Simon Hart was appointed Secretary of State for Wales on 16 December 2019. He was previously Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Implementation) at the Cabinet Office.

He was elected Conservative MP for Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire in May 2010.

Background

Simon was born in Wolverhampton and grew up in the Cotswolds. He was educated at Radley College before attending the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.

Political career

Since being elected to Parliament, Simon has been a member of a number of committees, including:

• Welsh Affairs Select Committee;

• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee;

• Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee;

• Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee

Simon has also been a member/Chair of several APPGs including Tourism in Wales, Learning outside the Classroom, Marine Energy & Tidal Lagoons, EU/US Trade, and others.

He was also formerly the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.

Career outside politics

Simon worked as a Chartered Surveyor in Carmarthen and Haverfordwest and served with the Territorial Army for five years in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (part of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry).

Before being elected as an MP he was Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance.