South West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison has been moved to the Northern Ireland Office in today’s government reshuffle.

The former naval surgeon, whose constituency covers Trowbridge and Westbury, has served on the Conservative front bench since 2003.

He has been named as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, serving under secretary of state for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers.

He has previously served as a government health spokesman, and was transferred to the Ministry of Defence in 2007.

He said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as a defence minister for nearly two years with some really great people. I am looking forward to my new duties in Northern Ireland.”

He will continue with his additional role as the PM’s special representative for the Commemoration of the Centenary of the First World War.

Fellow Wiltshire MP Claire Perry, who has represented Devizes since 2010, was also named as Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport in today’s reshuffle.