Round up of the week

Round up of the week

Monday 9th May

David Blunkett

It emerged that David Blunkett returned to the cabinet as secretary
of state for the Department of Work and Pensions. Many positions
within the cabinet remained the same during Tony Blair’s
reshuffle although John Reid left the Department of Health to
become defence secretary and Patricia Hewitt moved to the DH from
the Department for Trade and Industry. Des Browne, John Hutton and
David Miliband entered the cabinet for the first time.

Tuesday 10th May

Former education secretary Estelle Morris was appointed chair of
the Children’s Workforce Development Council. Her appointment
to the two-day-a-week job has been warmly welcomed across the
sector, with her influence in government and her openness
highlighted as key qualities

Michael Howard announced the reorganisation of the Conservative
party which saw David Cameron become the new shadow secretary for
education and skills, taking over from Tim Collins. Andrew Lansley
remained as shadow health secretary, David Davis kept his role as
shadow home secretary while Theresa May retained her position as
shadow secretary for the family but also taking responsibility for
culture, media and sport.

Wednesday 11th May

Less than six months before the government is due to take
decisions on setting up a children’s database, it emerged
that three of the 11 Information Sharing and Assessment
trailblazers are yet to go live. A further three ISA trailblazers
have not yet finished piloting their information sharing IT
systems, which will be introduced under the Children Act 2004. The
projects are meant to inform government thinking on how basic
information on children can be shared between professionals to
safeguard a child’s welfare.
 
Thursday 12th May

Rosie Winterton

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt announced her new ministerial
team. Liam Byrne MP was appointed parliamentary under secretary of
state for care services, Caroline Flint MP became the parliamentary
under secretary of state for public health while former Youth
Justice Board chair Lord Warner was promoted to minister of state
for NHS delivery, taking over from John Hutton.  Jane Kennedy MP
was appointed minister of state for quality and patient safety and
Rosie Winterton MP remained minister of state for health
services.

Friday 13th May

It was reported by the BBC that hundreds of African boys
disappear from London schools according to police investigating the
murder of a boy whose torso was left in the Thames. Between July
and September 2001, 300 children disappeared and police fear
thousands may go missing annually. Scotland Yard asked London
education authorities how many black boys aged four to seven had
vanished from school.