Carers UK welcomes new Ministers following Gordon Brown's re-shuffle

The key ministers with responsibilities for carers are:

• Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Health. Deputy leadership contender and former Education Secretary, he now has responsibility for the NHS and social care.

• Ivan Lewis MP, Minister for Care Services.  Ivan Lewis retains his post and will continue to have responsibility for the review of the National Carers Strategy, as well as implementing the New Deal for Carers.
  

• Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Another deputy leadership contender and former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Hain takes charge of benefits, pensions and employment.

• Anne McGuire MP, Minister for Carers’ Benefits. Anne McGuire MP will continue to be responsible for Carer’s Allowance and disability benefits and will play an important role in developing the new National Carers Strategy.

• Mike O’Brien MP, Minister for Pensions Reform. Previously Solicitor General, Mike O’Brien takes over as the Pensions Bill nears the end of its passage through Parliament. There will be another important Bill later in the year on Personal Accounts.

• Caroline Flint MP, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform. Previously Minister for Public Health, Caroline Flint will lead the Government’s response to the Freud review on the future of welfare to work.

• Barbara Follet MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions. It is expected that Barbara Follett will have responsibility for the Equalities Review and the new Commission for Equalities and Human Rights.

• Rt Hon John Hutton MP, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. This new department takes over from the Department for Trade and Industry. Former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, John Hutton now has responsibility for employment rights and helping businesses respond to demographic change.

• Pat McFadden MP, Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Pat McFadden was previously a Minister in the Cabinet Office and is likely to have responsibility for employment rights and flexible working.

• Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Gordon Brown’s former right-hand man, Ed Balls takes over a new department and will have responsibility for disabled children and young carers.

• Rt Hon John Denham MP, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. A former Home Office Minister, John Denham has responsibility for training and adult education.

• Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Another deputy leadership candidate and former Labour Party Chair, Hazel Blears takes over the department responsible for social inclusion and local government.

• Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Former Trade and Industry Secretary, Alistair Darling takes over this vitally important role. He has responsibility for the amount of money each department has to spend. The Treasury is also undertaking a crucial review of long-term care.

• Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Previously a health minister, Andy Burnham now takes over the Comprehensive Spending Review which will set Government spending for 2008-11.