Downing Street unveils full ministerial line-up

Tuesday, 10 May 2005 12:00 AM

Former Immigration Minister Beverley Hughes is back in Government in the post-general election reshuffle.

She returns with the brief of Minister for Children.

The first-ever Minister for Children, Margaret Hodge, is moved to Minister for Work at the Department of Work and Pensions.

Controversially, the Prime Minister's policy adviser, Andrew Adonis, was made a junior education minister. As he is not an MP, Mr Adonis was made a life peer to allow him to take up a ministerial position.

And party donor, Lord Drayson of Kensington, secured a junior defence post.

The peer courted controversy after he made a £50,000 donation to the Labour party at the same time his firm PowderJect tendered for a £32 million government contract to supply smallpox vaccines.

Mike O'Brien, former Foreign Office minister, is promoted to solicitor-general, succeeding Harriet Harman, minister of state at the Department of Constitutional Affairs.

Yvette Cooper is promoted to Minister for Housing and Planning at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

And Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, who quit as Health Minister in 2003 over his opposition to the Iraq war, returned as a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Phil Woolas, former deputy leader of the Commons, is handed the role of Minister for Local Government, with Nigel Griffiths moved to deputy to newly-moved, Geoff Hoon, Leader of the House.

Shaun Woodward, former Tory MP, who switch party allegiances ahead of the 2001 election, win his first ministerial post at the Northern Ireland Office.

Keith Hill, former Housing Minister, is appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, replacing David Hanson, Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office.

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