New job at the top
Fri 25 Jan 2008
James Purnell has replaced Peter Hain as the secretary of state for work and pensions, it has been announced. Mr Hain resigned from the post yesterday after questions from the Electoral Commission had compromised his position. He recently introduced new measures to fight against benefit fraud and brought together The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service into a single agency, called the Pension, Disability and Carers Service. In a letter to the prime minister, he said he had no alternative but give up the post "in order to give myself the time and opportunity to clear my name". His replacement, Mr Purnell, has moved across from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport. Before this, he was minister of state for pensions reform at the Department for Work and Pensions. His new post will see him lead a department which helps people gain skills for employment and plan for their retirement.
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