The new ministers

TONY WORTHINGTON, NORTHERN IRELAND EDUCATION MINISTER

TONY WORTHINGTON, 55, MP for Clydebank and Milngavie since 1987, takes on responsibility for education, the training and employment agency, health, and community relations in Northern Ireland.

A former lecturer, he has a keen interest in forging better links between school, further education and training, and has been clearly authorised to implement this through the new joint education and training brief. He has also been canvassing views on setting up a HE/FE funding council in the province.

* Welsh minister to be announced.