Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity

Contents

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include:

  • all Defra parliamentary business in the House of Lords
  • animal health and traceability
  • bee health and National Pollinator Strategy
  • biosecurity, including endemic and exotic plant and animal disease, invasive alien species and Kew Gardens
  • landscape, including national parks, AONBs and access
  • rural ambassador and rural affairs, covering rural life opportunities, broadband and mobile

Current role holder: Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Lord Gardiner was reappointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity on 9 January 2018.

Lord Gardiner served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 17 July 2016 to January 2018. He is a Conservative member of the House of Lords.

Education

He was educated at Uppingham School and Royal Holloway, University of London, where he read modern history and politics.

Political career

He served as Lord in Waiting from September 2012 to May 2015, and as Government Deputy Chief Whip and Captain of the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard from May 2015 until July 2016.

Lord Gardiner was raised to the Peerage in 2010 and served as a party whip until being appointed to government. He served as Private Secretary to 5 successive Chairmen of the Conservative Party between 1989 and 1995.

Career outside politics

Lord Gardiner was Director of Political Affairs at the Countryside Alliance between 1995 and 2004 and Deputy Chief Executive between 2004 and 2010. He is also a partner in a family farm.

Personal life

Lord Gardiner is married to the sculptor Olivia Musgrave.

More about this person

Announcements

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  1. Movement restrictions introduced to protect UK against tree pest

    • Press release

  2. World-leading UK Ivory Bill becomes law

    • Press release

  3. Bluetongue virus detected and dealt with in cattle in Yorkshire

    • Press release

  4. Forestry Commission act on tree pest detected in Kent

    • Press release

  5. Tree-mendous photographs help save our oaks

    • Press release

  6. Young people join together for Year of Green Action

    • Press release

  7. Tightened measures to protect the country from Xylella

    • Press release

  8. Michael Gove announces new funding to protect bees

    • Press release

  9. Sales of veterinary antibiotics at their lowest in 25 years

    • Press release

  10. Bluetongue virus detected and dealt with in four imported sheep

    • Press release
View all announcements