Former No 10 chief of staff Sue Gray will not attend Friday’s regional investment summit after recently becoming the Prime Minister’s regional envoy.
The civil servant was appointed to the newly created position over the weekend after resigning from his previous role amid an internal battle over influence.
Government sources said she is taking a break before taking up her new role and will start her new responsibilities in the coming weeks.
Downing Street has yet to announce details of her role as Sir Keir Starmer’s UK country and regional envoy.
The Prime Minister will chair the first meeting of the new national and regional committee in Scotland on Friday.
The leaders of the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to attend, along with regional mayors in England.
Ahead of a major international investment summit hosted by the UK next week, the meeting is expected to focus on how to boost regional investment.
Whitehall veteran Ms Gray, who became a household name after leading the government’s internal inquiry into the partygate scandal, resigned on Sunday after just three months as Sir Keir’s chief of staff.
She will be replaced by Starmer’s long-term ally Morgan McSweeney, who is credited with masterminding Labour’s July general election victory.
She has been the subject of negative publicity, allegedly clashing with other senior officials and being embroiled in a row over the pay of No.10 advisers.
