Liz Truss. Photo: Policy Exchange

The climate-change sceptic minister in charge of England’s outdoors has been sacked by Prime Minister David Cameron, to be replaced by a rising star from the Conservative Party.

Liz Truss was today appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, replacing Owen Paterson, who courted controversy over the badger cull, flooding and global warming.

Ms Truss moves from the Department for Education to become the youngest ever female cabinet minister.

The MP for south-west Norfolk studied philosophy, politics and economics at Merton College, Oxford and worked for Shell and Cable & Wireless before entering Parliament. She is a keen advocate of free-market economics and was previously deputy director of the Reform think-tank, which campaigns for low taxation and reduced public expenditure.

Liz Truss was educated at the state Roundhay School in Leeds, and her parents were active in left-wing politics. She was Liberal Democrat president at Oxford University but has moved rightwards politically since.

Her predecessor was criticised for failing to accept a briefing by Professor David MacKay, the Government’s chief scientific adviser to the Department for Energy and Climate Change. Mr Paterson continued the controversial badger cull which proved ineffective in controlling bovine tuberculosis, claiming the badgers had ‘moved the goalposts’.

Owen Paterson, ousted in the Cabinet reshuffle. Photo: Defra

His handling of the recent winter floods also came in for flak, though the Environment Agency chairman at the time, Labour peer Lord Smith, supported him.

Ms Truss’s appointment was one of two new female faces in the cabinet. David Cameron referred to her in a BBC interview as the ‘agriculture secretary’.

grough approached the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for a statement from Ms Truss on her appointment, but none was forthcoming.

Britain’s biggest walking charity said it would invite the new minister to pull on her boots with them.

Benedict Southworth, Ramblers chief executive, said: “Congratulations to Elizabeth Truss on her appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

“As environment minister, we hope she’ll continue to support the roll-out of the England Coast Path and work with us to protect and expand the places people love to walk; from our local woodlands to our spectacular national parks and trails.

“We’ll be inviting her to step out on a walk with us to discover first-hand the benefits of walking for health and wellbeing, as well as discussing the important role walking can play in supporting local economies and the environment.”

Country Land and Business Association president Henry Robinson said: “We hope she wastes no time in grasping the nettle on the key issues for food and farming and presents a bold vision for our industry.

“We would like to see her continue the good policy work started under her predecessor particularly in areas such as animal and plant health and flood management.”

The Defra Secretary oversees Natural England, the advisory body for the outdoors in England. She also has the final say on many cases involving access and public rights of way.