Jane Kennedy, the previous Minister responsible for the Environment in DEFRA resigned on Monday 8^th June. A new Minister has been appointed to replace her. Jim Fitzpatrick, who was born in 1952 in Glasgow and moved to London in 1974 to join the London Fire Brigade. He was elected Labour MP for Poplar and Canning Town in 1997. 

As a new Minister, Mr Fitzpatrick  attended the Cereal event in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday on his third day in the job.

The full list of Government ministerial appointments published by Number 10 on 9 June 2009 is:

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP

Minister of State - Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - Huw Irranca-Davies MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - Dan Norris MP