Baroness Vadera ­ known in Whitehall as “Gordon’s representative on Earth” ­ has been put in charge of IT industry policy.

In the reshuffle following the resignation of Peter Hain, Vadera will move to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and take responsibility for e-commerce, communications and information industries.

Hain’s replacement as Welsh secretary, Paul Murphy, will also head the drive to improve data security in Whitehall and oversee moves to close the digital divide.

The prime minister gave Murphy additional responsibilities because his office lacks executive responsibilities, rather than because of any particular expertise. Murphy has no previously recorded interest in IT and his expenses show he spent only £1,139 on computer equipment last year.