Reshuffle - New minister for children and families appointed

The MP for Chelmsford, who was elected in 2017, has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families.

There is speculation that Ms Ford will take on the early years brief.

Currently, Nick Gibb, who remains as Minister of State for School Standards, is still officially responsible for early years and childcare.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education was not able to confirm more details of the appointment, but told Nursery World that portfolios would be confirmed 'in the coming weeks'.

On Twitter Ms Ford said, ‘I’m deeply honoured to have been appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in @educationgovukwith responsibility for children and families. Joining @GavinWilliamson @NickGibbUK @michelledonelan @GillianKeegan @BaronessEB. Much to learn and lots to do!’

Also new to the Department for Education is Gillian Keegan, who has been appointed as a junior minister with responsibility for Apprenticeships and Skills.

The post had been vacant since Anne Milton MP resigned last summer over Brexit.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will continue to have overall responsibility for the DfE.

Michelle Donelan, who was previously a junior minister in the department, has been promoted to Minister of State for Universities.

Baroness Berridge has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System.

Vicky Ford - biography

Ms Ford was born and grew up in Northern Ireland. She read Maths and Economics at Trinity College, Cambridge where she met her husband Hugo, a cancer specialist. They have three student-aged children.

Prior to entering the House of Common, Ms Ford was a Member of the European Parliament for the East of England constituency from 2009 - 2017.

She is a member of the Science & Technology and Women & Equalities Select Committees. Ms Ford was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for International Development in August 2019. She previously served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministerial team.

She chairs a number of cross-party All Party Parliamentary Groups including Women in Parliament, and Infrastructure. She is also the Chair of the Parliamentary Forum for Information and Communications Technology.

Ms Ford has led campaigns for over a decade to strengthen environmental laws and to stop plastic pollution, and is a founder member of the Conservative Environment Network. She has written a guide to going green, which is published on her website.

Prior to her election as a MEP, Ms Ford was a local councillor in South Cambridgeshire, holding portfolios for finance and community development.

Before entering politics, she was a managing director of a major international bank. She has been involved in raising finance for key infrastructure projects across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.