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Fox-hunting campaigner named as third recycling minister in a year
Dan Norris, the Labour MP for North-East Somerset, has been named as the third minister for waste and recycling within 12 months.
Norris' appointment was made following the surprise resignation from government last Monday of Jane Kennedy, who criticised Gordon Brown's regime for its use of smears and leaks against politicians.
Norris was named on Tuesday as a parliamentary under-secretary at Defra - effectively, a junior minister - and the department has since confirmed that waste and recycling will top a long list of his responsibilities.
These also include sustainable development, sustainable consumption and production, carbon budgeting, biofuels, nanotechnology and genetically modified crops.
Norris is the third minister to hold the waste and recycling remit in the last year. Joan Ruddock was replaced in the role by Jane Kennedy last October.
In her nine months in the job, Kennedy had proved popular with the packaging community but quit her ministerial role last week amid Gordon Brown's leadership crisis. She left after officials at 10 Downing Street asked her to pledge her allegiance to Gordon Brown but she refused.
Norris, a former teacher and child protection officer, first became an MP in Labour's landslide victory in 1997. He has been an active campaigner in a number of areas including banning fox-hunting, promoting child protection and promoting the Freedom of Information act.
Norris: became MP in 2007 Labour landslide
