Member for Daventry since 1987. Committees: Joint Secretary, Conservative Backbench Agricultural Committee 1987-89; Member, Agricultural Select Committee 1987-89. Political career: Frontbench Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education and Disabled People since 1999; Frontbench Spokesperson, Energy and Industry 1997-99; Frontbench Spokesperson, Treasury, July 1997; Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods 1995-97; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Education 1992-95; Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Senior Whip) 1992; Assistant Government Whip 1990-92; Parliamentary Private Secretary to Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1989-90; Council of Perry Foundation (agricultural research) 1966-90, and President from 1984-90; County Chair of Leicester, Northants and Rutland Counties Branch of NFU 1983; Parliamentary Candidate for Rugby 1974; Conservative Research Department 1966-73, Head of Economic Section 1970-73; part-time Special Advisor to Minister of Agriculture 1984-86; Chair 1979-83 and Treasurer 1976-79, Daventry Constituency Conservative Association. Special political interests: Agriculture, finance, taxation, Europe. Profession/Trade: Farmer. Education: Marlborough College; New College, Oxford, MA, Diploma in Agricultural Economics. Affiliations: Council for Protection of Rural England since 1977; Buckingham University (Local Committee) 1972-77. Hobbies: Countryside, shooting, snooker, poetry.
b. 2 December 1942. Married with three children.

2005				2001
CON HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Conservative	31,206	51.6	2.4	27,911	49.2
Labour	16,520	27.3	-4.9	18,262	32.2
Lib Dem	9,964	16.5	0.4	9,130	16.1
UKIP	1,927	3.2	0.8	1,381	2.4
Veritas	822	1.4	-	-	-
Majority	14,686	24.3		9,649	17
Turnout	60,439	68.1	2.6	56,684	65.5