School and college system minister Baroness Barran will remain in post – seemingly completing the Department for Education’s ministerial line-up.
Barran, who founded domestic abuse awareness charity SaveLives, has survived all the recent reshuffles, meaning she will work under a fifth education secretary this year.
Barran’s appointment seems to complete the DfE’s ministerial line-up. Gillian Keegan is education secretary, Nick Gibb and Rob Halfon are ministers of state, and expected to take up the schools and skills roles respectively.
Claire Coutinho is a junior minister. That leaves the university brief, which did have its own minister but was recently made part of the skills minister’s portfolio.
Barran took on some responsibilities for post-16 education following Liz Truss’ reshuffle in September. These included education provision and outcomes for 16 to 19 year olds; college governance and accountability; intervention and financial oversight of further education colleges and reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Full briefs for the new ministerial team have not yet been confirmed.
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