Samantha Dixon, Member of Parliament for Chester North and Neston, has been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as part of the recent Government reshuffle.
Ms Dixon was first elected to Parliament following a by-election in December 2022 and has served in a series of significant roles in both Opposition and Government. She began her parliamentary career as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, before becoming an Opposition Whip. Following last year’s General Election, she was appointed as a Senior Government Whip and Vice-Chamberlain of His Majesty’s Household. In this unique role, she took part in one of Parliament’s oldest and quirkiest traditions, being ceremonially ‘held hostage’ at Buckingham Palace during the State Opening of Parliament, symbolising the Monarch’s safe return from Westminster.
In her new role, Ms Dixon will be responsible for policy areas including building safety, fire, and democracy. Her brief also covers the Government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry, the Grenfell Tower and memorial, as well as work on net zero and improving energy efficiency in homes and buildings.
Speaking about her appointment, Samantha Dixon said:
“It’s an honour to be asked to serve in Government and to take on a role with real impact on people’s lives. I’m looking forward to getting to work on important issues like building safety, fire policy and democracy, while continuing to work hard for the people across Chester North and Neston.”