| Mark Prisk MP | |
|---|---|
| Minister of State for Business and Enterprise | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 13 May 2010 |
|
| Preceded by | New post |
| Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 7 June 2001 |
|
| Preceded by | Bowen Wells |
| Majority | 15,437 (27.9%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 June 1962 Redruth, Cornwall, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Lesley Titcomb |
| Alma mater | University of Reading |
Michael Mark Prisk (born 12 June 1962, in Redruth, Cornwall) is a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hertford and Stortford, and was appointed Minister of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in May 2010. He earlier served on the opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Business and Enterprise, and Shadow Minister for Cornwall.[1]
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Prisk was born at Redruth and whilst living at Camborne was educated at Truro School in 1973-80. He went on to study Land Management at the University of Reading, gaining a BSc degree. From 1983 to 1985, he was Chairman of the Youth Section of Peace through NATO. He was vice-chairman of the Federation of Conservative Students in 1982-83.
After graduation he worked in property and economic development, rising to become director of a £3 million practice. From 1983 to 1985, he worked as a graduate surveyor for Knight Frank, then a Development Surveyor for Derrick Wade & Waters where he became manager of the London office from 1985 to 1989. He was a marketing director from 1989-91, then principal of the Mark Prisk Connection from 1991 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001, he was company owner of MP2.
He was a former Chairman of Cornwall Young Conservatives and after two unsuccessful parliamentary battles in 1992 (Newham North West) and 1997 (Wansdyke), he was finally elected as the Conservative MP for the constituency of Hertford and Stortford in 2001. Since gaining his seat at Westminister, he has been marked for ministerial office in a future Tory government. He has been promoted from the backbenches to serve at various points as Shadow Financial Secretary, Shadow Minister for Economic Affairs, an opposition whip and Shadow Minister for Business and Enterprise. He is author of several pamphlets on urban design.
On 26 July 2007, the Conservative party appointed Mark Prisk as Shadow Minister for Cornwall, although there is no government post of Minister for Cornwall for the opposition to formally shadow. The party said that the move was intended to help place the county's concerns "at the heart of Conservative thinking". Conservative Party leader David Cameron said he wholeheartedly endorsed the appointment and it would ensure that the voice of Cornwall was heard. [2] The post was discontinued following the 2010 general election, and currently there is no "minister for Cornwall".
Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor accused the Conservative Party of using the appointment in a bid to get around the rule that requires MPs to limit the local cases they take up to their own constituency, by claiming that party political activity by MPs outside their own constituencies was in the role of "Shadow Minister" for the areas concerned, despite there being no actual Minister to shadow.[3]
Mark Prisk defended his role as Shadow Minister for Cornwall in open letter to the Falmouth Packet dated Wednesday 28 November 2007. He noted that, "as a born and bred Cornishman", his role is to listen to the concerns of people in Cornwall, to feed these back to the Shadow Cabinet, and to make sure that Conservative policies properly reflect the needs of Cornwall.[4]
He married Lesley Titcomb, now a senior regulator at the Financial Services Authority,[5] in April 1989 in Oxfordshire. They live in Much Hadham. He sings in the Parliament choir with his wife. He is a member of Saracens Rugby Club.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bowen Wells |
Member of Parliament for Hertford and Stortford 2001–present |
Incumbent |