Department for Communities and Local Government unveils new ministerial team » Housing » 24dash.com

A new Communities and Local Government ministerial team has been announced in the Cabinet reshuffle.

Margaret Beckett MP joins as Minister of State for Housing, replacing Caroline Flint.

Sadiq Khan MP joins as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, replacing Parmjit Dhanda.

Following the announcement, Secretary of State Hazel Blears said: "I'm very pleased to welcome Margaret Beckett and Sadiq Khan to their new ministerial appointments as part of the Communities and Local Government team.

"We've started some vital work over the past year. Now it's time to see it through. It will be a challenge, especially in tough economic times; but I know  we have a strong Ministerial team and a dedicated department that will  continue to make a real difference."

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: "I am very pleased to be taking forward this important agenda.

"My priority will be to help overcome the challenges in the housing market caused by the current global turbulence, whilst maintaining our focus on delivering the affordable homes needed to meet long term demand.

"I will continue to ensure the support is in place for vulnerable households facing difficulties right now, as well as for first time buyers aspiring to get onto the housing ladder, and for the house building industry so it is ready for recovery."

Communities Minister Sadiq Khan said: "I am delighted to take up this role in the Communities and Local Government department.

"Ensuring social cohesion is a top priority for this Government and I look forward to being a part of that work."

Margaret Beckett was most recently Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from May 2006 until June 2007. Before entering Parliament, Mrs Beckett completed an engineering apprenticeship, specialising in metallurgy, at AEI Manchester. She went on to work as a Metallurgist at Manchester University.

She became a Research Assistant for the Labour Party in 1970 and  served as a Political Advisor to the Ministry for Overseas Development  in 1974. She was PPS to the then Minister of Overseas Development  (Mrs Judith Hart) between 1974-75.

She served as a Government Whip in 1975 and was appointed  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Education  and Science in 1976, serving in that position until 1979.

Between 1979 and 1983, Mrs Beckett worked as Principal Researcher for Granada Television. Mrs Beckett was appointed shadow Minister for Social Security from 1984-1989, shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1989-1992, and shadow Leader of the House from 1992-1994.

She was elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party  between 1992-1994 and became Leader between May and July 1994 after the death of the Rt Hon John Smith MP.

She then served as shadow Secretary of State for Health from 1994-1995, and shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry from 1995-1997.

She was appointed President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Labour Party was elected to Government in May 1997, and served in that post until July 1998 when she was appointed President of the Privy Council and Leader of the House of Commons.

She was appointed Secretary of State for the newly formed Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in  June 2001.
Mrs Beckett was born 15 January 1943 in Ashton-Under-Lyne Lancashire and has been Member of Parliament for Derby South, since 1983.

She was previously MP for Lincoln from 1974 until 1979. She is Honorary President of Labour Friends of India. She is married to Leo.

Sadiq Khan has been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local Government.  He will have special responsibility for community cohesion, communities,  equalities and local government.

In July 2007, the Prime Minister appointed Sadiq a Minister in the Government Whip's Office where he had special responsibility for  managing Ministry of Justice legislation. Sadiq was a member of the prestigious Public Accounts Select Committee between 2005 and 2007.

In early 2007 he became the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Honourable Jack Straw MP, who was then Leader of the House of  Commons.
Sadiq was also previously a visiting lecturer at University of North London and London Metropolitan University, and a former governor of South Thames FE College.

Since 2004 he has been Chair of Governors of the country's first  purpose built Islamic ethos primary school.

Sadiq was born in St George's Hospital in Tooting in 1970, and studied law at University. He completed the Law Society finals at the College of Law in Guildford.

Sadiq is an avid supporter of Liverpool Football Club and Surrey  County Cricket Club respectively, and tries to watch them as often as is possible. He is married and has two daughters.