This week's key appointments

Friday, 13 August 2004 12:00 AM

With all of the parliaments in summer recess, things have been quiet on the domestic political front, with no Government, front bench or select committee changes.

Attention then has switched to Europe, and the news that Peter Mandelson has been appointed as European Trade Commissioner. The controversial Hartlepool MP took one of the key jobs in the European Commission, announced on Thursday by European Commission president-designate Jos Manuel Barroso.

Unveiling his team a week early, Mr Barroso demonstrated his independence by granting key posts to commissioners viewed as "reformists" rather than members of the traditional Franco-German axis.

Former Irish finance minister Charlie McCreevy will take charge of the internal market and the Dutch representative Neelie Kroes-Smit will be responsible for competition. There is a good position for Germany in vice president Gunter Verheugen who takes over at enterprise and industry. The French representative, Jacques Barrot is also a vice president, but has the less crucial portfolio of transport.

Returning to the UK, Richard Bowker, the chair and chief executive of the Strategic Rail Authority, was appointed as a part-time non-executive member of the board of British Waterways.

The board of the London Development Agency was also confirmed, with chair and vice chair in Mary Reilly and John Biggs retaining their jobs, along with seven other members of the team. Six new members were appointed, among them Eric Ollerenshaw who stood as a Conservative general election candidate in 1992 and Charles Secrett, executive director of Friends of the Earth.

On the honours front, the Presiding Officers of the devolved Welsh and Scottish assemblies, Lord Elis-Thomas AM and George Reid MSP were appointed members of the Privy Council. They were also joined by Labour MP Ann Clwyd, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Iraq.

Finally, the former head of MI5, Sir Stephen Lander has been appointed as the chair of the new Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). Bill Hughes, currently head of the National Crime Squad will become the organisation's director general.

Tags: