Ministerial role

Minister of State (Minister for Trade Policy)

Current role holder: The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP

Responsibilities

The Minister of State for Trade Policy’s principal responsibilities include:

  • trade relating to the devolved administrations
  • trade for development
  • Official Development Assistance (ODA)

He also supports the Secretary of State with:

  • securing new free trade agreements with the US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
  • engagement with, the World Trade Organization (WTO)
  • the UK’s tariff policy

Current role holder

The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP

Greg Hands was appointed Minister of State for Trade Policy in the Department for International Trade (DIT) on 13 February 2020.

He was previously Minister of State in the Department for International Trade from 2016 to 2018. He was elected the Conservative MP for Hammersmith and Fulham in 2005, and for Chelsea and Fulham in 2010.

Education

Greg was educated at a variety of state schools in the UK and the USA, but principally at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, Amersham, before going on to study Modern History at Cambridge University, including time spent in the modern languages and oriental studies faculties graduating with first class honours.

Political career

Greg Hands has been a government minister since October, 2011. He served first as the Treasury Whip, 2011 to 2013, and then as government Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of Her Majesty’s Household, 2013 to 2015. Following the May 2015 General Election, Greg Hands attended Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury under the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne.

Greg served as a Local Councillor in Fulham, 1998 to 2006. He was elected Conservative MP for Hammersmith and Fulham in 2005, the MP for the redrawn Chelsea and Fulham constituency in 2010 and again in 2015.

Career outside politics

Greg spent 8 years working on trading floors in London and New York trading and marketing fixed income derivatives.

Personal life

Greg is married with 2 children.

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