BURDEN, Richard

Member for Birmingham, Northfield since 1992. Committees: Member, International Development Select Committee since 2005; Member, Trade and Industry Select Committee 2001-05; Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electoral Reform; Chair, Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group; Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Motor Group; Chair, Birmingham Group of Labour MPs; Member, PLP Trade and Industry and Foreign Affairs Committees; former Chair, Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety; Former Secretary, PLP Trade and Industry Committee. Political career: Parliamentary Advisor on Motorsport to Richard Caborn MP as Minister for Sport since 2001; PPS to Jeff Rooker MP as Pensions Minister 1999-2001, and as Food Safety Minister 1997-99. Special political interests: Trade and industry, especially automotive and motorsport industries; citizenship issues; constitutional reform and electoral reform; regional government; regeneration; Middle East. Profession/Trade: Former trade union officer. Education: Wallasey Technical Grammar School; Bramhall Comprehensive School; St John-s College of FE (Manchester); University of York, BA (Hons) Politics; Warwick University, MA Industrial Relations. Languages spoken: French (rusty). Affiliations: Fabian Society; Socialist Environment and Resources Association; Socialist Health Association; Co-op Party; Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform; Electoral Reform Society; Labour Middle East Council; Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding. Hobbies: Motorsport (holds a competition racing licence), travel, food, cinema. b. 1 September 1954, Liverpool. Married with three stepchildren.