Newly appointed prime minister Andy Burnham has made a series of ministerial appointments – with changes to key posts impacting the infrastructure sector.

While changes were announced in other key areas of the industry, the government’s transport policy is likely to remain more stable with Burnham keeping Heidi Alexander as secretary of state for transport.

Alexander replaced Louise Haigh as transport secretary in November 2024. Haigh has now been appointed first secretary of state, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and minister for the Cabinet Office. She will run the Cabinet Office, the department that supports the prime minister and co-ordinates government policy and delivery.  That also includes oversight of the National Infrastructure and Service Transmission Authority (NISTA), which reports to both the Treasury and the Cabinet Office.

Other appointments include:

Energy: Miatta Fahnbulleh is the new secretary of state at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) , replacing Ed Miliband who is now secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs.

Defence: Wes Streeting appointed Secretary of State for Defence, replacing Dan Jarvis who had only been in the post for a matter of weeks. 

Environment:  Angela Eagle has been appointed secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra), replacing Emma Reynolds, who is now chief secretary to the Treasury.

Housing: Angela Rayner returns to the Cabinet and to her role as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.  She replaces Steve Reed, who took up the post in September 2025 after Rayner resigned from the Cabinet.  Matthew Pennycook has been reappointed as housing minister and will now also attend Cabinet.

Treasury: John Healey has been appointed as chancellor, which was the first ministerial appointment of the new Burnham Government. He succeeds Rachel Reeves. Healey resigned as defence secretary in June due to a major dispute over military funding and the government’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan (DIP). The plan was announced recently, but it emerged that key infrastructure budgets will face cuts as the government looks to pay for the DIP, which is being partly funded by changes to roads and energy capital projects.

Science: Jonathan Reynolds will head up a new Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, confirming reports that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will be scrapped. The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport will gain the digital brief from DSIT.

AI: Kanishka Narayan has been appointed  minister for artificial intelligence (minister of state jointly with Cabinet Office and Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, he will also attend Cabinet)

On being appointed prime minster – the sixth in the last 10 years - Burnham said he would bring forward a 10-year plan for Britain later this year which would set out where he wants the UK to be at the end of this alongside how Britain would get there.

Recognising the need to “raise his game” as PM and rise to the challenges facing Britain, he added: “We will make this moment a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years.”

Industry leaders have already called on Burnham to  “re-commit” to existing infrastructure plans. In an open letter signed by 28 built environment and industry bodies, including the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, the sector warned that “now is not the time to go back to square one.

The letter said the country currently has a clear direction for infrastructure from its 10-year strategy and accompanying £725bn pipeline of projects and programmes. Political uncertainty undermines progress in the sector, warned the letter, calling for the new leader to immediately re-commit to existing plans.

Burnham’s new Cabinet has been welcomed by the construction sector. Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “The prime minister has assembled a Cabinet with a number of ministers who understand both the opportunities and challenges facing the construction industry. We welcome the return of Angela Rayner as housing secretary.

“She knows the brief well, has an established understanding of the barriers facing housing delivery and has previously demonstrated a willingness to engage with the sector. We look forward to continuing our constructive relationship with her as the Government develops its plans for housing and growth. 

“We are also pleased to see Matthew Pennycook’s role as minister for housing and planning elevated to Cabinet level. The FMB has long campaigned for housing to have a stronger voice at the highest levels of government.”

The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) has welcomed Burnham’s commitment to a place‑first approach to growth with his mission to deliver “good growth in every postcode”.

Katie Stewart, ADEPT President, said: “works best from the bottom up: decisions taken closer to communities consistently deliver better outcomes. Our members - the place directors leading environment, economy, planning and transport services across the country - know first-hand that sustainable growth, good housing and resilient infrastructure depend on local knowledge, local leadership and collaboration.

“We particularly welcome the Prime Minister's recognition that the imbalance of resources between national and local government is holding back growth and his commitment to give local areas greater control over the essentials - from buses and housing to high streets - that shape people's everyday lives.”

To read industry's letter to prime minster Andy Burnham urging him to stay on course with infrastructure plans, click here