NEW MINISTERS FOR DEFRA

Caroline Spelman MP has been appointed the new Secretary of State for Defra in the Coaltion Government's cabinet.  Mrs Spelman,  who has been a member of Parliament since 1997 has had an extensive career in agriculture including being a research Fellow at the Centre for European Agricultural Studies. She has also authored a book on the non-food use of agricultural products.

Mrs Spelman is joined at Defra by Jim Paice, the MP for South East Cambridgeshire.  a lifelong farmer, and also by Mr Richard Benyon, the MP for Newbury and Lord Henley (both as Parliamentary under Secretary) who has been a member of the House of Lords since 1977 .

_______posted May  17th 2010 _____