Wednesday 11 September 2019

Zac Goldsmith promoted to Defra minister

Zac Goldsmith has been promoted to become the Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The MP for Richmond Park & North Kingston has also been appointed as the Minister for International Development as part of Boris Johnson's mini reshuffle to his ministerial team following Brexit-induced resignations.

He replaces Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal, who has been promoted to Work and Pensions Secretary.

The news comes less than two months after Mr Goldsmith was appointed Under-Secretary of State across both Defra and the Department for International Development (DFID).

Announcing the extension of a challenge to help reduce marine plastic pollution, delivered along with UN Environment, Mr Goldsmith said: “Marine plastic pollution is a serious environmental concern. Globally it's estimated that 12 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year due to mismanaged waste.

“We want to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation and that's why I'm launching an extension of the Tide Turners Plastics Challenge Badge, a programme to create the next generation of leaders to protect our ocean.”

https://twitter.com/DefraGovUK/status/1170222918992715776