Ladyman is confirmed as new social care minister

Stephen Ladyman

Stephen Ladyman has been confirmed as the new social care minister
following last week’s ministerial reshuffle.

He replaces Jacqui Smith, who became minister for Industry and
the regions and deputy minister for women and equality with the
department of trade and industry.

The move will be seen as a downgrading of social care’s
importance within the department of health as Ladyman is a junior
minister and Smith was a minister of state.

Ladyman’s repsonsibilities, as junior minister for community
care, are to include:

– adult social services, including older people’s services

– carers

– children’s health services

– disabled people services

and long-term medical conditions.

Children’s social services has moved to the department for
education and skills to form part of the brief for new children’s
minister Margaret Hodge.

Ladyman was previously junior minister under armed forces
minister Adam Ingram. He was also chairperson of the all-party
parliamentary group on autism. He has been MP for Thanet South
since 1997, and is married with one daughter, one stepdaughter and
two stepsons.