UPDATED 4.16PM Prime Minister Bill English's new Cabinet includes four new ministers and a fall in the rankings for Judith Collins.

In a reshuffle announced this afternoon, second-term MP Alfred Ngaro has gone straight into the Cabinet, and Mark Mitchell, Jacqui Dean and David Bennett have become ministers outside Cabinet.

Amy Adams and Simon Bridges received the biggest promotions, moving into the so-called kitchen cabinet and taking on new, large portfolios. 

Collins, on the hand, has lost the corrections and police portfolios and fallen two places in the ministerial rankings, though she has picked up the revenue portfolio. She will also take over the energy and resources and ethnic communities ministries.

"It's not a demotion," English told reporters today, noting that her ranking reflected the arrival of new ministers, rather than a deliberate relegation. Explaining the change of portfolios, he said Collins had business and commercial experience which had not yet been utilised.

"Now we can use her talents elsewhere in revenue and commerce," he said.

Louise Upston, who was previously Minister for Women, has moved into the Cabinet and taken on the Corrections role - a significant promotion.

Speaking about the new ministers, English said Ngaro had jumped straight into Cabinet because he had experience across a broad range of social issues "and we are keen to advance those issues in the political debate".

"Alfred has got a unique type of experience for a National MP, and a very persuasive ability to articulate what this Government's trying to choose."

Bridges has risen into the top five in Cabinet and takes Steven Joyce's Economic Development portfolio. He has also taken on the associate finance and communications roles, while keeping the transport portfolio. Bridges was now "a key part of our economic team", English said. 

Adams held onto the justice portfolio and has taken over the main responsibility for housing. She has been given English's Housing New Zealand portfolio and Paula Bennett's Social Housing portfolio, and also become Associate Finance Minister.

Nick Smith held onto his housing and environment responsibilities, despite speculation he could pay the price for rising house values and the bungling of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary. His ministerial title has changed from Building and Housing Minister to Building and Construction Minister - a change which English said better reflected his role. 

As already confirmed, Steven Joyce will become the new Finance Minister. But he has also been given a new portfolio, infrastructure.

Murray McCully, who is leaving Parliament next year, held onto the foreign affairs role. English said that would allow him to assist him as a new Prime Minister while a replacement was found for him when he leaves at the general election.

The full list

1. Bill English
Prime Minister
Minister for National Security and Intelligence Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services

2. Paula Bennett
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of State Services
Minister for Women
Minister of Tourism
Minister of Police
Minister for Climate Change Issues

3. Steven Joyce
Minister of Finance Minister for Infrastructure

4. Gerry Brownlee
Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration
Minister of Defence
Minister of Civil Defence
Leader of the House Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission

5. Simon Bridges
Minister for Economic Development
Minister of Transport
Minister for Communications
Deputy Leader of the House
Associate Minister of Finance

6. Hon Amy Adams
Minister of Justice
Minister for Courts
Minister for Social Housing
Minister Responsible for Social Investment
Minister Responsible for HNZC
Associate Minister of Finance

7. Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of Health
Minister for Sport and Recreation

8. Christopher Finlayson
QC Attorney-General
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Minister in Charge of the NZ Security Intelligence Service
Minister Responsible for the GCSB
Associate Minister for Māori Development

9. Michael Woodhouse
Minister of Immigration
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Minister for ACC

10. Anne Tolley
Minister for Children
Minister for Social Development
Minister of Local Government

11. Hekia Parata
Minister of Education

12. Nathan Guy
Minister for Primary Industries
Minister for Racing
Associate Minister for Economic Development

13. Murray McCully
Minister of Foreign Affairs

14. Nikki Kaye
Minister for Youth
Associate Minister of Education 1

15. Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Building and Construction

16. Judith Collins
Minister of Revenue
Minister of Energy and Resources
Minister for Ethnic Communities

17. Todd McClay
Minister of Trade
Minister for State Owned Enterprises

18. Maggie Barry
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Minister of Conservation
Minister for Seniors

19. Paul Goldsmith
Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment
Minister of Science and Innovation Minister for Regulatory Reform

20. Louise Upston
Minister of Corrections
Associate Minister of Education
Associate Minister for Primary Industries
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

21. Alfred Ngaro
Minister for Pacific Peoples
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Associate Minister for Children
Associate Minister for Social Housing

22. Nicky Wagner
Minister of Customs
Minister for Disability Issues
Associate Minister supporting Greater Christchurch Regeneration
Associate Minister of Conservation
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Tourism

23. Mark Mitchell
Minister for Land Information
Minister of Statistics
Associate Minister of Justice

24. Jacqui Dean
Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Minister for Small Business
Associate Minister for ACC
Associate Minister of Local Government

25. David Bennett
Minister of Veterans’ Affairs
Minister for Food Safety
Associate Minister of Immigration
Associate Minister of Transport

Support party ministers

Peter Dunne
Minister of Internal Affairs
Associate Minister of Conservation
Associate Minister of Health

Te Ururoa Flavell
Minister for Māori Development
Minister for Whānau Ora
Associate Minister for Economic Development

Parliamentary under-secretary
David Seymour
Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the: Minister of Education, Minister for Regulatory Reform