Ms. Coffey had been appointed to the role in October 2022 during Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle. She previously served as the recycling minister at Defra from 2016 to 2019, initially appointed under Andrea Leadsom and retained by Michael Gove. During her tenure, the department introduced the Environment Improvement plan, unveiled the ‘Simpler Recycling’ reforms, and drove Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging policy forward.
Mr. Barclay transitions from his role as the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, where he had also succeeded Ms. Coffey when she assumed the position of Environment Secretary in October 2022.
With Ms. Coffey’s resignation, Mr. Barclay becomes the fifth Secretary of State for the Environment in four years.
In 1998, Mr. Barclay earned his qualification as a solicitor. Subsequently, he gained experience as a legal professional, serving as a lawyer for Axa Insurance, a regulator for the Financial Services Authority, and later holding positions as Director of Regulatory Affairs and Head of Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions at Barclays Retail Bank.
Martin Trigg-Knight, Director of Compliance Services, Clarity Environmental commented:
