IN Prime Minister Theresa May’s reshuffle, East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds was appointed to the position of minister of state for employment in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mr Hinds will be reporting to Damian Green, the new Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions.

Also on the department’s ministerial team are fellow Hampshire MPs Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North) and Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North).

Mr Hinds’ new role covers employment strategy, helping people into work, working with employers, and programmes like the New Enterprise Allowance.

“I am honoured to have been appointed as employment minister and I am acutely conscious of the responsibility it carries,” he said. “Employment is at a record high but there is no room for complacency as we face significant economic challenges. I’m massively looking forward to getting out and meeting Jobcentre Plus staff, job-seeker clients and employers, as well as the teams working on the roll-out of Universal Credit and other key reforms.”

Mr Hinds, who backed Remain in the EU Referendum debate, told the Bordon Herald in February: “I have always said that I would not fear for Britain outside the EU. We are a strong and great nation and a major economy, but the best outcome would be for Britain to be in a reformed EU that works better for us.”