Jane Hutt

Jane Hutt Minister for Health and Social Services
In office 12 May 1999 – 10 September 2005
First Minister	Rhodri Morgan Alun Michael
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Brian Gibbons
Member of the Senedd for Vale of Glamorgan
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 1999
Preceded by	Office established
Majority	3,270 (7.6%)
Personal details
Born	(1949-12-15) 15 December 1949 (age 74) Epsom, England
Political party	Welsh Labour
Spouse	Michael Trickey
Children	2 daughters
Alma mater	University of Kent London School of Economics University of Bristol
Occupation	Politician, trade unionist
Website	Jane For The Vale

Jane Elizabeth Hutt

A member of the Parliament since its creation, Hutt holds the record for the longest serving

Minister for Education

.

Early years

Born in Epsom, Surrey, on 15 December 1949, Hutt's Welsh-speaking grandparents are from North Wales,^[3] and her father was the pathologist Michael Hutt.^[4] Hutt was educated at Surbiton High School and graduated from the University of Kent, Canterbury in 1970 with a BA (Hons), gained a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work at the London School of Economics in 1972 and an M.Sc. at the University of Bristol in 1995.^[5]

Professional career

Hutt was one of the founder members of Welsh Women's Aid, a feminist organisation campaigning on behalf of women who are victims of domestic violence. She was appointed as a coordinator of the group in January 1978.

Hutt held non-political appointments as director of the equal opportunities' organisation Chwarae Teg and non-executive director of the Cardiff Community Health Care Trust. Member New Deal Task Force. School Governor. Welsh member on the New Opportunities (UK) Fund.

Political career

Hutt was a councillor on

.

Hutt was elected to the Senedd in 1999 and has been re-elected at every subsequent election. She served as a government minister for a total of 18 years, 5 months, 23 days (or 6,751 days) from 12 May 1999 to 3 November 2017 making her the then longest serving Labour Minister in UK history. Her record was surpassed in 2018 by Carwyn Jones who served a total of 6,868 days.

She made her first appearance on the back benches on 14 November 2017.^[6]

She again returned to the government as Chief Whip on 13 December 2018.

Ministerial roles

Following the Assembly's creation in 1999 she immediately became Health Minister. She remained in post until January 2005 when she was removed from the position, following strong criticism over long hospital waiting lists.^[7] An independent report showed that even though waiting list time targets were higher than in England and Scotland, Hutt had still failed to meet them.^[8] As a result, she faced criticism from all the major political parties in Wales, with the strongest coming from within her own party. As a result, her position became untenable, as some became worried that the problems could even damage the case for further Welsh devolution.^[9]

She became

and Chief Whip, with additional responsibility for Openness in Government; Communications Strategy; co-ordinating Government policy in relation to children and Equality of Opportunity. In the first Cabinet of the Third Assembly, she was appointed Minister for Budget and Assembly Business (31 May 2007). In the coalition, Cabinet announced on 19 July 2007 she became Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.

She left the government during the November 2017 reshuffle, but returned as Chief Whip thirteen months later under new First Minister Mark Drakeford. She is the only MS to have served as a Minister in every Welsh Government to date.

Hutt was appointed

Personal life

In July 1984, Hutt married Labour councillor Michael Trickey. They have two daughters.[11]

References

External links

• Personal website
• Biography at the Welsh Assembly Government
• Profile on BBC website

Senedd
Preceded by (new post)	Member of the Senedd for Vale of Glamorgan 1999–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Health and Social Services 1999–2005	Succeeded by Brian Gibbons
Preceded by Karen Sinclair	Minister for Assembly Business and Chief Whip 2005–2007	Succeeded by (post re-organised)
Preceded by (new post)	Assembly Business 2007 (31 May to 19 July)	Succeeded by (post re-organised)
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills 2007–2009	Succeeded by Leighton Andrews
Preceded by (new post)	Budget 2009–2011	Succeeded by (post re-organised)
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Finance 2011–2016	Succeeded by Mark Drakeford
Preceded by Janice Gregory	Leader of the House and Chief Whip 2016–2017	Succeeded by Julie James
Preceded by (post split, Julie James as whip)	Chief Whip 2018–present	Incumbent