Biography

Born

Coatbridge, 1947.

Education

Stirling University; Jordanhill College of Education; Glasgow University.

Committee membership

Select Committee European Scrutiny; Chairman, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST); Backbench Labour Party Departmental Committee Treasury; Backbench Labour Party Departmental Committee Department for Work and Pensions; Backbench Labour Party Departmental Committee Department for International Development.

All Party Groups

Offshore Oil and Gas Industry (Secretary); Nuclear Industry Group (Secretary); Chemical Industry Group (Secretary); Haemophilia Group (Chair); Peru Group (Chair); Humanist Group (Secretary); Jazz Appreciation Group (Chair).

Organisation membership

TGWU; EIS; CWU Parliamentary Liaison Group (Secretary); International Parliamentary Union; Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; British American Parliamentary Group; Socialist Education Association.

Political career

JP (77-90); Stirling District Council (Councillor)(77-90); Stirling District Council (Council Leader) (80-90); Elected to Westminster (92-); PPS to Tom Clarke (Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport) (97-98).

Political interests

Economy and Enterprise; International Development; European Union; Industry; Skills and Training; Youth Affairs; Crime; Drug Abuse; Small Business.

Career

Teacher.

Leisure interests

Family, Music (Jazz and Classical); Hillwalking; Reading.

Family

Married with one son, one daughter and three grand-children.