Members of Parliament for Skipton - Craven Herald

Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon

Party

Committees

Public Accounts Committee, Fisheries Group, Sustainable Housing Group, Building Societies And Financial Mutuals Group, Allergy Group, Homelessness And Housing Need Group, Community Development In Europe Group, European Union Group, Retail Group, Methodist Group, Pesticides And Organophoshates Group, Agriculture And Food For Development Group, Local Democracy Group, Forestry Group, Domestic Violence Group, Housing Co-operatives And Community Controlled Housing Group, European Union Enlargement Group, Areas Of Outstanding Natural Beauty Group, Climate Change Group, Youth Hostelling Group, Town Centre Management Group, Design And Innovation (associate Group), Pharmaceutical Industry Group, Afghanistan (associate Group), Algeria Group, British-armenian Group, Bolivia Group, Croatia Group, Estonia Group, France Group, British-lithuania Group, Mongolia Group, Sri Lanka Group

Biography

MP Since - 1987 Majority - 11,620 Born - 13/06/1944, Married, 1 son, 2 twin daughters. Education - Ripon Grammar School, Corpus Christi College Oxford, Harvard University.

Previous Occupation - Journalist, Newcastle Journal (1967-70), Financial Times (1970-79), Editor World Trade, International Company News, Brussels Correspondent, Paris Correspondent, European News Editor. Advisor to numerous companies, (1987-89).

Personal Overview - Has very strong interest in Europe and connected Agricultural issues. He appears very pro European (MEP 1979-89), and has been interested in Common Agricultural Policy reform for much of his political career (sees Europe as the major issue of our generation). He has been highly rated as a Minister and was gradually promoted. In his role of Minister for local Government (1993-97), he gained experience of the changing structure of Local Government and its associated services. His competencies were extended to Housing and Urban Regeneration in 1994. Overall, he has Media, European and Agricultural experience. He notably resigned from the Shadow Cabinet in 1997 in protest against the more Euro sceptic leadership line. Become the Chairman of the Agriculture Select Committee (2000-01), and again when it was re-formed as the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Select Committee (2001-03). Returned to the Front Bench in 2003 in Michael Howard's initial reshuffle, his appointment from the pro European wing of the party, a sign of a more inclusive Conservative leadership. He however resigned in March 2004 for family reasons. Stood down as Chairman of the Standards and Privileges Committee in November 2009 with an inquiry looming into his own expenses and referred himself to Commissioner on Parliamentary Standards John Lyon.

Political History - MP Skipton & Ripon (1987-). Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (1989-92). Minister of State for MAFF (1992-93), Minister of State at the Department of Environment (1993-97). Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1997). Chairman of the All Party Local Government Group (1999-2001). Former Chairman of the Conservative Back Bench Agriculture Committee. Member of the Agriculture Select Committee (1998-2000), Chairman (2000-01), Member Food Standards Select Committee (1999-2001), Public Accounts Committee (1999-2000, 2004-), Liaison Committee (2000-03), Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Select Committee (2001-03) (former Chairman). Former Vice-Chairman, European Union Enlargement All Party Group, Chairman Community Governance's All Party Group, Vice Chairman of the Homelessness and Housing Need Group. Shadow Secretary of State for Local & Devolved Government (2003-04), Shadow Cabinet Member (2003-04). Member of the Standards & Privileges Select Committee (2006-09), Chairman (2009). Executive Member of the 1922 Committee.

Characteristics - Pro European, highly rated with media experience. Vice President of the Local Government Association. Director of the British Association for Central & Eastern Europe. Has been a columnist for the Farming Guardian and the Local Government Chronicle. Introduced a Private Members' Bill on Annuities Reform (Private Pensions).

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