Philip Hammond

For the medical commentator and comedian, see Phil Hammond (comedian).

The Right Honourable Philip Hammond MP
Secretary of State for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 October 2011
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Liam Fox
Secretary of State for Transport
In office 12 May 2010 – 14 October 2011
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Lord Adonis
Succeeded by	Justine Greening
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office 2 July 2007 – 11 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Theresa Villiers
Succeeded by	Liam Byrne
In office 6 May 2005 – 6 December 2005
Leader	Michael Howard
Preceded by	George Osborne
Succeeded by	Theresa Villiers
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In office 6 December 2005 – 2 July 2007
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Malcolm Rifkind
Succeeded by	Chris Grayling
Member of Parliament for Runnymede and Weybridge
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 May 1997
Preceded by	Constituency Created
Majority	16,509 (34.3%)
Personal details
Born	4 December 1955 (1955-12-04) Epping, United Kingdom
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	University College, Oxford

Philip Hammond MP (born 4 December 1955) is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the current Defence Secretary in the Coalition government led by David Cameron, having succeeded Liam Fox on 14 October 2011. He previously served as Secretary of State for Transport from 13 May 2010, when he was appointed as a Privy Counsellor. He is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Runnymede and Weybridge.

Early life

Philip Hammond was born in Epping, Essex, the son of a civil engineer, and educated at Shenfield School (now Shenfield High School) in Brentwood, Essex, and University College, Oxford, where he was awarded a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

He joined the medical equipment manufacturers Speywood Laboratories Ltd in 1977, becoming a director of Speywood Medical Limited in 1981. In 1982, an automatic electrocardiograph electrode manufacturing plant figured among his notable achievements. He left in 1983. From 1984, he was a director in Castlemead Ltd, and from 1993–95 he was a partner in CMA Consultants, and from 1994, a director in Castlemead Homes. He has had many business interests including house building and property, manufacturing, healthcare and oil and gas. He has undertaken various consulting assignments in Latin America for the World Bank in Washington, D.C., and was a consultant to the government of Malawi from 1995 until his election to Parliament.

Member of Parliament

He was the chairman of the Lewisham East Conservative Association for seven years from 1989 and contested the 1994 Newham North East by-election caused by the death of the sitting Labour Ron Leighton, losing to Labour's Stephen Timms by 11,818 votes. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1997 General Election for the new Surrey seat of Runnymede and Weybridge. He won the seat with a majority of 9,875 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech on 17 June 1997, reminding the House that it was in his constituency at Runnymede in 1215, when King John sealed Magna Carta, that the basis of constitutional government in England began to emerge.

Philip Hammond was criticised in 2009 when it emerged during the MP expenses row that he claimed just £8 short of the maximum allowance for a second home in London from 2007 to 2008 even though he lived in the commuter belt town of Woking. As a result of the criticism Mr Hammond told his local paper that he would pay back any profit he makes on the future sale of his second home to the public purse.

Shadow Cabinet

In parliament he served on the environment, transport and the regions select committee from 1997 until he was promoted to the front bench by William Hague in 1998 as a spokesman on health. He was moved to become a spokesman on trade and industry by Iain Duncan Smith in 2001, moving to speak on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's responsibilities by Michael Howard in 2003. Mr Howard promoted Hammond to the shadow cabinet following the 2005 general election as the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Following the election of David Cameron later in 2005, he became the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He was moved back to the role of Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury in David Cameron's reshuffle following Gordon Brown's accession to the premiership.

Cabinet

Secretary of State for Transport

Mr. Hammond was appointed Secretary of State for Transport following the creation of the coalition government on 12 May 2010, a position he held until 14 October 2011. On 28 September 2011, Mr. Hammond announced the government would conduct a consultation later in the year on raising the speed limit on motorways from 70mph to 80mph, with a view to introducing the new limit in 2013.

Secretary of State for Defence

Mr. Hammond became Defence Secretary on 14th October 2011 when the Rt. Hon. Dr Liam Fox resigned.

In December 2011 he announced that women are to be allowed to serve on Royal Navy submarines. The first women officers will begin serving on Vanguard class submarines in late 2013. They will be followed by female ratings in 2015, when women should also begin serving on the new Astute class submarine. It was also confirmed that the cost of the Libyan operations was £212m - less than was estimated, including £67m for replacing spent munitions, is all expected to be met from the Treasury reserve. At the start of Britain's military intervention in Libya, Chancellor George Osborne told MPs it was likely to cost tens of millions of pounds, raised to £260m by the MoD as the action continued over the summer.

In January 2012 the Ministry of Defence has announced 4,200 job cuts in a second round of armed forces redundancies. The Army will see up to 2,900 job cuts, including 400 Gurkhas, while the RAF will lose up to 1,000 members and the Royal Navy up to 300. The job losses will account for some of the cuts announced under the defence review - intended to help plug a £38bn hole in the defence budget. Hammond said the government had "no choice but to reduce the size of the armed forces - while reconfiguring them to ensure they remain agile, adaptable and effective". Mr Hammond said: "As we continue with the redundancy process we will ensure we retain the capabilities that our armed forces will require to meet the challenges of the future."

Personal life

He married Susan Carolyn Williams-Walker on 29 June 1991 and they have two daughters and a son. They live in Send, Surrey, and have another home in London.

Hammond's wealth is estimated at £7.5m or £9m.

Styles

• Mr Philip Hammond (1955–97)
• Mr Philip Hammond MP (1997–2010)
• The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP (2010–)

External links

• Profile at the Conservative Party
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
• Current session contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
• Voting record at PublicWhip.org
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.com
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Articles authored at Journalisted
• Profile: Philip Hammond BBC News
• Runnymede and Weybridge Conservatives

Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Runnymede and Weybridge 1997–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Adonis	Secretary of State for Transport 2010–2011	Succeeded by Justine Greening
Preceded by Liam Fox	Secretary of State for Defence 2011–present	Incumbent
Order of precedence in England and Wales
Preceded by William Hague as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Gentlemen as Secretary of State for Defence	Succeeded by Vince Cable as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Order of precedence in Northern Ireland
Preceded by William Hague as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs	Gentlemen as Secretary of State for Defence	Succeeded by Vince Cable as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills