The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7254 p850
21 June 2003

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News summary

New faces at the Department of Health

Dr John Reid, member of Parliament for Hamilton North and Bellshill has been appointed Secretary of State for Health. He takes the place of Alan Milburn who has resigned in order to spend more time with his family.

Dr Reid, who has a PhD in economic history, was Minister of State for Defence from 1997 to 1998, Minister for Transport from 1998 to 1999, Secretary of State for Scotland from May 1999 to January 2000, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from January 2000 to October 2002, Minister without Portfolio and chairman of the Labour Party from October 2002 to April 2003, since when he has been Leader of the House of Commons and President of the Council.

Other new appointments at the Department are Rosie Winterton (Doncaster Central) as a Minister of State, Melanie Johnson as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Dr Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet) as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary. Their responsibilities had not been announced as The Journal went to press, but Rosie Winterton was widely expected to take the pharmacy portfolio.

Lord Warner has been appointed as the Government's health spokesman in the House of Lords.

David Lammy, formerly Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for pharmacy services, has moved to the new Department for Constitutional Affairs. Hazel Blears, former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health has moved to the Home Office as Minister of State for Policing.