Nicholas Bennett
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Jerome Bennett is a British
Conservative Party
politician
. He served as Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1987-92 representing the constituency of Pembrokeshire
, and was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Welsh Office
from 1990-92.
Bennett was a Conservative Councillor
in the London Borough of Lewisham
from 1974–1982, serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Borough from 1979-81. He was also a member of the Inner London Education Authority
(ILEA) from 1978–1981, where he served on the Development and Schools Committees.
Bennett was elected to Parliament as the MP for Pembrokeshire at the 1987 general election
. He served as member of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs from 1987–90, and the Select Committee on Procedure from 1988–1990, and was Vice-Chairman (Wales) of the Conservative Backbench Party Organisation Committee in 1990. He was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Minister of State
at the Department of Transport
, Roger Freeman
, in 1990, before becoming a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Welsh Office from 1990-92.
At the 1992 general election
, Bennett was defeated by the Labour Party
candidate Nick Ainger
. Bennett stood as a candidate in the constituency of Reading West
at the 1997 general election
, but was defeated by Labour's Martin Salter
.
Bennett served as a member of the Further Education Funding Council for England
(FEFCE) from 1992-97. He was an advisor on public affairs to Price Waterhouse from 1993–98, before becoming Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers from 1998-2002. In 2003, he formed his own company, Kent Refurbishment Ltd, which undertakes property development and education and public affairs consultancy.
In 2006 and 2010, Bennett was elected as a Councillor for the West Wickham
ward in the London Borough of Bromley
.
s at further education
colleges. He completed a BA in Philosophy at the Polytechnic of North London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
(PGCE) at the Institute of Education, University of London
, and MA
in Educational Management at the University of Sussex
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) from 1987-92 representing the constituency of Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Pembrokeshire was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
, and was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Welsh Office
Welsh Office
The Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Wales. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales, a post which had been created in October 1964...
from 1990-92.
Career
Bennett was a school teacher from 1976–1985, and also worked for a period in educational publishing.Bennett was a Conservative Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
in the London Borough of Lewisham
London Borough of Lewisham
The London Borough of Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London, England and forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham...
from 1974–1982, serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the Borough from 1979-81. He was also a member of the Inner London Education Authority
Inner London Education Authority
The Inner London Education Authority was the education authority for the 12 inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990.-History:...
(ILEA) from 1978–1981, where he served on the Development and Schools Committees.
Bennett was elected to Parliament as the MP for Pembrokeshire at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
. He served as member of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs from 1987–90, and the Select Committee on Procedure from 1988–1990, and was Vice-Chairman (Wales) of the Conservative Backbench Party Organisation Committee in 1990. He was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Department of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
, Roger Freeman
Roger Freeman, Baron Freeman
Roger Norman Freeman, Baron Freeman, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the Cabinet of Prime Minister John Major from 1995 to 1997...
, in 1990, before becoming a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Welsh Office from 1990-92.
At the 1992 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, Bennett was defeated by the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate Nick Ainger
Nick Ainger
Nicholas Richard 'Nick' Ainger is a British politician. A member of the Labour Party, he served as the Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire from 1992 to 1997 and then, following boundary changes, as MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire from 1997 to 2010.-Early life:Ainger was born in...
. Bennett stood as a candidate in the constituency of Reading West
Reading West (UK Parliament constituency)
Reading West is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like all such constituencies, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, but was defeated by Labour's Martin Salter
Martin Salter
Martin John Salter is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Reading West from 1997 to 2010.-Early life:...
.
Bennett served as a member of the Further Education Funding Council for England
Further Education Funding Council for England
The Further Education Funding Council for England was a non-departmental public body of the Department for Education and Skills in the United Kingdom which distributed funding to Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges in England between 1992 and 2001....
(FEFCE) from 1992-97. He was an advisor on public affairs to Price Waterhouse from 1993–98, before becoming Chief Executive of the Association of Consulting Engineers from 1998-2002. In 2003, he formed his own company, Kent Refurbishment Ltd, which undertakes property development and education and public affairs consultancy.
In 2006 and 2010, Bennett was elected as a Councillor for the West Wickham
West Wickham
West Wickham is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is 10.3 miles south east of Charing Cross. West Wickham history dates back to early settlements existing since 1068, although the name `Wickham` is an indication of an earlier Anglo-Saxon settlement...
ward in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
.
Education
Bennett was educated Sedgehill School, before taking his O-Levels and A-LevelGCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
s at further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
colleges. He completed a BA in Philosophy at the Polytechnic of North London, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
(PGCE) at the Institute of Education, University of London
Institute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
, and MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Educational Management at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
.