Prescott takes on responsibility for local government issues in reshuffle

Prescott
takes on responsibility for local government issues in
reshuffle

Deputy prime minister John Prescott took on
responsibility for regional and local government issues last week,
as part of the summer Cabinet reshuffle.

The
office of the deputy prime minister, which already includes the
Social Exclusion Unit and the Government Offices for the Region,
will now have policy responsibility for local government, local
government finance, housing, the rough sleepers unit, the
neighbourhood renewal unit, and urban policy and
planning.

The
changes, triggered by the departure of Stephen Byers from what now
reverts to being called the Department of Transport, will see the
office of the DPM separated off from the Cabinet office and
established as a department in its own right.

Local
government minister Nick Raynsford, social exclusion minister
Barbara Roche and junior cabinet office minister Christopher Leslie
will all follow their portfolios to the new office of the DPM,
where they will be joined by junior minister and former whip Tony
McNulty.

Other
changes include the promotion of Beverley Hughes from junior Home
Office minister to minister with responsibility for asylum and
immigration. Former immigration minister Lord Rooker moves to the
revamped office of the DPM to take responsibility for housing and
planning.

The
home office minister with responsibility for race equality and
community policy, Angela Eagle, has been replaced by Lord Filkin of
Pimlico. Keith Bradley has also left the Home Office, leaving
former housing minister Lord Falconer to take on responsibility for
criminal justice and law reform, where he will be supported by
incoming prisons minister Hilary Benn.

At the
Department of Health, public health minister Yvette Cooper has been
replaced by former junior health minister Hazel Blears, who in turn
makes way for the arrival of Tottenham MP David Lammy.