Gillian Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold

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Gillian Patricia Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold, PC (born January 22, 1940) is a British Conservative politician; she was the Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk, and a former Secretary of State and is now Parliamentary President of the Conservative Friends of Israel.[1]

Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Ministerial career 3 In opposition 4 Life peerage

[edit] Early life and career

Born Gillian Patricia Watts, she was educated at St Hilda's College University of Oxford after which she became a school teacher and a member of Norfolk County Council. She was elected to Parliament in 1987, and became PPS to Peter Lilley in 1988. She was made Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Social Security in 1989, and then in 1990 Minister of State at HM Treasury. In 1991 she was given the additional role of Deputy Chairman of the Party.

[edit] Ministerial career

After the 1992 general election, she was made Secretary of State for Employment, then Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1993. She moved to Secretary of State for Education in 1994, and stayed at the department when the Department for Employment merged into it in 1995. She remained in this position until the 1997 general election.

[edit] In opposition

After the defeat of the Conservatives, William Hague made her Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and then Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 1998. She returned to the backbenches in 1999, and stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2005 general election.

[edit] Life peerage

On May 13, 2005, it was announced that she would be created a life peer, and on June 21, 2005, the peerage was created as Baroness Shephard of Northwold, of Northwold in the County of Norfolk.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: Paul Lancelot Hawkins	Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk 1987–2005	Succeeded by: Christopher Fraser
Political offices
Preceded by: Michael Howard	Secretary of State for Employment 1992–1993	Succeeded by: David Hunt
Preceded by: John Gummer	Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1993–1994	Succeeded by: William Waldegrave
Preceded by: John Patten Sec. State Education Michael Portillo Sec. State Employment	Secretary of State for Education Later Sec. State Education and Employment 1994–1997	Succeeded by: David Blunkett