Andy Kerr

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This article is about the Scottish politician. For the football and basketball coach, see Andrew Kerr (coach).

Andy Kerr (born 17 March 1962, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire) is a Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride constituency, a seat which he has held since 1999.

In November 2006 he won the Scottish Politician of the Year award in recognition of his work to bring in the controversial smoking ban in public places.^[1]

1 Biography
2 Reference
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Biography

Kerr was educated at Claremont High School in East Kilbride and obtained a BA in Social Sciences at Glasgow College.

Prior to being elected to the Scottish Parliament, he was a senior officer in Glasgow City Council land services department and served as an adviser in the Leader's office. He was also founder and managing director of Achieving, a quality assurance consultancy.

He was convener of the Scottish Parliament's Transport and Environment Committee and served on the Confederation of British Industry working group designed to bring MSPs and business closer together as well as being on the cross-party group on ageing and the elderly.

Andy Kerr is considered to be an ally of Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Jack McConnell, working with him on his two successive bids for the leadership of Scottish Labour and the position of First Minister. Upon Jack McConnell's election as First Minister the Scottish Executive underwent a rigorous cabinet reshuffle, allowing McConnell to assert his authority by axeing potential rivals and award allies key posts.

Andy Kerr was first appointed Minister for Finance and Public Services in the Scottish Executive in November 2001 and moved to become Minister for Health and Community Care in October 2004, replacing his embattled predecessor, Malcolm Chisolm.

As Health Minister, Andy Kerr is overseeing massive and controversial NHS restructuring throughout Scotland. In particular, he has encouraged the backdoor privitisation of the NHS via PFI and PPP initiatives. In his own constituency of East Kilbride, Hairmyres Hospital was rebuilt with private finance but with less beds than it had previously.

He was also responsible for the Scottish ban on smoking in public areas which was introduced on March 26, 2006.

Kerr now lives in Strathaven with his wife and three daughters.