Owen Paterson

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For the production designer, see Owen Paterson (production designer).
The Right Honourable
Owen Paterson
MP
Owen-Paterson.jpg
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 September 2012
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by Caroline Spelman
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
12 May 2010 – 4 September 2012
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by Shaun Woodward
Succeeded by Theresa Villiers
Shadow Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland
In office
2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010
Leader David Cameron
Preceded by David Lidington
Succeeded by Shaun Woodward
Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 May 1997
Preceded by John Biffen
Majority 15,828 (30.5%)
Personal details
Born Owen William Paterson
(1956-06-24) 24 June 1956 (age 56)
Whitchurch, Shropshire, England
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Rose Ridley
Children Felix
Ned
Evie
Alma mater Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Profession Leather industries
Religion Anglican[citation needed]
Website Official website

Owen William Paterson (born 24 June 1956) is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since 2012 and the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Shropshire since 1997.[1] He was first appointed to the Shadow Cabinet of David Cameron in 2007 as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Upon the formation of the Coalition Government in 2010 he was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, where he remained until being moved to DEFRA in 2012.

Contents

Early life and career [edit]

Paterson was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire. He attended Abberley Hall School and Radley College, before beginning studies at Cambridge University, where he read History at Corpus Christi College. He then went on to the National Leathersellers College (now the British School of Leather Technology at the University of Northampton).[2]

He joined the British Leather Company in 1979, becoming Sales Director in 1983 and Managing Director from 1993 to 1999. He was President of COTANCE (The Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community),[3] the European Tanners Confederation from 1996–1998. He was a Director of Parsons and Sons[4] leather company in Halesowen in the 1990s. Paterson is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Leathersellers' Company.

Member of Parliament [edit]

Paterson contested, but failed to win, the Wrexham seat in the 1992 General Election. He is Member of Parliament for North Shropshire, being first elected at the 1997 General Election and has been returned at every General Election there since.[5]

He served on a number of committees including the Welsh Affairs Committee (1997–2001), the European Standing Committee (1998–2001), and the Agriculture Committee (2000–01).[6] Paterson is a supporter of Royal Irish Regiment which has been based in his constituency at Tern Hill [7]

His parliamentary record shows him to be moderately against gay rights.[8]

Front bench politician [edit]

Paterson was appointed Shadow agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister from 2003-05. As agriculture spokesman he became an expert on bovine TB and campaigned for the dairy industry. He visited Michigan, Maryland and Washington to discuss Bovine TB Policy, writing extensively on the issue facing the UK.[9]

He travelled all over the North Atlantic to produce a landmark Green Paper on Fisheries.[10] Paterson joined the crew of the Kiroan, one of the few remaining trawlers out of Fleetwood, Lancashire, to view the fishing practices which have been created by the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.[11] He wrote the Green Paper "Consultation on a National Policy on Fisheries Management in U.K.Waters" [12] which was used by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Fish Fight Campaign.[citation needed]

Shadow Minister for Transport [edit]

Paterson previously served as Shadow Minister for Transport from 2005-07. Whilst he was Shadow Minister for Roads, Paterson researched relevant best practice and the latest ideas from Europe and North America.[10]

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [edit]

He was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 2 July 2007.

Paterson negotiated an agreement with the Ulster Unionist Party to re-establish the traditional links between the two parties, which was broken in 1972.[13] This included running joint Conservative/UUP candidates for the 2009 European and 2010 general elections.

News of this alliance was praised by several Conservatives, including Iain Dale and ConservativeHome.[14][15] However the alliance caused the UUP's only MP Sylvia Hermon to resign from the UUP. Lady Hermon retained her seat successfully against the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists in the 2010 Westminster election. The UUP lost seats at the assembly elections the following year.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland [edit]

Paterson was appointed as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in The Coalition Government on 12 May 2010.[16] He was created a Privy Counsellor on 13 May 2010.[17]

