Damian Hinds, Conservative MP for East Hampshire, has been appointed exchequer secretary to the Treasury this morning, and is expected to have responsibility for charity tax affairs.

Historically the exchequer secretary has been responsible for charitable tax reliefs and gift aid, among several other responsibilities. Hinds' responsibilities have not been confirmed, but there is no expectation that the role’s responsibilities will change.

The financial secretary to the Treasury also has some responsibility for the sector on VAT issues. David Gauke has been reappointed to that post.

Andrew O’Brien, head of policy at the Charity Finance Group, said Hinds faced a number of big issues around the charity sector, particularly reform of gift aid and the poor performance of the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme.

“There is also an opportunity for the new minister to look at how we can tackle the burden of irrecoverable VAT which costs charities hundreds of millions every year," he said. "Hopefully, we can see progress on this longstanding issue over the next few years.”

Hinds has replaced Priti Patel in the role. Patel held the role between July 2014 and May 2015 and has now been appointed minister of state for employment.

Hinds was first elected to parliament as the member for East Hampshire in May 2010. In the previous Coalition government, he was assistant government whips and a former parliamentary private secretary to the minister for the armed forces. His Parliamentary voting history shows that he voted very strongly for the implementation of the Lobbying Act.

He was educated at St. Ambrose School, before receiving a first in politics, philosophy and economics from Trinity College, Oxford where he was also president of the Oxford Union Society.

He has done some work supporting charities in his constituency in the past, including The Reading Agency. His Conservative profile list his “passions” as: “education, business, the economy and issues around tackling poverty.”