New cabinet minister for work and pensions

Andrew Smith MP is to succeed Alistair Darling as secretary of
state for work and pensions following a cabinet reshuffle prompted
by the resignation of Stephen Byers.

Darling is to take over from Byers as transport secretary. Paul
Boateng becomes the first black cabinet minister replacing Smith as
chief secretary to the Treasury.

Smith is the MP for Oxford East. After Labour came to power in
1997 he was minister for welfare to work and equal opportunities.
He later became chief secretary to the Treasury in 1999.

Other changes include Hilary Benn becoming prisons minister at
the home office, Lord Falconer leaving housing to become minister
for criminal policy, Beverley Hughes is the new minister for asylum
and immigration, Lord Filkin becoming junior minister for asylum
and immigration, David Miliband taking over as schools minister and
Stephen Twigg is now minister for education and science.