Changes to DUP Ministerial and Committee Teams
08 June 2021 - by Terence McKernanFollowing three weeks of speculation, newly installed DUP leader Edwin Poots today announced changes to the party’s ministerial team in the Executive.
|
Department |
New Minister |
Outgoing Minister |
|
First Minister |
Paul Givan |
Arlene Foster |
|
Junior Minister (Executive Office) |
Gary Middleton |
Gordon Lyons |
|
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs |
Edwin Poots |
N/A |
|
Economy |
Paul Frew |
Diane Dodds |
|
Education |
Michelle McIlveen |
Peter Weir |
The changes are expected to take effect on Monday 14 June 2021 and are subject to ratification by the Assembly. The British-Irish Council meeting on Friday in Fermanagh - her home constituency - is also expected to be Arlene Foster’s last engagement as First Minister.
After deciding against taking the First Minister position, Edwin Poots is the only DUP minister to remain in post as he continues as Minister in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
The new party leader selected his Lagan Valley constituency colleague Paul Givan as First Minister. Givan has previous ministerial experience having served as Minister for Communities in the last Assembly mandate and when ratified, will be the youngest ever member to hold the First Minister role. Givan is also a former Special Advisor to Edwin Poots.
Gary Middleton has been selected to join Sinn Féin’s Declan Kearney in The Executive Office as Junior Minister. Middleton briefly held the position from February to March 2021, after outgoing Junior Minister Gordon Lyons briefly deputised for Edwin Poots in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. He has been an MLA for Foyle since 2015 and will provide a regional balance to the DUP ministerial team.
Paul Frew has been selected as the new Minister for the Economy replacing Diane Dodds. He has been an MLA for North Antrim since replacing Ian Paisley MP in 2010. His first ministerial position, Frew takes on the economy portfolio, having been Deputy Chair of the Committee for Finance.
Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen will replace Peter Weir as the new Minister for Education. The outgoing Infrastructure Committee Chair has plenty of ministerial experience, having previously served as Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Regional Development Minister, and also as Junior Minister in previous mandates.
The new DUP leader also announced changes to Committee Chairs and Deputy Chairs in the Assembly:
|
Committee
|
Changes
|
|
Committee for Communities |
Paula Bradley remains as Chair |
|
Committee for Health |
Gordon Lyons replaces Pam Cameron as Deputy Chair |
|
Committee for Finance
|
Keith Buchanan replaces Paul Frew as Deputy Chair
|
|
Committee for Justice |
Mervyn Storey replaces Paul Givan as Chair |
|
Committee for Infrastructure
|
Jonathan Buckley replaces Michelle McIlveen as Chair David Hilditch remains as Deputy Chair |
|
Assembly and Executive Review Committee |
Pam Cameron replaces Mervyn Storey as Chair |
|
Audit Committee |
William Irwin replaces Joanne Bunting as Deputy Chair |
|
Public Accounts Committee |
William Humphrey remains as Chair |
|
Procedures Committee |
Tom Buchanan remains as Chair |
|
Standards and Privileges Committee |
Christpher Stalford replaces William Irwin as Deputy Chair |
Last week, Edwin Poots confirmed Joanne Bunting as the new Chief Whip for the Party with Trevor Clarke and William Humphrey serving as Assistant Whips.
Alongside chairing the Infrastructure Committee, Jonathan Buckley will serve as Edwin Poots’ Chief of Staff. Christopher Stalford will also continue in his role as Principal Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
