MP for Cradley and Stourbridge Lynda Waltho will be helping to speed up the country's criminal and civil courts system after being apppointed to the new Ministry of Justice.

Labour MP Lynda was this week looking forward to her new role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon David Hanson MP, Minister of State for Justice - which she will take up after the Whitsun break.

The new Ministry of Justice will be responsible for policy on the criminal, civil, family and administrative justice system and helping to speed up the system so once a supect has been charged their journey through the courts, and possibly prison and probation, can be managed more effectively.

Lynda said: "The new Ministry of Justice is another great challenge, taking the leading role in bringing a fairer, more effective, speedy and efficient justice system, and also in reducing re-offending.

"I have long been of the opinion that we need to preserve the aspects of the criminal justice system that work well and reform those that are poorly designed, ineffective or restrictive.

"People want a system that is as fair and effective at convicting the guilty as it has been at defending the rights of the innocent. They also want more focus on efforts to reduce re-offending.

"I intend to make sure the views of my constituents and local professionals are heard loud and clear by the new Minister."

Mum-of-two Lynda's new role comes just two years after she became the first of the 2005 intake of MPs to be given a Government post.

The former teacher from Wordsley had been in the House of Commons just six months before landing the job of Parliamentary Private Secretary for Home Office minister David Hanson in the Northern Ireland Office.

She said: "It has been a great privilege to be involved in Northern Ireland Office for the last two years when we have seen the culmination of many years of hard work on all sides to develop a lasting peace and stable devolved government for the Province.

"I have seen and learnt much in a relatively short time and played a small part at an historical turning point. I am sure in years to come I will look back on this period of my career with pride."