Mark Simmonds MP

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Mark Simmonds was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 5 September 2012.

He first entered Parliament in 2001 and is the Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness.

Education

Mark was educated at Worksop College and Trent University.

Political career

Mark was elected onto Wandsworth Borough Council for the Southfield Ward in Putney in 1990, where he remained until 1994 when he stepped down to pursue a career in politics.

Positions held:

Member of Parliament for Boston and Skegness 2001 to present
Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Foreign Secretary 2002 to 2003
Shadow Minister for Education 2003 to 2004
Shadow Foreign Office Minister 2004 to 2005
Shadow Minister for International Development 2005 to 2007
Shadow Minister for Health 2007 to 20010
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office September 2012 to present

The minister is based at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Responsibilities include:

Africa
overseas territories (not Falklands, SBAs or Gibraltar)
conflict issues
climate change
international energy
consular
protocol
ministerial oversight for FCO services
the Caribbean (not including Dominican Republic, Haiti or Cuba)

Events Mark Simmonds MP has attended as a speaker: