Member for Castle Point since 2001. Committees: Secretary, All-Party Hepatology Group since 2004; Vice-Chair, All-Party Wood Panel Industry Group since 2003, Burma Group since 2003; Secretary, All-Party Kazakhstan Group since 2003; Vice-Chair, All-Party Botswana Group since 2003; Vice-Chair, All-Party Gas Safety Group since 2002, Rheumatoid Arthritis Group since 2002; Secretary, All-Party Senegal and Guinea Group since 2002; Joint Vice-Chair, All-Party Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Group since 2002; Vice-Chair, All-Party Sewers and Sewerage Group since 2002; Secretary, All-Party Cable, Satellite and Digital Group since 2001; Member, Select Committee on Science and Technology since 2001; Vice-Chair, Conservative Party Committee for Employment; Chair, Education Policy Committee 1989-93. Political career: Parliamentary Private Secretary to John Watts as Minister of State for Railways, Roads and Local Transport, Department of Transport, 1997; PPS to Ann Widdecombe as Minister of State, Home Office 1995-97, and as Minister of State for Employment 1994-95; Councillor, Dorset County Council 1985-93. Special political interests: Employment, trade and industry, education, elderly, Britain's Sovereignty. Profession/Trade: Company director; engineer; served in RAF 1964-66 (invalided). Education: Holycroft School, Keighley; University of Manchester; Cranfield University BSc Engineering, MSc Industrial Engineering, CDipAF, PhD. Affiliations: Joint Chair, UNA UNESCO Working Committee 1992-97; Trades Union' Member of DATA, TASS, AUEW. Hobbies: Pottery, marathon-running, gardening.
b. 1 August 1948. Divorced with three children.

2005				2001
CON GAIN	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Conservative	22,118	48.3	3.7	17,738	44.6
Labour	13,917	30.4	-11.7	16,753	42.1
Lib Dem	4,719	10.3	2.5	3,116	7.8
UKIP	3,431	7.5	4.3	1,273	3.2
Green	1,617	3.5	-	-	-
Independent	-	-	-	663	1.7
Truth Party	-	-	-	220	0.6
Majority	8,201	17.9		985	2.5
Turnout	45,802	65.9	7.5	39,763	58.4