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Ministers

To see speeches made by our Ministers go to the Speeches page

The Right Honourable Yvette Cooper MP

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Yvette Copper

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the work of the Department. She takes personal responsibility for public expenditure and Departmental security issues.

Biography

Yvette served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from January 2008 and has held a number of Ministerial posts in the Department for Communities and Local Government, previously the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. She was appointed Housing Minister in June 2007.

From May 2002 to June 2003 she was Parliamentary Secretary at the Lord Chancellor's Department and from October 1999 she was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health.

She has been Member of Parliament for Pontefract and Castleford since 1 May 1997. Before being appointed as Health Minister, Ms Cooper was a Member of the Education and Employment Select Committee and the Intelligence and Security Committee.

Ms Cooper was previously economics columnist and leader writer for the Independent. She worked as policy adviser to Labour's Treasury Team in opposition between 1990-94 and as policy adviser to the Bill Clinton Presidential Campaign in 1992.

She was educated at Eggars Comprehensive, Alton Sixth Form College, Oxford University, Harvard University and the London School of Economics.

She is married to Ed Balls MP, and they have three children.

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The Right Honourable Jim Knight MP

Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform

Jim Knight

Responsibilities

Biography

Jim Knight MP has been appointed as Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform.

Previously, Jim served as Minister of State for Schools and Learners at the Department for Children, Schools and Families from May 2006.

Jim was elected MP for Dorset South in June 2001. Between 2001 and 2003, he was a member of the Defence Select Committee. Jim was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Rosie Winterton MP at the Department of Health in 2003, before going on to serve as PPS to the Department of Health’s Ministerial Team in 2004. Following the 2005 General Election, Jim was promoted to Minister for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity and continued to work at DEFRA until his move to the Department for Children, Schools and Families in May 2006.

Between 1997 and 2001, Jim was leader of the Labour Group, and Deputy Leader of Mendip District Council.  In 1999, he became Mayor of Frome. 

Before entering Parliament, he managed a publishing company, based in the West Country, for ten years. Prior to that, Jim Knight managed arts venues and worked for a small scale traveling theatre company. 

Jim, 44, was educated at Cambridge.  He is married with two children.

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Angela Eagle MP

Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society

Angela Eagle

Responsibilities

Biography

Angela Eagle MP has been appointed as Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society.

Angela previously served as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from July 2007. Prior to this she has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office (2001-02); the Department of Social Security (1998-01); the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Minister for Green Issues and Regeneration) (1997-98); and was an Opposition Whip (1996-97).

She has been on a number of Commons Select Committees, including the Members Interests Employment Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee (twice) and Treasury Select Committee, and the Treasury Sub-Committee 2002-2007. Angela has been Vice-chair of the All-Party Equalities Group and in 2005 was elected Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party. She is also a member of Labour's Ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).

She was elected as the first ever Labour MP for Wallasey in 1992, after holding a number of posts within the Labour Party. Angela was educated at Formby High School, and then gained a BA (Hons) in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and St John's College Oxford. She worked for CoHSE (now UNISON) as a Researcher, the Press Officer, and then Parliamentary Liaison Officer, before being elected to Parliament.

Angela's political interests include Economic Policy, the NHS, and the politics of sport.

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Lord McKenzie of Luton

Parliamentary Under Secretary (Lords)

Lord McKenzie of Luton

Responsibilities

Biography

Lord Bill McKenzie was appointed as the Department for Work and Pensions Lords Minister on 8 January 2007. In this role he covers all of DWP’s business in the House of Lords and has the lead policy responsibility for health and safety at work, industrial injuries benefits and compensation for work-related injury and ill-health.

Lord McKenzie was an adviser to Labour’s Shadow Treasury Team in opposition. He became a life peer in July 2004 and in May 2005 became a Whip and Government Spokesperson in the House of Lords for Treasury and business issues. In June 2009 he also became a joint Minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Lord McKenzie was an elected member of Luton Borough Council from 1976 to 1992 and from 1999 to 2005. He was Leader of the Council until May 2003 and contested Luton South for Labour in the 1987 and 1992 General Elections. He covered a number of roles during his Council service, particularly relating to local governance finance. He was also Chairman of London Luton Airport.

Born in 1946, Lord McKenzie’s accountancy career began in 1968 when he joined Martin Rata and Partners as an articled clerk. He moved to Price Waterhouse in 1973, where he became a partner. He worked for them in many locations up to 1998, including London, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Lord McKenzie is married and lives in Luton.

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Helen Goodman MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary (Commons)

Helen Goodman

Responsibilities

Biography

Helen Goodman MP has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary (Commons).

Prior to becoming a Minister, Helen was an Assistant Government Whip (October 2008-June 2009), and was Deputy Leader of the House of Commons from June 2007-October 2008.

She has also served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, and has worked both on the influential Public Accounts Committee and the pre-legislative Scrutiny Committee for the Climate Change Bill.

Helen was elected MP for Bishop Auckland in May 2005. Before her election, she was a senior civil servant at HM Treasury, a senior executive of two children’s charities, and Director of the Commission on the Future of Multi Ethnic Britain.

Helen is married with two children, and outside of politics she enjoys cooking, walking and being with her family.

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Jonathan Shaw MP

Minister for Disabled People

Jonathan Shaw

Responsibilities

Biography

Jonathan Shaw was appointed Minister for Disabled People in October 2008 in the Department for Work and Pensions. Prior to this he was a Parliamentary Under Secretary at Defra where his responsibilities covered marine and fisheries, landscape, inland waterways, rural affairs and local environment quality.

He is also the regional minister for the South East. In this role he represents regional interests in the formulation of central government policy, acts as a champion for the region and facilitates a joined up approach across government.

During his commons career Jonathan has been Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Ruth Kelly as Secretary of State for Education and Skills 2005-06. He was also an Assistant Government Whip 2006-07 before joining Defra. Jonathan has also been a member of the Commons Environmental Audit Select Committee from 1997-2001 before joining the Education and Skills Select Committee 2001-05.

Previously, Jonathan worked with Kent County Council in child protection, adoption, fostering and children leaving care. Jonathan became local councillor in 1993 representing Chatham and Aylesford.

After completing a course in social care and working as a care assistant for adults with learning disabilities, Jonathan qualified as a social worker in 1990.

After attending local state schools his first job was as a fruit picker on Kent farms.

Jonathan was born in Aylesford in 1966 and is married with two school age children. The family live in Snodland.

How to contact ministers

Or write to them at:

Department for Work and Pensions
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9DA

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