A former Department of Defence Minister has been handed a new ministerial role at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Lord Henley, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, has been appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, it was announced this morning.

He takes the position in addition to his current role as a Government Whip (Lord in Waiting).

His appointment is one of a number of changes announced this morning across various departments.

Biography

Source: Gov.uk

Lord Henley served as Minister of State for Crime Prevention and Anti-Social Behaviour Reduction from September 2011 to September 2012. He served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2010 to 2011.

Lord Henley held a number of positions in the previous Conservative government, including Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Social Security, the Department for Employment and the Ministry of Defence.

He was also Minister of State for the Department of Education and Employment. In Opposition, he served as Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker and was Opposition spokesperson for Legal Affairs and Justice.

Lord Henley was appointed as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip) on 21 November 2016.

He was educated at Clifton College, Bristol and Durham University. He was called to the Bar in 1977.