Kamall, who was previously a minister for technology, innovation, and life sciences at the department, was made a life peer on 11 February 2021.
DCMS confirmed his appointment following the departure of his predecessor Nigel Huddleston to become a government whip last week.
Youth sector leaders welcomed Kamall, with Leigh Middleton, chief executive of the National Youth Agency (NYA), writing on Twitter: “Welcome to Syed Kamall as the new minister for young people. “We look forward to working with you to strengthen youth services across England for all young people and making the Youth Guarantee a huge success.”
While Kamall’s role appears similar to that of his predecessor, who held the youth brief alongside policy for sport, heritage and tourism, questions remain over who will hold the portfolio for sport.
A DCMS spokesman said Kamall’s full portfolio is yet to be released, however, his latest Twitter bio says he has responsibility for civil society, heritage, tourism and growth.
Baroness Barran was the last standalone minister for civil society and youth until last year but the position was axed and merged into Huddleston’s remit when she moved to the Department for Education to become a schools minister.
Charity sector body the National Council for Voluntary Organisations raised concerns at the time that “combining civil society with sport, heritage and tourism will mean a full and challenging workload” for Huddleston.
Kamall will work under Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan, who was appointed to the role after Liz Truss become Prime Minister on 5 September.
Donelan is the government’s shortest-serving Education Secretary after she held the post for just 48 hours in July during a mass resignation of senior Conservative Party aides and frontbench MPs.
The lack of clarity on ministerial responsibilities at the DCMS comes as questions remain over the replacement for children’s minister Brendan Clarke-Smith, who left after just two months in the role to join the cabinet office earlier this month.
A spokesman for the Department for Education told CYP Now on Friday that the new children’s minister is expected to be announced “shortly”.
