Secretary of State for Wales

The Rt Hon Paul Murphy MP

Paul Murphy was appointed as Secretary of State for Wales in January 2008. Paul previously held the same post from 1999 until 2002.

He was appointed Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee in May 2005. He is also the current British Chair of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body and an Executive Committee member of the British-American Parliamentary Group.

Paul served as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from October 2002 until May 2005 and was Minister of State for Northern Ireland with responsibility for Political Development from 1997 to 1999, acting as Mo Mowlam's deputy in the talks that culminated in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.

Born in 1948 in Usk, Gwent, Paul Murphy was educated at St. Francis RC School, Abersychan, West Monmouth School at Pontypool and Oriel College, Oxford. He began his career as a management trainee with the CWS and later became a lecturer in Government and History at Ebbw Vale College of Further Education.

He was a member of Torfaen Borough Council from 1973-87 and became MP for Torfaen in 1987. In Opposition he was Shadow Spokesman on Welsh Affairs (1988-94), Northern Ireland (1994-95), Foreign Affairs (1995) and Defence (1995-97).

His interests outside politics include listening to classical music and cooking.