Alan Keen

PERSONAL PROFILE AND BIOGRAPHY

EARLY DAYS

Alan Keen was born in Lewisham in 1937 but was brought up in the shadow of the steelworks in Grangetown close to Middlesbrough. Alan left Teesside at the age of 22 to join the army and almost all his 3 years military service was spent within half a mile of the Houses of Parliament in Whitehall and Wellington Barracks. "A nostalgic return to Whitehall nearly 30 years later", he referred to in his maiden speech after being elected for Feltham and Heston on 9th April 1992. "I must have been more important then, I was given an office on the first day! My career has obviously slipped downhill since then but people tell me that it cannot sink any further - unless I cross the floor of the House!"

WORKING LIFE

Alan places tremendous value on his years of experience gained before entering parliament and knows that this has been a great advantage in dealing with the wide range of problems encountered by his constituents. All of his working life has been in the private sector in a variety of management positions.

He worked as a systems analyst and manager in the very early days of the introduction of mainframe computers into industry and commerce. He decided to stay in the London area for a couple of years at the end of his army service.

The "couple of years" have now become 40! Alan worked on the Great West Road in Brentford in 1963 and lived in Bedfont. He lives in Brentford now with his wife Ann and divides his work responsibilities between the constituency and Westminster. He has two sons and one daughter.

PARLIAMENTARY INTERESTS

A member of parliament has to understand and be involved in a wide range of policy issues that affect their own constituents. Health, Law and Order, Industry and Commerce, Social Services including pensions and other benefits, Immigration and Asylum policy and Local Government Affairs are important in the lives of residents of the London Borough of Hounslow.

Alan is also particularly interested in Overseas Development and Foreign policy.

"It is a small world nowadays and Britain cannot be isolated from what goes on outside Europe. It is essential that we work to bring about a more equal society, not just in the UK, but throughout the world", Alan is frequently heard to insist.

As a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Alan uses his specialist knowledge to concentrate on this area of policy. He is Chair of the All Party Football Group and Vice Chair of the All Party Sports Group and has been heavily involved in the debate as to whether the bid should be made to host the 2012 Olympics in London. He is also Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Aviation Group.

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Alan worked for 18 years on a part-time basis as tactical scout for Middlesbrough FC assessing future opponents' tactics under a number of high profile managers including Jack Charlton, Malcolm Allison and Bruce Rioch and still supports and maintains a close connection with the club. He regularly attends Brentford FC games and also keeps close links with the club on community related issues regarding Hounslow.

He is an enthusiastic participant in sport and still plays football, cricket and also completes the Great North Run half marathon each year. "Probably my greatest dream would to be a professional musician but anyone who has heard me trying to play piano, guitar or drums would say there would be no dream wild enough to ever include that as an ambition - even as a busker! Starvation in one week would be the result - but I will keep on practising".

CMS SELECT COMMITTEE

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated public bodies.

Over the past two years, the committee has compiled reports on: National Lottery, Communications White Paper, International Sporting Events, Tourism), National Stadium, Swimming, Arts Development, Communications, Commonwealth Games, Wembley National Stadium, Gambling, National Museums, London Olympic Bid for 2012.