Whately appointed to oversee gambling at DCMS

Helen Whately has been named as the new Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DMCS), with responsibility for gambling and lotteries.

Whately has been the Member of Parliament for the Faversham and mid Kent constituency since May 2015, but has not previously held a government role.

However, she has served as deputy chair of the Conservative Party since April this year, having previously been its vice chair.

In addition to gambling and lotteries, Whately will oversee the arts, museums and cultural property, libraries, heritage, tourism, cultural diplomacy, public appointments and an overall approach to culture and place in her new role.

She is the third minister to hold the position since November of last year, when Tracey Crouch resigned from the role in protest at the delayed introduction of new regulations for fixed-odds betting terminals. The Government eventually reversed this decision and the new laws came into effect on 1 April.

Whately replaces Rebecca Pow, who was reappointed to the role in July under the leadership of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Pow, who also served in the position under former PM Theresa May, will now take on a similar position with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.