News

• Junior minister set to take social care brief
• Margaret Hodge appointed to new children’s minister post

Stephen Ladyman

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.