Speaker Biography
Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State, DEFRA
From 1999-2001 Benn was a member of the Environment, Transport and the Regions Select Committee and Vice-Chair of the Backbench Education Committee of Labour MPs. In June 2001, he was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development. Between May 2002 and May 2003, he was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community and Custodial Provision at the Home Office. In May 2003 he was appointed as Minister of State for International Development and in October that year was made Secretary of State for International Development. He became Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in June 2007.
