Caroline Dinenage

Caroline Dinenage
Member of Parliament
for Gosport
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Peter Viggers
Majority 14,413 (30.7%)
Personal details
Born 28 October 1971
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Carlos Garetta (????-????)
Mark Lancaster (2014-present)
Alma mater Swansea University
Website www.caroline4gosport.co.uk

Caroline Julia Dinenage[1] (born 28 October 1971)[2] is an English Conservative Party politician. She was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Gosport in 2010. In July 2014 she was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Minister for Women & Equalities, Nicky Morgan MP.[3]

Early life

The daughter of ITV Meridian presenter Fred Dinenage, she has lived in South Hampshire for most of her life.[4] She attended Oaklands RC Comprehensive School, Waterlooville, and then studied Politics and English at Swansea University.[5]

Career

She is a director/company secretary of Dinenages Ltd, a private limited company which under a former franchise contract still trades as Recognition Express, a distributor and supplier of corporate identity products.[6] In 2010, Dinenage had announced that she would sell her quarter share in the business,[7] but instead reduced her shareholding below that of legal control (15%).[8]

Political career

She started her political career in the City of Winchester, where she served on the local council for five years, resigning in 2003.[9] She stood as the Conservative Party candidate for Portsmouth South in the 2005 general election, finishing second with 33.9% of the vote.[10]

Parliamentary career

In 2010, after the retirement announcement of Sir Peter Viggers in light of the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal, Gosport Constituency Conservative Association held a United States-style open primary pre-election, inviting all constituents, of whatever political affiliation, to complete a postal ballot to select a candidate. Dinenage won the Gosport primary.[11]

Dinenage was elected to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Gosport in the 2010 general election with a majority of 14,413.[12]

From November 2012, Caroline has sat on the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee.[13] In June 2013, Dinenage was appointed one of 12 Small Business Ambassadors by the Prime Minister.[14]

Dinenage has taken a keen interest in defence issues, and has campaigned in particular for a medal for the veterans of the Arctic convoys of World War II.[15] She served as the Vice-Chair (Royal Navy) of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Armed Forces for four years between 2010 and 2014.[16]

She was selected by the Foreign Secretary's Office as a member of the UK's NATO delegation, and elected as Vice-Chairman of a NATO Science and Technology Sub-Committee.[17]

In October 2013, Dinenage led a Parliamentary debate on adult literacy and numeracy.[18] In 2014, she formed the All Party Parliamentary Group for Maths and Numeracy of which she is Co-Chair.[19]

On 5 February 2013 Dinenage voted against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill in the Second Reading debate.[20]

She was named in The Guardian as Brian May's Hero of 2010 for her commitment to animal welfare and opposition to fox hunting.[21]

Local achievements

Dinenage worked closely with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, Gosport Borough Council and Fareham Borough Council to secure ‘Enterprise Zone’ status for the former disused military airfield at Daedalus in Lee-on-the-Solent in 2010.[22] The Enterprise Zone focuses on advanced manufacturing within the marine, aerospace and aviation sectors.[23] It is expected that 3,500 jobs could be created by 2026.[24] In September 2014, the CEMAST skills centre opened on the site, specialising in automotive, manufacturing and engineering courses for 900 students.[25] Work on a Business Innovation Centre is ongoing, with completion expected in March 2015.[26]

Since becoming elected Dinenage has campaigned for local road improvements, bringing Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick Mcloughlin MP and then transport minister, Norman Baker MP to the area in 2013.[27] [28] Her interventions helped to secure an £8.5 million upgrade to major access road, Newgate Lane as well as an £19.7 million package for other local road improvements including preliminary work on a Stubbington Bypass.[29] [30]

Personal life

Dinenage has two children with her former husband, Royal Navy officer Carlos Garreta.[31] In February 2014, she married fellow divorced Conservative MP Mark Lancaster.[32] She is a lifetime supporter of Portsmouth F.C..[11]

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 59418. p. 8742. 13 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "Caroline Dinenage MP". BBC News. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. ↑ http://www.publicaffairsnetworking.com/event/women-in-business-with-caroline-dinenage-mp-pps-to-the-rt-hon-nicky-morgan-mp
  4. ↑ "Caroline Dinenage". The Conservative Party. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  5. ↑ "Caroline Dinenage, Conservative, Gosport". Daily Echo. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Register of Members' Financial Interests, as at 24 February 2014
  7. ↑ http://caroline4gosport.co.uk/about-caroline/declaration-of-interests/
  8. ↑ Companies House Records, Dinenages Ltd; Registered No: 03852824; Access date: 5 March 2014
  9. ↑ http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2003/04/08/Hampshire+Archive/5594660.City_council_nominations/
  10. ↑ "Portsmouth South". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Parkinson, Justin (27 July 2011). "MP Caroline Dinenage on duck islands, dads and the Krays". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  12. ↑ "Gosport". BBC News. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  13. ↑ http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/select-committee-membership/#jump-link-2
  14. ↑ "'Cameron cutie' Caroline Dinenage dumps husband to date Tory MP Mark Lancaster who walked out on baby". 30 June 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage pushes for medals for Arctic Convoy vets". Daily Echo. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  16. ↑ http://caroline4gosport.co.uk/about-caroline/
  17. ↑ http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/caroline-dinenage
  18. ↑ http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131010/debtext/131010-0001.htm#13101061000001
  19. ↑ http://www.nationalnumeracy.org.uk/appg/index.html
  20. ↑ "The House of Commons.2013.Marriage (Same Sex Couples)Bill 2012-2013".
  21. ↑ "Arctic Convoys". Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  22. ↑ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/business/local-business/gosport-s-hms-daedalus-site-to-become-an-enterprise-zone-1-2969916
  23. ↑ http://www.solentez.co.uk/about/
  24. ↑ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/this-development-has-the-potential-to-make-gosport-a-major-destination-1-6329430
  25. ↑ http://www.solentez.co.uk/news/celebration-first-enterprise-zone-college-completion/
  26. ↑ http://www.solentez.co.uk/news/check-progress-new-business-centre/
  27. ↑ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/transport-secretary-is-stuck-in-traffic-on-visit-to-gosport-1-5673328
  28. ↑ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/traffic-travel/campaign-starts-to-get-new-bypass-built-before-2026-1-5002825
  29. ↑ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/traffic-travel/plans-for-8-5m-overhaul-of-busy-road-are-revealed-1-4341260
  30. ↑ http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2014-07-07/stubbington-bypass-gets-the-green-light/
  31. ↑ Matthew Drake (30 June 2013). "Caroline Dinenage dumps husband to date Tory MP Mark Lancaster". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  32. ↑ "Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage weds fellow politician at House of Commons chapel". Portsmouth News. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.

External links


Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Peter Viggers		 Member of Parliament for Gosport
2010–present 		Incumbent