The government has named Jesse Norman MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire as new construction minister.
Norman was confirmed as the new minister for industry and energy at the the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The wide-ranging role not only encompasses construction, but also covers infrastructure, industrial policy for technology, aerospace, professional services and the rail supply chain.
He takes over the post from Nick Boles, who resigned as skills minister to return to the Conservative back benches.
Jesse Norman
Norman will also support the new minister of state for energy and intellectual property, Baroness Lucy Neville-Rolfe, on energy policy, specifically nuclear and oil and gas, including shale gas.
Additionally Nick Hurd has been confirmed as the new minister of state for climate change and industry.
The Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner MP will take responsibility for issues such as carbon budgets, climate science, international climate change efforts and the green economy.
Writing on Twitter this morning, he said: “Time for climate change and industrial policy to be brought together more closely. Look forward to working on it.”
He added that the climate change brief was a “welcome opportunity to reconnect with the issue I chose to focus on when I entered Parliament”.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “It’s very good news that that we once again have a construction minister.
“Jesse Norman has a solid background on the House of Commons Treasury Committee which should help provide him with a good grounding for his new front bench position. It is interesting that the new minister will not be looking after skills as part of his portfolio as did his predecessor Nick Boles.
“Hopefully this will allow Jesse Norman to focus more of his time and energy on the construction sector. What is important is that the minister works closely with Gavin Barwell MP, the new housing minister, and Robert Halfon MP, the new skills minister, to tackle the issues that face construction and house building in the round. In the wake of Brexit, cross-departmental communication has never been so important.”
The new appointments also come as reports suggest that Jim O’Nell, the treasury minister and former Goldman Sachs chief economist, is set to quit the government over Theresa May’s handling of the new Hinkley Point nuclear plant.
O’Neill was brought into the treasury to oversee infrastructure as well as to help foster relationships with Beijing. He is said to be miffed by May’s change of tack on the project and potential £6bn Chinese investment.
Last week May announced plans to put the £18bn project on hold, while more time was given to assess the scheme.
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