Junior minister set to take social care brief

Stephen Ladyman could take over the social care brief at the
department of health following the departure of Jacqui Smith in
last week’s reshuffle.

Smith has been replaced by former family policy minister at the
Lord Chancellors’ Department, Rosie Winterton. But Winterton
is not expected to take up Smith’s social care
responsibilities.

Social care responsibilities are expected to be handed instead
to Ladyman, the Thanet South MP, one of three new junior ministers
to join the department following the departures of Hazel Blears and
David Lammy.

The decision to give the social care brief to a junior minister
(Jacqui Smith was a minister of state) would confirm many people’s
fears that social care is becoming a lower priority at the doh.

Ladyman will be joined by Melanie Johnson – who will take
on Blears’ old public health brief – and former Youth
Justice Board chairperson Lord Norman Warner. Warner, who will be
replaced at the YJB by another board member, is expected to be
given responsibility for steering the Health and Social Care Bill
through the House of Lords.