About your former Member of Parliament

David Heath is a former MP for Somerton and Frome.

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Profile

Former Liberal Democrat MP for Somerton and Frome

Entered the House of Commons on 1 May 1997 — General election

Left the House of Commons on 30 March 2015 — General election

• Personal website
• Wikipedia page
• BBC News profile

Social Media

• UK Parliament Profile

Expenses

• Expenses from 2004 to 2009
• Expenses from 2010 onwards

Topics of interest

• Justice
• Home Department
• Environment Food and Rural Affairs
• Defence
• Health
• Departments: Advertising
• Prisons
• Tetra
• Post-Mortems: Children
• Immigration

Other offices held in the past

• Member, House of Commons Governance Committee (16 Oct 2014 to 17 Dec 2014)
• Member, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (25 Nov 2013 to 30 Mar 2015)
• The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( 6 Sep 2012 to 7 Oct 2013)
• The Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (17 May 2010 to 6 Sep 2012)
• Shadow Leader of the House of Commons ( 8 Jan 2009 to 6 May 2010)
• Member, Justice Committee (26 Mar 2008 to 6 May 2010)
• Shadow Secretary of State (20 Dec 2007 to 1 Mar 2008)
• Member, Modernisation of the House of Commons Committee (13 Jul 2005 to 2 May 2006)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office) ( 1 Jun 2005 to 1 Jun 2007)
• Shadow Leader of the House of Commons (10 May 2005 to 20 Dec 2007)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs) ( 1 Jun 2002 to 1 Jun 2005)
• Member, Standards and Privileges Committee ( 5 Nov 2001 to 12 Jul 2005)
• Member, Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (16 Jul 2001 to 10 Nov 2003)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Work and Pensions) ( 1 Jun 2001 to 1 Jun 2002)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Trade and Industry) ( 1 Jun 2001 to 1 Jun 2003)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) ( 1 Jun 1999 to 1 Jun 2001)
• Member, Foreign Affairs: Entry Clearance Sub-Committee (29 Jan 1998 to 19 Nov 1998)
• Member, Foreign Affairs Committee (16 Jul 1997 to 1 Nov 1999)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) ( 1 Jun 1997 to 1 Jun 1999)

Previous MPs in this constituency

• Mark Robinson
• Robert Boscawen

Future MPs in this constituency

• David Warburton
• Sarah Dyke

Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

• Childcare Payments Bill Committee (7 out of 9)
• House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Public Bodies Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Third Parties (Rights Against Insurers) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Perpetuities and Accumulations Bill Committee (0 out of 2)
• Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Counter-Terrorism Bill Committee (14 out of 14)
• Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Fraud (Trials without a Jury) Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
• Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Electoral Administration Bill Committee (5 out of 5)
• Fraud Bill Committee (3 out of 3)
• Criminal Defence Service Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill Committee (9 out of 9)
• Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill Committee (9 out of 13)
• Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill Committee (9 out of 10)
• Crime (International Co-operation) Bill Committee (8 out of 8)
• Criminal Justice Bill Committee (32 out of 32)
• Courts Bill Committee (5 out of 7)
• European Parliament (Representation) Bill Committee (6 out of 6)
• European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Bill Committee (4 out of 5)
• Public Trustee (Liability and Fees) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Rating (Agricultural Premises and Rural Shops) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)

Recent appearances

• Elections for Positions in the House: Backbench Business — Valedictory Debate 26 Mar 2015

  I always said that I would leave this place before I lost the buzz of having the privilege of speaking in this Chamber. I am very happy to say that after 18 years I am doing that. There are many people who did not think I would last 18 years. The late Lord Rees-Mogg wrote an article every time I stood for election, saying that on the basis of an extensive poll of his friends and family, I was...

• Business of the House (24, 25 and 26 March) (No. 2): Procedure of the House 26 Mar 2015

  Further to the point of order, Mr Speaker. There is, of course, another way. The Leader of the House could withdraw the motion—[Hon. Members: “Withdraw, withdraw.”] I have to say that although I would always support a secret ballot, I very much dislike the way in which this matter has been brought before the House today.

• Oral Answers to Questions — Business, Innovation and Skills: Undercover Policing 26 Mar 2015

  Forty years ago, when I was president of a students union, I was visited by officers from King’s Cross special branch, whose express purpose was to tell me that they had a file on me. Like the right hon. Member for Neath (Mr Hain), I do not take that desperately seriously, given the circumstances of the time, but I do take very seriously the matter of files being kept on Members of this...

More of David Heath’s recent appearances