Speaking after today’s Ministerial re-shuffle, the Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers said:

I want to put on record my appreciation for the hard work and support I received from Mike Penning over the past year. He has been a great colleague and will be missed by many whom he met during his time in the Northern Ireland Office. I wish him every success in his new role at the Department for Work and Pensions .

I am also delighted that Andrew Robathan has been appointed Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office. I am sure Andrew’s many years of experience both within Government and in business will serve him well in dealing with the complex issues we face in Northern Ireland. I look forward to welcoming him to the department.