Following Boris Johnson’s election as Prime Minister in July, I was honoured and delighted to join the Cabinet as Paymaster General and Minister for Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office acts as a nerve centre and the headquarters of the Government. It brings together different Departments to co-ordinate and drive the delivery of cross-government priorities.

As its Minister, I will be responsible for running the Cabinet Office, supported by junior ministers. In particular, I will support the Prime Minister’s work on the Union, as well as our wider agenda on the constitution and defending democracy. As a first step in early August I was delighted to announce that the UK will be bidding to host the 2020 climate conference in Glasgow.

I am particularly proud the Prime Minister has also asked me to represent veterans of our armed forces around the cabinet table. Our veterans have made extraordinary sacrifices for this country and it’s only right that we repay their commitment with the right support and care when they leave service. I am honoured to take on this role as a champion for veterans across government and will be a voice for their interests at the Cabinet table. The new Office for Veterans’ Affairs will coordinate essential work being carried out across Departments to ensure our servicemen and servicewomen receive unparalleled support across all areas of life.

I will continue our work on cross-government efficiency and resilience, as well as driving the Prime Minister’s domestic priorities across the Government which includes recruiting an extra 20,000 police officers, making the most of every penny of the extra £33.9 billion for the NHS, properly funding our schools and upgrading our country’s infrastructure.

As ever I will continue to defend and promote the interests of Hertsmere, both through my contribution to the national interest as a Minster and in my daily constituency duties as your Member of Parliament.