David Laws replaces Sarah Teather at the Department for Education in reshuffle

Laws – who was the Liberal Democrat’s spokesman for education under the last government – has replaced Sarah Teather, who is reportedly leaving government to fight for her constituency seat in Brent, which she won by just 1,300 votes at the last election.

Laws was briefly Chief Secretary to the Treasury when the coalition government was formed, but he stepped down from the post after being implicated in the expenses scandal. He will hold a dual ministerial brief - also working at the Cabinet Office.

Michael Gove has retained his job as Education Secretary, but Tim Loughton has been asked to step down as children’s minister at the Department for Education (DfE) and Nick Gibb has lost his job as schools minister.

Elizabeth Truss, the Conservative MP for south west Norfolk, has been appointed junior minister for early years and Edward Timpson, Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, has been appointed junior minister for adoption and care at the DfE, alongside Matthew Hancock, Conservative MP for West Suffolk, now joint junior minister for the DfE and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, replacing John Hayes.

At the Department of Health, the former Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been appointed Health Secretary, replacing Andrew Lansley, who will take up the post of leader of the House of Commons. Hunt described his appointment as the “biggest privilege” of his life. Norman Lamb has replaced Paul Burstow as minister for care services.

In a move that could signal a shift to increasingly hardline policy, Chris Grayling has been handed the job of Justice Secretary, replacing Ken Clarke, who has been given a cross-departmental finance brief.

At the Department for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith has retained his position as Secretary of State – after reportedly rejecting the top job at the Ministry of Justice – but Esther McVey has replaced Maria Miller as minister for disabled people, after Miller was promoted to Culture Secretary and minister for women and equalities.

Debbie Jones, president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services, praised Teather for having spent significant amounts of time talking with, and listening to children, families and professionals during her time in post.

“This engagement and willingness to learn has been very welcome in the sector,” she said. “She has made great progress in beginning to tackle some of the long standing problems around special education needs provision and brought significant commitment to overseeing the rollout of free child care for the most deprived.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sarah for her hard work and support for the sector over the last two years. David Laws’ reputation is formidable and we look forward to working with him on some of the key issues for children and young people over the next parliamentary session.”

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, lamented the departure of Ken Clarke as Justice Secretary, saying that his reforms paved the way for saving money and lives.

“Kenneth Clarke was a breath of fresh air as Justice Secretary,” she said. “Rather than grabbing cheap headlines, he focused on cutting reoffending and saving taxpayers’ money.

“He fought to get prisoners doing an honest day’s work rather than lying around in bed. He has started to shift the balance towards community sentences that change lives and reduce crime and away from the old cliché of ‘prison works’."

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said school leaders hope to continue working closely with Michael Gove in the future.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “After a torrid summer on schools sports and the GCSE marking debacle, the education sector desperately needs a calm and steady autumn. We know of some of the reforms Mr. Gove is planning and we hope to continue our dialogue and make the case of education leaders heard as he goes back to work.”

The union Unite said the departure of Andrew Lansley from the Department of Health gives an opportunity for a complete re-think on the future of the NHS.

Unite’s head of health, Rachael Maskell said: “The NHS has been pushed to the brink of destruction by Andrew Lansley - a minister who simply would not listen either to the patients or the professionals. Jeremy Hunt must reflect deep and hard on the errors of his predecessor and seek immediate dialogue with the NHS team and their unions.”