Truss and McLoughlin keep cabinet roles

The Prime Minister has confirmed that both Liz Truss and Patrick McLoughlin will continue in their respective roles as Environment Secretary and Transport Secretary in the cabinet today (May 11)

The Prime Minister has confirmed that both Liz Truss and Patrick McLoughlin will continue in their respective roles as Environment Secretary and Transport Secretary in the cabinet today (May 11).

Elizabeth Truss first joined Defra in 2014

David Cameron is appointing a new cabinet following the Conservative Party’s majority victory in last week’s General Election, which saw Defra minister for air quality Dan Rogerson lose his North Cornwall seat (see AirQualityNews.com story).

Liberal Democrat Mr Rogerson held the air quality brief within Defra as a junior minister under Liz Truss, who will continue to represent the Department at cabinet meetings. Junior ministerial positions and their individual briefs within Defra are yet to be announced.

Mrs Truss had held the Environment portfolio since July 2014, when she took over the post from Owen Paterson.

Boris Johnson

Meanwhile, after winning the parliamentary election for Hillingdon, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson — responsible for spearheading the capital’s forthcoming ultra-low emission zone in 2020 — has also been asked to attend cabinet meetings, although he has not been given a specific role.

As such, Mr Cameron said: “As promised, he will devote his attention to his final year as Mayor of London.”

Mr Johnson completes his second term as Mayor of London in 2016, when his successor will be elected.

Other appointments to the PM’s cabinet so far include Amber Rudd, a former member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee, who has been made Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

Jeremy Hunt will also continue as Health Secretary in the new government.

However, after serving as Communities Secretary in the previous coalition government for the past five years, Eric Pickles has stepped from his role overseeing local authorities at DCLG in order to take up a new role as Anti-Corruption Tsar.

In his place, the PM has appointed MP for Tunbridge Wells, Greg Clark, as the new Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government. Mr Clark was previously Minister of State for Universities.

Parliament will next meet on May 18 2015 for the election of the Commons Speaker and the swearing-in of MPs.

Ahead of last week’s election, the Conservatives had promised “to do even more” to tackle air pollution by investing in zero emission vehicles and cycling safety (see AirQualityNews.com story).

The new air quality minister will also likely oversee the production of a new air quality plan for the UK before a deadline recently set by the Supreme Court of December 31 2015.