Former Home Office minister Kevin Foster has been given a role at the Department for Transport as part of a sweeping government reshuffle by new prime minister Liz Truss.
The MP for Torbay’s responsibilities at the DfT as a minister of state have not yet been detailed.
His last role was as minister for safe and legal migration at the Home Office following a year as immigration minister.
Foster’s appointment follows ex-head of international trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan replacing Grant Shapps as transport secretary.
Five ministers report to her, including Robert Courts, responsible for aviation and shipping.
Foster has been named as a minister of state at the DfT alongside Trudy Harrison while Courts, Kevin McCartney and Baroness Vere of Norton are all parliamentary under secretaries of state.
Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade insisted that the UK’s aviation sector was vital to the country’s prosperity as he congratulated Truss and Trevelyan on their appointments.
He said: “The potential for our sector is vast. Through innovation and the mutual endeavour of our engineers and manufacturing base, we are meeting the challenge of decarbonising air travel, partnering with government to create thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK, greater energy security and valuable export potential for our companies.
“There is more still to do – from completing airspace modernisation to developing a thriving UK SAF industry – but the foundation is there for the UK to be a jet zero pioneer.
“Delivering on this agenda will allow UK aviation and its base carriers to continue doing what they do best.
“Providing more choice and competition for families and consumers whilst enabling the connectivity that will link the UK and its businesses to all parts of the world. We look forward to furthering this work.”
Alderslade also thanked Shapps for his “hard work” on behalf of UK aviation, “in particular your advocacy within government to open up international travel during Covid and your passion for the jet zero agenda”.