UK - Mike O'Brien, minister for pensions reform, has been replaced by former transport minister Rosie Winterton as part of a government reshuffle, while Paul Myners has been appointed as an unpaid undersecretary to HM Treasury.
James Purnell remains as secretary of state for work and pensions, however O'Brien has been appointed minister for state in the newly-created Department of Energy and Climate Change - making Winterton the 10th pensions minister since 1997.
The responsibility for pensions in the UK has changed numerous times over the past 11 years, with eight people taking on the top job at the work and pensions ministry and 10 people filling the role that has over time been known as minister for welfare reform, minister for pensions, pensions minister and minister for pensions reform.
The position of secretary of state was originally taken up by Harriet Harman, when Labour came to power in 1997, with Frank Field as minister for welfare reform, but when Alistair Darling took over from Harman in July 1998 John Denham was given the newly-titled role of minister for pensions.
Since then Stephen Timms has held the post twice, although the longest serving pensions minister was Ian McCartney, from May 2001 to June 2003, while Malcolm Wicks lasted from June 2003 to May 2005.
The full list of changes since 1997 are:
Date Secretary of State Minister
May 1997 Harriet Harman Frank Field (Welfare Reform)
July 1998 Alistair Darling John Denham (Minister for pensions)
Jan 1999 Alistair Darling Stephen Timms
July 1999 Alistair Darling Jeff Rooker (Pensions Minister)
May 2001 Alistair Darling Ian McCartney
May 2002 Andrew Smith Ian McCartney
June 2003 Andrew Smith Malcolm Wicks
Sept 2004 Alan Johnson Malcolm Wicks
May 2005 David Blunkett Stephen Timms (minister for pensions reform)
Nov 2005 John Hutton Stephen Timms
May 2006 John Hutton James Purnell
June 2007 Peter Hain Mike O'Brien
Jan 2008 James Purnell Mike O'Brien
Oct 2008 James Purnell Rosie Winterton
The cabinet reshuffle has meanwhile also seen Paul Myners, chairman of the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority (PADA), appointed as financial services secretary, or minister for the City at HM Treasury.
As a result, Myners - who has also been awarded a life peerage -stepped down from his role at PADA with immediate affect.
Tim Jones, chief executive of PADA, said: "The delivery authority is very pleased for Paul Myners, who will join the House of Lords. Unfortunately, this means that he will be unable to continue as our chair, and we will start our search for a replacement shortly. In his time with us he has made a significant contribution to the success of the delivery authority and its progress towards the introduction of the personal accounts scheme."
John Lawson, head of pensions policy at UK life and pensions firm Standard Life, said the appointment of a new pensions minister could be "quite good", as he suggested Winterton (pictured, right) might be more understanding towards the issue of qualifying earnings as women are likely to be adversely impacted by the existing plans.
Lawson said: "I'm sure she'll be very capable and won't have a lot of difficulty getting to grips with the brief, however the next stage of the Bill occurs tomorrow so she has zero time to get to grips with the issues."
"However there is still another stage of the Bill to go, when it ping-pongs between the Lords and the House of Commons, and I think Winterton will be able to influence that part of the process," he added.
But Rachel Vahey, head of pensions development at AEGON UK, said the decision to replace O'Brien at such a "crucial part of the legislative process is quite peculiar", although she suggested Myner's move could mean his replacement at PADA would be "more of an industry figure" with hands-on experience of running a pension scheme.
Lawson suggested the removal of Myners as chair of PADA "won't affect the work" of the organisation as the chair is "more of an oversight role than operational", while Tim Jones is "the driving force" of the organisation.
That said, Lawson expressed some doubts as to whether personal accounts will meet the expected implementation date of 2012. Instead, he suggested the delivery date could shift to 2013 to allow for the necessary time to design, build and test any new system.
"The tenders are not going out until January 2009, and the admin contracts will not be awarded until 2010, so that leaves around 21 months to design, build and test a system, which is a bit tight. Because it will be tested to destruction that part will take at least 9 months - leaving 12 months to design and build a new system. It's possible, but it depends how close the new system will be to existing models."
If you have any comments you would like to add to this or any other story, contact Nyree Stewart on + 44 (0)20 7261 4618 or email nyree.stewart@ipe.com
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