Curriculum Vitae

Achievements

Ministerial Offices

  • Born in 1946. Married with two children. Educated at Highgate School
  • MEP for North West Region of England

2014–

  • President, Preston Conservative Association.

1999—2014

  • MEP for North West England.

2007—2014

  • Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  • Chief Whip 2007-2009

2005—2007

  • Substitute member on the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

2004—2007

  • Deputy Leader of the British Conservative Delegation

2004—2009

  • 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
  • Freeman of the City of London

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 1997-2013
  • 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
  • President of the “Ribble Link” Canal Campaign
  • Member of the Conservative Group for Europe
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