Local MP Sheryll Murray has been promoted within her Party to the position of Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Andrea Leadsom MP in her role as Minister of State at Department of Energy and Climate Change. This is in addition to her role as PPS to Ed Vaizey MP in his role as Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy.
Parliament describes a Parliamentary Private Secretary as appointed by a minister to be his or her assistant. He or she is selected from backbench MPs as the 'eyes and ears' of the minister in the House of Commons. It is an unpaid job but it is useful for an MP to become a PPS to gain experience of working in government.
Her responsibilities include; Electricity and gas markets, New energy infrastructure, Energy security, Oil and Gas policy, including shale gas, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Geological Disposal Facility, New nuclear, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and renewables, Nuclear safety and regulation and International energy.
Following her appointment Sheryll said, “To be given this second government job is very flattering and I will do it to the best of my ability. I hope these new positions will benefit the people of South East Cornwall.”