Lawrie Hooper MHK has returned to departmental duties following his resignation as Minister for Health and Social Care in October.

The Council of Ministers has confirmed that Mr Hooper has been appointed as a political member of both the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA).

Mr Hooper will work alongside Minister Dr Michelle Haywood MHK and member Dawn Kinnish MLC at the DoI.

Joney Faragher MHK will also join the DoI.

In DEFA, he will join Minister Clare Barber MHK and Tanya August-Phillips MLC in shaping the department’s policies and initiatives.

The appointments mark Mr. Hooper’s return to departmental responsibilities after leading the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for the majority of Chief Minister Alfred Cannan’s administration.

A complex leadership journey

Mr Hooper initially stepped away from the DHSC role between September and November 2022 when Onchan MHK Rob Callister was appointed Minister.

During this interlude, Mr. Hooper led the Department for Enterprise (DfE).

However, following Mr. Callister’s dismissal, Mr Hooper briefly managed both the DHSC and DfE until Tim Johnston MHK took over as Minister for Enterprise in February 2023.

His resignation last month from the DHSC came amid ongoing scrutiny of the department’s ability to address significant challenges in health and social care delivery on the Isle of Man.

Yet more changes

It comes after last week’s government reshuffle, which saw Claire Christian appointed as the new Minister for Health and Social Care, one of three new appointments within the Council of Ministers.

Her appointment came less than a month after she voted in support of a vote of no confidence against Chief Minister Alfred Cannan.

David Ashford also became Minister for the Cabinet Office, replacing Kate Lord Brennan who stepped down to focus on ‘constituency matters’, while Dr Michelle Haywood became the new Minister for Infrastructure, taking over from Tim Crookall.

Tim Crookall is now a ‘minister without portfolio’.

Mr Ashford’s appointment marked his political resurrection following his resignation as Treasury Minister in the wake of the Dr Rosalind Ranson affair.