous experience includes a year as President of Cardiff SU and three years as an NUS regional officer, all in the 1980s. He has also been a senior manager at the University of London Union and the head of Youth Services for Basildon Council.

Other appointments include:

  • Andrew Adonis, Tony Blair's former education adviser, has controversially been made a Life Peer in order for him to be a Parliamentary Secretary for education in the House of Lords. He played a key part in introducing top-up fees and city academies.

  • Beverley Hughes, the former Immigration Minster who resigned over “unwittingly” misleading people in the Eastern Europe visa row, has been brought back as Children’s Minister.

  • Jacqui Smith has moved from the Department of Trade and Industry to become the new Schools Minister, filling a position made vacant by Stephen Twigg's defeat in Enfield Southgate. She is a former teacher and was previously Parliamentary Under Secretary for education between 1999 and 2001.

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