New ministerial role for MP Rory Stewart

One of our region's MPs has been given a new role in Theresa May's Government.

Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and the Borders, has been given the job as Minister of State at the Department for International Development.

Until yesterday, he was the Minister at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), where he was floods minister.

He played a prominent part in dealing with the aftermath of the storms in December, which caused widespread devastation in the Border region.

The new floods minister is Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal.

Mr Stewart's predecessor at the Department for International Developmentwas responsible for a number of issues including: Syrian refugees, Yeman, Asia, international conflict and security as well as international flooding and droughts.

RORY STEWART FACT FILE:

*Educated at Eton School and Balliol College Oxford

*Served in the UK Diplomatic Service in Montenegro and Southern Iraq

*Elected as MP for for Penrith and the Borders in May 2010

*Served on Foreign Affairs Select Committee Jul 2010 - Jun 2014

*Chair of Foreign Affairs Select Committee May 2014 – May 2015

*Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) May 2015 - July 2016

*Minister of State at the Department for International Development July 2016

*Given an OBE for work in Iraq

*Writer of two best-selling books - one on his experience in Iraq, one on his experiences walking across Afghanistan