De Mauley Axed From Defra As Ministers Cut To Three

Lord de Mauley has left his role as under-secretary of state for natural environment and science at the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with the number of politicians in the Department being confirmed as reduced from four to three.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble will take up de Mauley's role of spokesman in the House of Lords. He will have no formal responsibilities in the Department, however.

The responsibilities of de Mauley's former role as under-secretary of state for natural environment and science secretary of state will be shared out between Liz Truss, minister of state George Eustice and under-secretary of state Rory Stewart.

It is expected that the ministerial duties at Defra will be during the course of the week.

Lord Gardiner is deputy chief executive of the Countryside Alliance and his background includes serving as a whip and spokesman on for the Cabinet Office, as well as for the Business Innovation & Skills and Energy and Energy and Climate Change departments.

Article sourced from CIWM