Published: 12/05/2005, Volume II5, No. 5955 Page 6

THE NEW TEAM

Patricia Hewitt is not the only new arrival in health. The secretary of state will be joined by three new ministers and two familiar faces. Right, Helen Mooney examines the comings and goings and, below, Mary-Louise Harding bids farewell to a veteran health minister.

Jane Kennedy

Jane Kennedy, 47, is expected to inherit Lord Warner's former brief of regulation and science. MP for Liverpool Wavertree, she moves over from the Department for Work and Pensions. Early in her career she became both the first woman, and the first nonlawyer to become a minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department.

She is a qualified social care worker.

Caroline Flint

Caroline Flint, 44, appointed as a junior health minister, was first elected in 1997 and is seen by political commentators as one of the most loyal Labour MPs. She moves from the post of Home Office junior minister, where she spearheaded the government's controversial drugs bill. She is MP for Don Valley and was previously parliamentary private secretary for John Reid in Northern Ireland.

Liam Byrne

Another junior health minister, IT consultant Mr Byrne was elected to Birmingham's Hodge Hill in last July's by-election. He is expected to take Stephen Ladyman's social care portfolio. An associate fellow of the Social Market Foundation, the 33year-old, who has worked for Andersons Consulting (now Accenture) and investment bankers Rothschild, has been tipped as a future Cabinet minister.

Rosie Winterton

The Doncaster Central MP Rosie Winterton, 47, was brought into the health team during the last reshuffle in June 2003. As senior health minister, her remit has included mental health, where she has been praised for prioritising race equality.

Lord Warner

Lord Warner, 65, has been promoted and looks set to be given John Hutton's primary care brief. Brought in during the 2003 reshuffle, Lord Warner pushed the foundation trust bill through the House of Lords. He is a former social services manager.

Melanie Johnson

Formerly in charge of pushing forward the much-vaunted public health agenda, Melanie Johnson, 50, lost her parliamentary seat in Welwyn and Hatfield to the Conservatives in the election, beaten by the Conservatives' Grant Shapps.

Stephen Ladyman

MP for Thanet South Stephen Ladyman, 53, steps up from his role as junior health minister responsible for community and social care to the Department of Transport, where he has been elevated to the post of transport minister.