Curriculum Vitae
- Born in 1946. Married with two children. Educated at Highgate School
- MEP for North West Region of England
2007—
- Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2005—2007
- Substitute member on the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2004—2007
- Deputy Leader of the British Conservative Delegation
2004—
- Committee on Petitions (Conservative Spokesman & EPP-Group Co-ordinator)
- Committe on Transport and tourism
- Member, European Parliament Committee for China
2002—2004
- Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (British Conservative spokesman)
- Delegation for relations with South Africa
- Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
1999—2002
- Committee on Regional Policy, Transport & Tourism (British Conservative Spokesman)
- Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security & Defence Policy
- Vice President, European Parliament Committee for Cyprus
1979—1997
- MP for Preston North, 1979—1983, & South Ribble, 1983—1997
1982—1987
- Parliamentary Private Secretary to various Ministers
1987—1989
- Minister for Industry & Aerospace, Department of Trade & Industry
1989—1990
- Minister for Roads and Traffic, Department of Transport
1990—1992
- Minister for Sport, Department of the Environment and then Department for Education
1992—1994
- Minister of State, Northern Ireland
1994—1995
- Minister of State for the Environment and the Countryside, Department of the Environment
1979—1982
- Secretary, Conservative Parliamentary Defence Committee, and Vice Chairman, Conservative Parliamentary Aviation Committee
1984—1987
- National President of Conservative Trades Unionists
1995—1997
- Member of Select Committee on Procedure
1995—1997
- Chairman, Lancashire Conservative MPs
1996—1997
- Chairman, North-West Group of Conservative MPs
2000—
- President, Lancaster and Wyre Conservative Association
- Patron, Hyndburn Conservative Association
- Freeman of the City of London
2001—
- Patron, Blackpool North & Fleetwood Conservative Business Club
1995
- Appointed to Her Majesty’s Privy Council
1997
- Knighted
- Leisure interests:
- Cricket, Rugby, Ecclesiology, Oenology and Holmesiana. Member of MCC, Lancashire CCC, Middlesex CCC and the Lord’s Taverners
- Vice—President, Lancashire County Cricket Club
- President, Garstang Cricket Club Vice-President, Preston Grasshoppers RFC Vice President, Garstang RUFC
- Chairman, Lancashire CCC Development Association
- Member of the Victorian Society, Historic Churches Preservation Trust, English Heritage, National Trust, the Sherlock Holmes Society, and the Carlton Club
- Vice-President of the Lancashire Cricket Federation
- Patron, Golden Grand Theatre (Lancaster) Appeal
- President of the “Ribble Link” Canal Campaign
- Member of the Conservative Group for Europe