SCOTTISH Tory MP David Duguid has left the UK Government, Downing Street said.
He was previously a junior minister at the Scotland Office and an assistant Government whip.
In a statement, 10 Downing Street said: “David Duguid MP has left Government – previously Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office, and Assistant Government Whip”.
Duguid said it had been his "honour and genuine pleasure" to serve in the UK Government for 15 months.
“The Prime Minister has asked me to take on a new role as his fisheries envoy which I have accepted and look forward to embracing fully," he explained.
“And of course I will continue speaking up for businesses, communities and all the people of Banff and Buchan.”
Duguid was ridiculed last month after suggesting that oil could be extracted from the controversial Cambo development but not used and instead left to “sit in barrels” to mitigate the impact on the climate.
Scottish Greens co-leader Partick Harvie was taken aback, commenting: “So the UK Government now wants to pay tax dodging companies to drill for oil so it can sit in barrels forever.
“And still they accuse others of being unrealistic.”
Duguid's exit means a space has opened up in the Scotland Office for a new minister to work under Scottish Secretary Alister Jack (below).
There is a small pool for his replacement among the Scottish Tory MPs, of whom there are just four others eligible - John Lamont, Andrew Bowie, Douglas Ross and David Mundell. Ross is already leader, an MP, MSP and football linesman, while Mundell previously served as Scottish secretary under Theresa May and was fired by Johnson.
Ruth Davidson, the former Scottish Tory leader who is now a peer, could be drafted in - she has previously ruled out the Scottish Secretary job.
READ MORE: Ex-Scotland Office minister Ian Duncan exposes how pointless department is
This afternoon Number 10 announced a slew of junior ministerial appointments as the Prime Minister continues to tinker with his frontbench.
James Cartlidge has been appointed parliamentary under secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice and as an assistant Government whip.
Tom Pursglove has been handed the job of parliamentary under secretary of state jointly at the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice while former nurse Maria Caulfield takes up the same position at the Department of Health and Social Care.
David Rutley has taken up a position as junior minister at the Department for Work and Pensions.
George Freeman was appointed minister for science, research and innovation, John Glen became a minister of state at the Treasury, and Marcus Jones and James Morris were made government whips.
Lord Bethell, previously a health minister, also left government – he came under fire after it emerged he had conducted some communications on testing contracts via WhatsApp and text.
Lawyers looking into the situation were told Bethell’s phone had been lost and then broken, then handed to a family member while he upgraded to a new device.
A spokesperson for the UK Government said ministers use a “range of modern forms of communication for discussions” while following government guidance.
Jolyon Maugham of legal campaign group The Good Law Project said he felt they could claim Bethell leaving government as their “first ministerial scalp”.
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