Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Rural Affairs, access to nature and Biosecurity)
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include:
- rural affairs: rural productivity and connectivity, rural life opportunities (childcare, education, skills and health)
- landscape, including National Parks and AONBs
- access including rights of way and coastal paths
- animal and plant health
- domestic green finance and finance markets for nature and the environment
- lead for RBG Kew, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Veterinary Medicines Directorate and Animal Health and Welfare Board for England
Current role holder
The Rt Hon Lord Benyon
The Rt Hon Lord Benyon was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 May 2021.
Lord Benyon was raised to the Peerage in January 2021.
Education
Richard was educated at Bradfield College and the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester.
Political career
He was Conservative MP for Newbury from May 2005 to November 2019.
Richard Benyon was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Natural Environment, Water and Rural Affairs from May 2010 to October 2013.
He served as Opposition Whip from 2007 to 2009 and as Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2009 to 2010.
Career outside politics
Following a career in the army, where he served with the Royal Green Jackets from 1980 to 1985, Richard qualified as a chartered surveyor and ran a business which included farming, forestry and the management of rural and urban housing.
Personal life
Richard is married with 2 children and has 3 children from his previous marriage.
Previous holders of this role
-
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
2016 to 2021
Announcements
Subscriptions
- 50 projects receive up to £100,000 to boost investment in nature
- Platinum Jubilee fund creates boost for village halls
- Government sets out new badger vaccination licence to combat TB
- Government sets out badger vaccination licence to combat TB in England
- Public urged to join collective action to protect plant health
- ‘Wonder Weevil’ released in fight against invasive floating pennywort
- State-of-the-art tree health laboratory opens to help protect UK forests
- £200 million investment to fight zoonotic diseases
- New South Cumbria stretch of the England Coast Path opens
- Natural England launches new Countryside Code for land managers