John Hutton
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
John Hutton entered the Cabinet as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in May 2005.
He was previously Minister of State with responsibility for Social Care at the Department of Health in 1999. He took on responsibility for Health in June 2001.
Before his election to Parliament he was a Senior Law lecturer at the University of Northumbria. From 1994 to1997 he served on the Select Committee for Home Affairs.
He was PPS to Margaret Beckett, both while she was President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1997-8), and in her role as President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (1998). Mr Hutton was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in Oct 1998.
Mr Hutton was born on the 6 May 1955 and was educated at Westcliffe High School and Magdalen College Oxford. He has three sons and one daughter.