Christopher Pincher remains in place as housing minister – second in command to communities secretary Robert Jenrick at the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Tolhurst, the Conservative MP for Rochester and Strood, tendered her resignation in a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson on Saturday.
In the letter to the prime minister, she wrote: “Following on from some devastating news for my family, after much consideration and deep reflection, it is with great sadness that I am writing to notify you of my intention to step down from my role as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, so that I am able to care for, and spend some precious time with my family in the coming months.”
Tolhurst was appointed parliamentary under secretary of state at the department on 8 September 2020 and previously held similar roles in the Department for Transport and Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy.
She will return to the backbenches but said she hoped to take on a ministerial role when the time allowed.
Eddie Hughes (pictured), Conservative MP for Walsall North will replace Tolhurst’s at the ministry having previously been an assistant whip for the party.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed the move in a tweet which said: “Congratulations Eddie. Looking forward to welcoming you to MHCLG and to working together.”
Hughes has experience within the property sector. He studied civil engineering at the University of Glamorgan and was previously a parliamentary private secretary at MHCLG.
He also chaired the all party parliamentary group for excellence in the built environment in 2018, headlining its inquiring into the New Homes Ombudsman.
And he has been chairman of housing association WHG.
Tolhurt’s brief and responsibilities included:
Homelessness and rough sleeping
Supported housing
New Homes Ombudsman & redress
Support for Housing Minister on Private Rented Sector
Troubled Families
Domestic abuse
High streets, towns and cities
Social housing White Paper
