Robert Walter
Encyclopedia
Robert John Walter MP is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North Dorset in south west England. He was re-elected for a fourth term in 2010 with a much increased majority.
, Lord Weymouth School
, Warminster
and Aston University
from which he gained a BSc
in 1971.
Bob’s political career began as Chairman of the Aston University Conservative Association between 1967 and 1969 and Chairman of Westbury Constituency Young Conservatives from 1973 until 1976. He was Parliamentary Candidate for Bedwelty
in 1979.
Prior to his election in 1997, Bob served as Chairman of the Conservative Foreign Affairs Forum (1986-8) and Chairman of the Conservative Group for Europe (1992-5). He has been a member of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
Executive Committee (1992-5) and has served as a member of the Carlton Club Political Committee.
Before entering Parliament in 1997, Bob was an international banker and sheep farmer in Devon. He is a former member of the London Stock Exchange and was a Director of Aubrey G Lanston & Co Inc. He is a visiting lecturer in East-West Trade at the University of Westminster
.
(1997 to 1999), International Development Committee
(2001-3) and the Treasury Committee
(2003-5). He was a member of the Conservative 1922 Committee
from 2002 to 2005, and had previously served as Vice Chairman of the Backbench Agriculture Committee (1997-9) and Secretary of the European Affairs Committee
(1997–2001). From June 1999 to September 2001, he was Conservative Frontbench Spokesman for Constitutional Affairs and for Wales.
In December 2002, he faced a no-confidence vote from his local party over his European views.
In February 2000, he introduced the Sex Discrimination (Amendment) Bill, which failed to make progress. In 2004 he introduced the Restricted Byways Bill
, the provisions of which have now been adopted by the Government. His latest Bill introduced in 2006, the House of Commons (Participation) Bill proposed to limit the consideration of English business in the House to English MPs.
In November 2010 Bob was appointed by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, to head the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
,. Bob was first appointed as an ordinary member of the assembly in 2002 and has previously chaired its committee dealing with media issues and freedom of the press. He also served for two years as senior vice chairman of its Economic Affairs and Development Committee. Also in 2010, Bob was elected as Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Since 1997, he has been a member of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, and now serves as chairman of its European Affairs Committee. He is a leading member of several All-Party Parliamentary Group
s including Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Group and the Prison Health Group. Bob is Treasurer of the British Japan, British Caribbean and the Parliamentary Rugby Union groups. He is also Vice-Commodore of the House of Commons Yacht Club.
in 1993 and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers
in 1983.
He married Sally Middleton in 1970 in Warminster, being married for 25 years until her death in 1995. He has three children: Elizabeth, Charles, and Alexander.
Early life
Bob Walter was born in 1948 and educated at Colston's School, BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Lord Weymouth School
Warminster School
Warminster School, originally called Lord Weymouth's Grammar School, is a co-educational independent day and boarding school at Warminster, Wiltshire, for students aged three to eighteen...
, Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
and Aston University
Aston University
Aston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
from which he gained a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1971.
Bob’s political career began as Chairman of the Aston University Conservative Association between 1967 and 1969 and Chairman of Westbury Constituency Young Conservatives from 1973 until 1976. He was Parliamentary Candidate for Bedwelty
Bedwellty (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedwellty was a county constituency in Monmouthshire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
in 1979.
Prior to his election in 1997, Bob served as Chairman of the Conservative Foreign Affairs Forum (1986-8) and Chairman of the Conservative Group for Europe (1992-5). He has been a member of the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations
The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations was a federation of the voluntary wing of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom....
Executive Committee (1992-5) and has served as a member of the Carlton Club Political Committee.
Before entering Parliament in 1997, Bob was an international banker and sheep farmer in Devon. He is a former member of the London Stock Exchange and was a Director of Aubrey G Lanston & Co Inc. He is a visiting lecturer in East-West Trade at the University of Westminster
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
.
Parliamentary career
At Westminster, Bob has served as a member of the Health Select CommitteeHealth Select Committee
The Health Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the British House of Commons. It oversees the operations of the Department of Health and its associated bodies.-Membership:...
(1997 to 1999), International Development Committee
International Development Committee
The International Development Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for International Development and its associated public...
(2001-3) and the Treasury Committee
Treasury Committee
The House of Commons Treasury Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
(2003-5). He was a member of the Conservative 1922 Committee
1922 Committee
In British politics, the 1922 Committee is a committee of Conservative Members of Parliament. Voting membership is limited to backbench MPs although frontbench Conservative MPs have an open invitation to attend meetings. While the party was in opposition, frontbench MPs other than the party leader...
from 2002 to 2005, and had previously served as Vice Chairman of the Backbench Agriculture Committee (1997-9) and Secretary of the European Affairs Committee
European Scrutiny Committee
The European Scrutiny Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to assess the legal and political importance of each EU document, and decide which EU documents are debated...
(1997–2001). From June 1999 to September 2001, he was Conservative Frontbench Spokesman for Constitutional Affairs and for Wales.
In December 2002, he faced a no-confidence vote from his local party over his European views.
In February 2000, he introduced the Sex Discrimination (Amendment) Bill, which failed to make progress. In 2004 he introduced the Restricted Byways Bill
, the provisions of which have now been adopted by the Government. His latest Bill introduced in 2006, the House of Commons (Participation) Bill proposed to limit the consideration of English business in the House to English MPs.
In November 2010 Bob was appointed by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, to head the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
,. Bob was first appointed as an ordinary member of the assembly in 2002 and has previously chaired its committee dealing with media issues and freedom of the press. He also served for two years as senior vice chairman of its Economic Affairs and Development Committee. Also in 2010, Bob was elected as Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Since 1997, he has been a member of the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, and now serves as chairman of its European Affairs Committee. He is a leading member of several All-Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
s including Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Group and the Prison Health Group. Bob is Treasurer of the British Japan, British Caribbean and the Parliamentary Rugby Union groups. He is also Vice-Commodore of the House of Commons Yacht Club.
Personal life
He was Chairman of the Governors of Tachbrook School from 1980 to 1999. He was made a Freeman of the City of LondonCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in 1993 and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers
Worshipful Company of Needlemakers
The Worshipful Company of Needlemakers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Needlemakers received a Royal Charter in 1656. The Company gradually lost its role as a trade association, now acting as a supporter of the needle industry instead...
in 1983.
He married Sally Middleton in 1970 in Warminster, being married for 25 years until her death in 1995. He has three children: Elizabeth, Charles, and Alexander.