Mark Prisk Named as New Housing Minister, as Grant Shapps is Promoted

Ex-construction minister Mark Prisk has been named as the new Housing Minister, after it was confirmed that Grant Shapps has been promoted to the cabinet.

Mr Shapps will be a cabinet minister without portfolio and Conservative party chair.

The post was previously held by Baroness Warsi, who is moving to take on a dual ministerial role as faith and communities minister at the Communities and Local Government department, and as a foreign office minister.

Mr Shapps is one of the longest serving housing ministers of recent times, having been in his former post since May 2010.

Grainia Long, chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “Grant enjoyed an extended tenure in the housing brief as both shadow and then housing minister. One of his greatest achievements was to push through the changes to local authority self financing, something that CIH was instrumental in campaigning for. I would personally like to wish Grant the very best of luck in his new position as Conservative Party co-chairman.”