It is the first time that a minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has had rural childcare specifically included in their role.
Part of Ms Coffey’s remit includes rural life opportunities, covering rural childcare, education and skills, and health.
Ms Coffey will work with the Department for Education on this responsibility, although the department has yet to confirm which of its new ministers will be responsible for early years.
She was elected as the Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal in 2010, and was previously the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive, National Day Nurseries Association said, ‘The specific inclusion of childcare in a DEFRA minister’s brief is a new departure for government. It’s welcome that rural childcare will be prioritised in this way under the rural life chances strand of Thérèse Coffey’s brief and we look forward to working with the minister.’
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