Published on: 03 November 2022
Over the last two weeks our new PM, Rishi Sunak, has led an extensive government reshuffle, including top posts relevant to British Marine.
It has been a hectic few weeks for British Marine’s Public Affairs team keeping up with all the ‘ins and outs’ at No 10. Lesley Robinson, British Marine’s CEO, is writing to all the relevant new appointments to draw their attention to the success of our industry and the challenges it currently faces. We will continue to engage with the government to help ensure the voice of the UK’s leisure marine industry is heard across Whitehall.
Below is a summary of the latest ministerial changes which are considered relevant to our industry.
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP – Secretary of State
Following less than a week as Home Secretary, Grant Shapps was appointed by Rishi to this role, replacing Jacob Rees-Mogg. Mr Shapps is no stranger to maritime issues having previously served for three years as Secretary of State for Transport (July 2019 – Sept 2022)
Note: Nusrat Ghani MP remains Minister of Science and Investment Security with responsibility in BEIS for Maritime and Shipbuilding
Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Rt Hon Therese Coffey MP – Secretary of State
Therese Coffey has replaced Ranil Jayawardena who held the post for less than two months. Ms Coffey is MP for Suffolk Coastal and has described her return to DEFRA as “coming home” having spent four years as a DEFRA minister between 2016 and 2019.
Note: Trudy Harrison has retained her post as Minister for Environment, with lead responsibility for the Environment Agency and Richard Benyon has been brought back into DEFRA’s ministerial team.
International Trade
Marcus Fysh who led on exports at DiT is no longer in the government. The Secretary of State, Kemi Badenoch MP, has brought in two new junior ministers, Nigel Huddleston, formerly lead for tourism at DCMS, and Andrew Bowie but their detailed responsibilities have yet to be confirmed.
Transport
Rt Hon Mark Harper MP – Secretary of State
Appointed by Rishi Sunak on 25th October and replacing Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Mark Harper takes up his first cabinet post. Baroness Vere, continues as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State – a post she has held since 2019 – but will now take the lead for maritime issues within the Department.
Three new ministers join Mark Harper’s team: Huw Merriman, the long-time chair of the Transport Select Committee; Jesse Norman whose has previous ministerial experience from the Treasury, BEIS and DfT;and Richard Holden a former parliamentary private secretary in DfT. Their detailed responsibilities have yet to be confirmed.
For further information see Gov.UK or contact Joanna Richardson, Senior Public Affairs & Policy Executive at British Marine on Telephone 07860 848834 Email jrichardson@britishmarine.co.uk.
