Mark Harper MP has been appointed Secretary of State for Transport by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

He was previously Chief Whip (Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) from May 2015 until 14 July 2016, Minister for Disabled People from July 2014 until May 2015, Minister for Immigration from September 2012 until February 2014, and Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform from May 2010 until September 2012.

Mr Harper was educated at Headlands school, Swindon, and Swindon College, before studying philosophy, politics and economics at Brasenose College, Oxford.

He was elected as an MP in May 2005. In December 2005, and was appointed Shadow Minister for Defence and in July 2007 he became Shadow Minister for Disabled People. Following the formation of the coalition government in 2010, Mr Harper was appointed Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform. He was appointed Minister for Immigration in September 2012.

He qualified as a chartered accountant with the professional services network, KPMG, in 1995. Until 2002 he worked for Intel Corporation in a variety of fields, including finance, business operations and marketing, before establishing his own chartered accountancy business in the Forest of Dean.

Mr Harper replaces Anne-Marie Trevelyan.