The government has confirmed the portfolios of the new ministers in the Department for Education following the General Election.
We reported how two ministers had been appointed to the Department following the General Election after children’s minister Ed Timpson lost his seat to Labour candidate Laura Smith https://www.willispalmer.com/dfe-appoints-two-ministers-following-timpsons-departure/ .
Timpson’s predecessor Tim Loughton said his departure was “a loss” for the children’s sector.
The two new ministers appointed to the DfE are Robert Goodwill and Anne Milton.
Goodwill, who previously served as parliamentary under-secretary of state for transport and more recently in the last year as immigration minister, has been named as Minister of State for Children and Families.
As children and families minister, Goodwill’s responsibilities will include:
- child protection (including protection from child sexual exploitation and safeguarding), local authority children’s social care and family law
- children in care, care leavers and adoption
- childcare policy including delivery of the 30 hours free childcare offer, inspection and regulation
- early years policy including inspection, regulation and literacy and numeracy
- funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities (pupil premium and pupil premium plus)
- funding and policy on free school meals
- special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- school sports and healthy pupils
- cadets and military ethos in the education system
- improving social mobility in the 12 opportunity areas.
Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening will continue to have overall responsibility for the Department for Education and the Government Equalities Office. Anne Milton has been appointed as the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills and Minister for Women.
Also in the Department, Nick Gibb will continue as Minister of State for School Standards, and has also been appointed Minister for Equalities. Jo Johnson will continue as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation covering both the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, where his role has been expanded.
Lord Nash will continue as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System.
