Appointment of the New Construction Minister

Lee Rowley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, has been appointed to succeed Anne-Marie Trevelyan as construction minister. Rowley is expected to work with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and join the regular industry calls.

First elected to office in June 2017, Rowley has been confirmed as the next MP to take the construction brief in the department for business, energy, and industrial strategy (BEIS). 

Greg Hands, Trevelyan’s successor as minister of state at BEIS, was initially expected to take over the construction brief but it has gone to Rowley who holds a more junior position. Rowley’s role withing BEIS is unpaid and he is also one of six Junior Lords of the Treasury.

Since 2001, there have been 20 MPs as the role of construction minister. Steve Bratt, Electrical Contractors’ Association chief executive, welcomed the appointment, but said “As we look to build back safer, greener, and better, we hope these continual changes don’t undermine the government’s understanding of our industry, and what we have to offer.

“The country has been relying on construction to lead post-pandemic economic recovery and, going forward, we need informed dialogue and reliable, sustainable policies.