Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister 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. New UK border campaign warns of threat of African swine fever

    • Press release

  2. New legislation to prevent harmful rose virus

    • Press release

  3. Invasive Species Order 2019: consultation opens

    • News story

  4. Tighter restrictions on oak tree imports come into force

    • Press release

  5. Horticulture industry urged to check for Oak Processionary Moth

    • Press release

  6. New Chair appointed to the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Board

    • Press release

  7. Horticulture industry urged to be vigilant for signs of tree pest

    • Press release

  8. Disease-tolerant trees to be planted in UK’s 'ash tree archive'

    • Press release

  9. UK centre designated as global reference laboratory to tackle aquatic animal disease

    • Press release

  10. Enormous trees reinforce climate change message at Chelsea

    • Press release
View all announcements