We open with words from the immediate former Sec of State, Grant Shapps who moves to the back-benches.
Former Sec of State for Transport Grant Shapps.
‘It has been a privilege to serve as Transport Secretary; a job I loved. Now I look forward to being a strong, independent voice on the backbenches, developing policies that will further the Conservative cause and the interests of my constituents in Welwyn Hatfield.’
Anne-Marie Trevelyan takes new role as Sec of state for transport
She was previously Minister of State (Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change) at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial strategy (BEIS).
Anne-Marie Trevelyan was Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 15 September 2021 to 6 September 2022.
Previously Anne-Marie was appointed as the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency on 7 November 2020. She was Minister of State (Minister for Energy, Clean Growth and Climate Change) at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from January 2021 to September 2021. She was the Secretary of State for International Development from February to September 2020. She was Minister of State for the Armed Forces from 17 December 2019 to 13 February 2020, and Minister for Defence Procurement from 27 July 2019 to 16 December 2019.
Anne-Marie was first elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency at the 2015 general election. A chartered accountant by trade, Anne-Marie sat on the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee from July 2015 to May 2017 and December 2018 to July 2019. She has previously served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Defence. As an MP, she has campaigned with colleagues for greater autism awareness and has focused on the Armed Forces Covenant. UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency. On behalf of the UK government and the UN Climate Change Conference of Parties COP26 Presidency, the Champion leads discussions between national governments, the international community and business on adaptation and resilience (A&R). This means working towards supporting countries, including those most affected by climate change, to increase action to adapt to its impacts and build resilience for the future.
The Champion will drive forward greater global action and ambition in the lead up to COP26, working closely with the Foreign Secretary and the COP President-Designate. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Kevin Foster appointed Minister at DfT
After the appointment of a new Sec of State for Transport, the first minister appointed was Torbay MP, Kevin Foster.
Kevin Foster was appointed Minster of State at the Department for Transport this week. He was first elected for the Torbay constituency in May 2015. Mr Foster served on the Public Accounts Committee and the Backbench Business Committee from 2015 to 2017. He has also been a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Communities and Local Government (now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities) and, latterly, the Cabinet Office.
Mr Foster was born in Plymouth and grew up in South Devon. Before entering Parliament, he trained in the legal profession, and was Deputy Leader of Coventry Council.
Mr Foster was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Future Borders and Immigration) on 14 February 2020. He was previously appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and Assistant Government Whip in April 2019. He was also acting as Minister for the Constitution in the Cabinet Office until October 2019. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Immigration at the Home Office on 16 December 2019.
