York MP Hugh Bayley has been appointed to the Government as a junior social security minister.

Hugh Bayley: contacted on holiday

Mr Bayley, 46, was contacted by Prime Minister Tony Blair in the upmarket Swiss resort of Davos where he is skiing with his children Benjamin, aged 13, and Eleanor, 11.

Speaking to the Evening Press, he said: "I am delighted to be appointed to the Government. It was completely unexpected.

"I have had a long interest in social policy and social security.

"It will be an exciting year ahead with a (social security) bill going through Parliament."

Mr Bayley is one of the MPs to benefit from the mini-reshuffle following the resignations of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Mandelson and Paymaster General Geoffrey Robinson.

Financial Secretary Dawn Primarolo has been promoted to Paymaster General.

Small Firms Minister Barbara Roche is appointed to replace her as a minister at the Treasury - which will now have three women among its five ministers.

Stephen Timms is promoted to Minister of State at the Department of Social Security and his post is filled by Mr Bayley.

The York MP will receive a pay rise of £24,273, on top of his MP's salary of £45,066.

Michael Wills gets a junior, unpaid ministerial post at the Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr Bayley is regarded as a loyal, Blairite backbencher, who gained his ministerial spurs as parliamentary private secretary to Health Secretary Frank Dobson.

He was a social policy lecturer at York University in 1986/87, has worked for the union NALGO and his maiden speech to Parliament in 1992 was on long-term care for the elderly.

He was re-elected in May 1997 with a majority of more than 20,000 - polling the third highest vote of any MP.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.