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Biographies of DFID's Ministerial Team
Gareth R Thomas MP
Gareth Thomas was appointed joint Minister of State for DFID and the Department
for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (DBERR) and UK Trade and Investment
(UKTI) on 5 October 2008. He had previously held the position of Parliament
Under-Secretary of State for DFID and DBERR from 29 June 2007.
From 2003 to June 2007 he was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the DFID
with responsibility for Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Overseas
Dependent Territories. He was also DFID's Green Minister with responsibility for
the department's environmental performance in relation to the Sustainable
Development in Government Framework and targets.
Gareth was a Member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee from November
1997 to October 1999. Prior to his appointment as PUSS at DFID, he was
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the former Secretary of State for Education,
Charles Clarke MP.
He was elected Member of Parliament for Harrow West in May 1997.
Ivan Lewis MP
Ivan Lewis MP was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Health from May 2006 to October 2008. Prior to joining the Department of Health, Ivan was Economic Secretary to the Treasury from May 2005 to May 2006.
From June 2003 to May 2005, Ivan was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills and Vocational Education at the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
Other previous roles at the DfES include: Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People and Learning, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Adult Learning and Skills, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Young People and Adult Skills.
Ivan has been a member of Parliament for Bury South since 1997. Prior to joining Parliament, Ivan worked in the voluntary sector from 1986 to 1997 for Outreach, Contact Community Care Group and as Chief Executive of the Manchester Jewish Federation.
Ivan was educated at William Hulme Grammar School in Manchester, Stand Sixth Form College and Bury College of Further Education.
Michael Foster MP
Since May 2006, Michael has been undertaking his first ministerial appointment in the Government Whips' Office where he had responsibilities for Northern Ireland and for Constitutional Affairs.
Prior to this he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Peter Hain in his role as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Before that he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lifelong Learning and Higher Education Minister at the Department of Education and Skills.
Michael was elected as Worcester's first ever Labour MP on May 1st 1997. Since then he has been an active parliamentarian. In 2005, he became Joint Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Lifelong Learning. In July 2002 he was appointed Chair of the newly formed All Party Parliamentary Group on Flood Prevention. He was Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group of Further Education and a member of the Education Select Committee until June 2001.
Last updated 29 October 2008