Brown unveils new look for government and business

Gordon Brown has unveiled new faces and departments to help him run the country - and shape the future of HR.

The new prime minister last week scrapped the Department of Trade and Industry in favour of a Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. He also split the Department for Education and Skills into the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Employers' groups broadly welcomed the changes. The CBI described them as "an imaginative reshaping of the structure of government".

Martin Temple, director-general of manufacturers' body the EEF, added: "We now have a beefed up [industry] department, which retains essential elements of the old with the key addition of better regulation."

Former work and pensions secretary John Hutton took the helm of the new business department. The skills department will be headed by John Denham, reflecting Brown's focus on implementing the Leitch Review proposals.

Government skills envoy Sir Digby Jones has been given a peerage and is to become minister for trade promotion.