More new ministers confirmed

Who’s who in the government departments that deal with health, social care and related matters? 

We already knew that new Prime Minister Andy Burnham appointed Yvette Cooper as the new Health Secretary; Ms Cooper was previously Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. Now the government has confirmed that the King has approved further appointments, including those of direct relevance to the health and social care world: 

Department for Health and Social Care 

Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP is Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. 

Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP is a Minister of State in the department, though it’s not yet clear if she will take the specific role of Minister of State for Care left vacant by Stephen Kinnock MP becoming Secretary of State for Wales. Ms Johnson was previously Minister of State for Employment (2025-26) and was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools under Gordon Brown.  

(Karin Smyth MP will also continue as a Minister of State in the department, having been Minister of State for Secondary Care since July 2024.) 

Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government 

Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP is Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Ms Rayner previously held the same position 2024-25 bur resigned after a report concluded she had broken the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty when buying a property. Earlier this year, she was cleared of deliberate wrongdoing. 

Florence Eshalomi MP is Minister of State. She was previously Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (2024-26).  

(Rt Hon Matthew Pennycook MP will remain as Minister of State, and will also attend Cabinet.) 

Department for Education 

Rt Hon Lucy Powell MP is Secretary of State for Education. Ms Powell is also Deputy Leader of of the Labour Party. 

(Georgia Gould OBE MP and Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern will remain as Ministers of State.) 

Other roles 

Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP will remain as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. 

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP will remain a full member of Cabinet as Minister for Women and Equalities, reporting to the Prime Minister. 

Photo by Jordhan Madec / Unsplash

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