A former City solicitor was appointed justice minister in David Cameron’s cabinet reshuffle today. 

Shailesh Vara, MP for North West Cambridge, replaces Helen Grant, who has been moved sideways to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport after just a year as parliamentary under-secretary of state for justice. 

Vara, who was born in 1960, qualified as a solicitor and worked in City and west London firms, before entering Parliament in 2005, succeeding Brian Mawhinney.

He attended Aylesbury Grammar School and Brunel University where he graduated in law.

This is the first ministerial appointment for Vara, who has been an assistant whip in the coalition government. He is expected to take over Grant’s portfolio, which included victims, courts and legal services regulation.

His entry in Who’s Who lists his hobbies as travel, cricket and tae kwon do.

Grant has been moved sideways to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport where she is appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state for sport and equalities.

It is understood that the rest of the ministerial team at the Ministry of Justice remain in post.