MP Iain Stewart will still serve Milton Keynes now he's been made a minister for Scotland

Mr Stewart was yesterday appointed a junior minister in the Scotland Office to replace Douglas Ross, the Moray MP who resigned in protest over the Dominic Cummings row.

His appointment led to a flurry of congratulations on social media - but there were also a number of protests from Scottish people.

They complained that an MP who was living in MK may not be the right person to represent them and they questioned Mr Stewart's connections with Scotland.

One wrote: "Mr Stewart. Could you please help me? I am confused. How can you influence what happens in Scotland when you have no vote over Scottish Matters."

Another stated: "The MP for Milton Keynes is now a Scottish Office minister, how absurd."

In fact, the Mr Stewart was born in Scotland and his parents still live there. He grew up in Hamilton, which is seven miles from Glasgow, and was educated privately educated at Hutchesons' Grammar, one of Glasgow's top performing schools.

He worked for the Scottish Conservatives for 12 years before becoming MP for Milton Keynes South in 2010.

Before that, he had stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative Party candidate in the 1999 Scottish Parliament election, for the Glasgow Rutherglen constituency. He finished fourth.

His stance on the Dominic Cummings affair was largely supportive. He issued a statement last week blaming the media for falsely sensationalising the issue and saying: "I find some of the trial by media distinctly ugly."

Mr Stewart added: "I take him (Cummings) at his word that he observed the correct restrictions and did not come into contact with anyone other than his wife and child. We have an important principle in this country of being innocent until proven guilty...

"I also understand that there is currently an investigation underway by Durham Police into the facts of the matter. On the basis of what I know, and unless subsequent facts emerge, I don’t condemn him and call for his head."

But Mr Stewart said he understood people's frustration over the matter.

"I do understand much of the frustration and anger that has been expressed about this. So many have sacrificed so much personally and in their families during this horrible period. I have too.

"I am an only child and have elderly parents with significant health issues living on their own many hundreds of miles away in Scotland. I would dearly love to be able to go up to see them and make sure they are ok. I have not done so. It is hard, and I know many have more acutely difficult situations."

His work in Scotland will start immediately and will report in his new role to Scottish Secretary Alistair Jack

A spokesman for Mr Stewart said today: "There is no change at all to Iain Stewart's work in and for Milton Keynes following his appointment as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland."