Kenneth Robinson
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The Rt. Hon. Kenneth Robinson (19 March 1911-16 February 1996) was a British Labour politician who served as Minister of Health in Harold Wilson's first government, from 1964 to 1968, when the position was merged into the new title of Secretary of State for Social Services.
The son of a doctor, Robinson was educated at Oundle School and worked as a writer, insurance broker and company secretary. He joined the Royal Navy during World War II as an ordinary seaman, commissioned in 1942 and promoted to lieutenant-commander in 1944. He served on the HMS King George V.
Robinson was a St Pancras borough councillor 1945-1949. He was elected to the House of Commons for St. Pancras North in a by-election in 1949. He was a government whip from 1950 until 1951. He joined the cabinet and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1964. Reforms he oversaw include the banning on cigarette television advertising and the reintroduction of prescription charges. When his position of Minister of Health was abolished in 1968, Robinson was appointed Minister for Planning and Land, only for this position to be abolished a year later. Robinson left Parliament in 1970.
Robinson was probably one of the UK's most respected Health Ministers. He was always willing to listen, and indeed took informal advice from his local GPs during difficult negotiations over the GP Charter in 1965.
Robinson had served as the first chairman of the National Association of Mental Health (MIND). His interest in mental health issues brought him into conflict with the Church of Scientology, considered to hold controversial views on mental health: as Minister, he told the House of Commons that he was satisfied that "scientology is socially harmful." He was a campaigner for homosexual law reform and a member of the Homosexual Law Reform Society's executive committee. In June 1960, he introduced the first full-scale Commons debate on the Wolfenden Report's proposals to end the law which criminalised consenting sex between men in private. He had also put forward a bill in 1961 to legalise abortion. His bill failed but Robinson was Minister of Health in 1967 when the Abortion Act 1967 came into force.
Robinson wrote a biography of Wilkie Collins and a guide to Parliament, called Look At Parliament, for young people.
[edit] References
- (1955) The Times House of Commons 1955. The Times.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: George House |
Member of Parliament for St. Pancras North 1940–1970 |
Succeeded by: Albert Stallard |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by: Anthony Barber |
Minister of Health 1964–1968 |
Succeeded by: Richard Crossman Secretary of State for Social Services |
| Preceded by: Lord Gibson |
Chair of the Arts Council of Great Britain 1977–1982 |
Succeeded by: William Rees-Mogg |