One of his first tasks was overseeing the publication and delivery of the Saville Report on the events of Bloody Sunday which led to an apology by the Prime Minister David Cameron.[18] He Worked with the Treasury to deliver his promise of a consultation on the devolution of the power to reduce the rate of Corporation Tax [19] to Stormont. Paterson has stated that "Rebalancing and rebuilding the economy is critical to the future prosperity of Northern Ireland and it is one of the Government’s key priorities for Northern Ireland."[20] He has been outspoken on the issue of integrated education in Northern Ireland. Currently 95% of Northern Ireland pupils attend a segregated school. Paterson believes segregated education is not working; in October 2010 he said: “there's a school in Belfast with no pupils and there's a school in Belfast with more staff than pupils. That's just a criminal waste of public money. We cannot go on bearing the cost of segregation and I don't see why the British taxpayer should continue to subsidise segregation."[21]

Personal life [edit]

Paterson married Rose Ridley, the daughter of Matthew Ridley, 4th Viscount Ridley and sister of Matt Ridley in 1980.[22] They have two sons and a daughter. They are Felix, Ned and Evie.[23] Paterson speaks fluent French and German. His wealth is estimated at £1.5m.[24]

Paterson is a keen horse rider and racer. He has ridden across Turkmenistan and most recently Mongolia.[25]

Styles [edit]

  • Mr Owen Paterson (1956–97)
  • Mr Owen Paterson MP (1997–2010)
  • Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP (2010– )

References [edit]

  1. ^ v
  2. ^ http://www2.northampton.ac.uk/portal/page?_pageid=434,2721693&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL[dead link]
  3. ^ http://www.euroleather.com/cotance.htmlTemplate:COTANCE
  4. ^ www.parsonsandsons.co.uk[dead link]
  5. ^ "BBC - Shropshire's MPs hold onto their seats". BBC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  6. ^ "Rt Hon Owen Paterson". Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  7. ^ "Politicians clash in wristband row". Shropshire Star. 9 October 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  8. ^ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/owen_paterson/north_shropshire
  9. ^ Owen Paterson (6 December 2005). "Owen Paterson MP visits the USA to discuss Bovine TB Policy". Farmers weekly. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  10. ^ a b "The Conservative Party|People|Members of Parliament|Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP". Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  11. ^ Charles Clover, Richard North (18 October 2004). "Fishermen call for end to slaughter caused by EU net laws". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
  12. ^ Owen Paterson MP (January 2005), Consultation on a National Policy on Fisheries Management in UK Waters, Conservative Party (UK), retrieved 16 September 2011 
  13. ^ Andrew Porter (23 July 2008). "David Cameron launches biggest Conservative shake-up for decades". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  14. ^ Iain Dale (24 July 2008). "A Landmark Day for Northern Ireland Politics". Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  15. ^ Jonathan Isaby (21 November 2008). "In praise of Owen Paterson and the Tory/UUP deal". ConservativeHome. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  16. ^ "Owen Paterson new NI Secretary of State". BBC News. 12 May 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
  17. ^ "Privy Council appointments, 13 May 2010". Privy Council. Retrieved 26 July 2010. 
  18. ^ "Bloody Sunday: PM David Cameron's full statement". BBC News. 15 June 2010. 
  19. ^ "NI corporation tax cut 'benefits all' - Owen Paterson". BBC News. 30 March 2011. 
  20. ^ http://www.nio.gov.uk/secretary-of-state-owen-paterson-mp-welcomes-high-level-of-response-to-corporation-tax-consultation/media-detail.htm?newsID=17950
  21. ^ http://www.u.tv/news/Paterson-sparks-segregation-row/a22bed35-dded-4219-9c89-f6b3428b71d7
  22. ^ www.burkespeerage.com
  23. ^ [1]
  24. ^ Glen Owen The coalition of millionaires: 23 of the 29 member of the new cabinet are worth more than £1m... and the Lib Dems are just as wealthy as the Tories Mail on Sunday 23 May 2010
  25. ^ Cassandra Jardine (5 August 2011). "Owen Paterson on the Mongol Derby". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Owen Paterson
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Biffen		 Member of Parliament
for North Shropshire
1997–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
David Lidington		 Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2007–2010		 Succeeded by
Shaun Woodward
Preceded by
Shaun Woodward		 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
2010–2012		 Succeeded by
Theresa Villiers
Preceded by
Caroline Spelman		 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
2012–present		 Incumbent
1972-1974
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1974-1979
1979-1997
1997-2010
2010-present
Secretaries of State for Environment
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Secretaries of State for the Environment,
Transport and the Regions
Secretaries of State for Environment,
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