Rt Hon Alun Edward Michael JP MP

Cardiff South and Penarth

Majority: 9237

First elected to Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth in 1987, he became Deputy Home Secretary in 1997, with special responsibility for Criminal Justice, the Police and Voluntary Sector.

He became Secretary of State for Wales in the Cabinet (1998-1999) and in 1999 was elected the Founding First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales until he stood down in February 2000.

He returned to Government in 2001, and as Minister of State at Defra he had the difficult task of handling the Government’s legislation on hunting with dogs as well as being Minister for Rural Affairs and steering the Clean Neighbourhoods Act onto the Statute Book.

As Minister of State for Industry and the Regions at the Department of Trade and Industry, Alun led the UK's successful delegation to Tunis for the World Summit on Information Society during the UK Presidency of the EU and has taken an interest in achieving a consensus on the difficult issue of internet governance.

Alun worked with industry leaders as co-chair of the Manufacturing Forum and the Information Age Partnership. He was Construction Minister and Minister for Telecommunications. In that capacity he chaired the Telecommunications Council during the UK Presidency of the EU. He was Minister for Small Business and had lead responsibility for Regional Development Agencies, Company Law Reform and promoting Social Enterprise.

Born at Bryngwran, Anglesey, on 22nd August 1943, he was educated at Colwyn Bay Grammar School and Keele University. A journalist on the South Wales Echo between 1966 and 1971, he went on to spend 16 years as a Youth and Community worker in Cardiff. He became a magistrate in 1972 and was Chairman of the Cardiff Juvenile Bench before being elected to Parliament. He is a member of the National Executive of the Cooperative Party, a fellow of the RSA and sings in the Parliamentary Choir.

A fluent Welsh Speaker, he is married with five children and six grandchildren. He enjoys mountain walking, opera and squash.

Public Office

• JP, Cardiff 1972 –
• Chair, Cardiff Juvenile Bench 1986-87
• Councillor, Cardiff City Council 1973-89

Electoral History

Member for Cardiff South and Penarth since 11th June 1987 General Election

Commons Career

• Opposition Whip 1987-88
• Opposition Spokesperson for
  • Welsh Affairs 1988-92
  • Home Affairs 1992-97
  • The Voluntary Sector 1994-97
• Deputy Home Secretary, Home Office (Minister for Criminal Policy also responsible for Police and the Voluntary Sector) 1997-98
• Secretary of State for Wales 1998-99
• Minister of State
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2001-05 (Rural Affairs 2001-02, Rural Affairs and Urban Quality of Life 2002-03, Rural Affairs and Local Environmental Quality 2003-05)
• Minister of State (Industry and the Regions), Department of Trade and Industry 2005-06

Current Posts

• JP, Cardiff 1972-
• Chair of All party Group on Somaliland 2006-
• Member:
  • Christian Socialist Movement
  • Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) (delegation to South Africa and Canada)
  • Inter-Parliamentary Association

Other Assemblies

National Assembly for Wales:

• AM for Mid and West Wales region 1999-2000:
• First Secretary 1999-2000

Party Groups

• Chair, Co-operative Group of MPs 1990-92;
• Member:
  • National Executive, Co-operative Party (representing Wales),
  • Christian Socialist Movement,
  • Labour Friends of Israel

Political Interests

Crime and disorder, the voluntary sector, the co-operative movement, economic development, e-crime and security