Promotion of Lucy Frazer to cabinet job creates housing minister vacancy
Rishi Sunak has split the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) into three separate departments as part of a shake-up at the centre of government.
The Whitehall re-jig will involve the creation of a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, fulfilling a promise Sunak made during his campaign to lead the Conservative Party.
The department will be led by Grant Shapps, who had been the secretary of state at BEIS.
The prime minister has also created a new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, led by former culture secretary Michelle Donelan, and a Department for Business and Trade, led by former international trade secretary Kemi Badenoch.
>>Also read: Lucy Frazer to step down as housing minister
Badenoch will retain her current roles as president of the board of trade and minister for women and equalities.
A spokesperson for BEIS would not comment on which of the three new departments Nusrat Ghani, the de-facto construction minister, would fall under.
Ghani’s role as minister for industry and investment security, which she was appointed to last September, involves co-chairing the Construction Leadership Council.
Meanwhile, a trimmed down Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will be led by Lucy Frazer, who had previously been housing minister within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Her promotion opens the door for the appointment of the sixth housing minister in the past year.
The cabinet reshuffle comes after weeks of government controversy, with Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi being sacked after details emerged of a £4.8m settlement with HM Revenue & Customs over his tax affairs, which included paying a penalty.
Sunak announced this morning that former trade minister Greg Hands would take over Zahawi’s role.
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