GOV.UK
Minister of State for International Development and Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP
Contents
Biography
Alistair Burt was appointed Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister of State at the Department for International Development on 13 June 2017. He entered Parliament for the first time in 1983 and was elected Conservative MP for north east Bedfordshire in 2001.
Reflecting on UK diplomatic and development work
Alistair Burt reflects on UK diplomatic and development work around the world
Alistair served as Minister of State for Community and Social Care at the Department of Health from May 2015 until July 2016. Previously he served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office from May 2010 until October 2013.
Education
Alistair was educated at Bury Grammar School, and studied at St John’s College Oxford, where he was president of the university law society.
Political career
- Member of Parliament for Bury North 1983 to 1997
- Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for the Environment, for Education and Science and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1985 to 1990
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State then Minister of State, Department of Social Security 1992 to 1997
- Member of Parliament for north east Bedfordshire 2001 to present
- Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition 2002 to 2005
- Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government 2005 to 2008
- Opposition Assistant Chief Whip 2008 to 2010
- Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Foreign & Commonwealth Office May 2010 to October 2013
- Minister of State for Community and Social Care at the Department of Health from May 2015 to July 2016
Career outside politics
Alistair became a solicitor in 1980 and served on Haringey Council in London from 1982 to 1984.
Personal life
Alistair and his wife Eve have 2 grown-up children.
Minister of State for International Development
Ministerial portfolio responsibilities for DFID:
- Middle East and North Africa*
- Conflict, humanitarian, and security (CHASE)
- Human Development (Global Health Security, WATSAN, NTDs)
- Global Funds Department
- Cross Government Fund (CSSF)
*The joint ministerial lead is applicable by geographic area only.
Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Responsibilities include:
- Middle East and North Africa
- estates and security
- stabilisation (including Stabilisation Unit)
Previous roles in government
Announcements
Subscriptions
- Minister for Middle East statement on the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain
- Minister for Middle East's statement on Israeli settlement announcement
- Study points to new ways to reduce conflict in fragile states
- UK aid to provide emergency food to 62,000 Palestinian refugees in Gaza
- Alistair Burt's speech at the UK-Lebanon Business and Investment Forum
- Foreign Office Minister congratulates Lebanon on its Independence Day
- UK doubles commitment to UN Peacebuilding Fund
- Government welcomes conference for Libya in Palermo
- Minister for the Middle East statement on the sentencing of Sheikh Ali Salman in Bahrain
- New UK aid package to provide life-saving help to millions of Yemeni children at growing risk of famine