Richard Page

Richard Lewis Page (born 22 February 1941 in Tredegar) is a former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and from December 1979 to 2005.

Early life

He is the son of Victor Charles Page. He went to the independent Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex and Luton Technical College, gaining an HNC in Mechanical Engineering in 1962. He was an apprentice at Vauxhall Motors in Luton from 1959 to 1963, then worked for Page Holdings, becoming the Chairman from 1985 to 1995 and 1997 onwards.

From 1968 to 1971, he was a district councillor in Banstead, Surrey. Governor of the Royal Masonic School 1984-95, 99-2013---Hon.Treasurer The Leukaemia Research Fund 1991-95 Chairman Keep Southwater Green 2015--

Parliamentary career

Page won the seat of South West Hertfordshire in a by-election in 1979, having previously been MP for Workington from the by-election caused by the elevation of Fred Peart to the House of Lords in 1976 until losing the seat in the 1979 general election. He is therefore distinguished as one of a handful of MPs who have been successful in two by-elections. He had contested the Workington seat in the February and October 1974 elections.

He served as Private Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State for Trade 81–83 and then to the Leader of the House (John Biffen) 83–87. He was a junior minister DTI under John Major with responsibility for small business, alternative energy, biotechnology, coal, oil and BNFL. Lead minister in the privatisation of AEA Technology. Used his knowledge of the private members ballot procedure to be successful with two private members bills from the single private members ballot slot. Moved a 10-minute rule bill to reduce the number of MP.s claiming it could allow MPs to be better paid and save the state money. Member of the Public Accounts Committee for over seven years. Governor of the Foundation for Western Democracy 1998–2001. International Chairman Central Office 1999–2001. Shadow Spokesman DTI 2001–2003. Joint Chairman All Party Racing and Bloodstock Committee 1998–2005. Chairman Parliamentary and Scientific Committee 2003–2005. Three time winner of the Lords V Commons motor race at Brands Hatch and Donnington. He stepped down from the House of Commons at the 2005 General Election due to his wife's ill health. Page was one of 13 Conservative MPs who spoke against and voted against decision to invade Iraq (18 March 2003) and the way the re-construction progressed.

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Richard Page
• They Work For You