MP David Laws has been promoted within the Liberal Democrat party and given the key responsibility for education.

Mr Laws, whose Yeovil constituency covers Chard and Ilminster, has been promoted by LibDem leader Sir Menzies Campbell to Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

He will be shadowing one of the most important Government departments, which has been given the responsibility for all issues relating to children - including early years education, schools, child poverty, anti-social behaviour, children's health and child protection.

Fellow Somerset MP David Heath, who represents Somerton, has also been promoted to the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Lord Chancellor, where he will shadow Jack Straw.

Mr Laws, formerly given responsibilities for Work and Pensions, said: "I am really delighted to be asked to take on responsibility for education and all issues relating to children.

"Helping to ensure that every child in Britain gets the opportunities which they deserve is surely one of the biggest challenges which our country faces.

"This is one of the really important roles which I have always hoped to take on, and I now have a lot of work to do to master all aspects of the portfolio.

"Over the next few months I intend to listen and learn from teachers, parents and young people in our own area - there is nothing like first hand experience for understanding what the challenges really are."

Mr Laws will visit three schools in Yeovil on Friday and he said that he would pay even more attention than normal' to what he was told.