Patrick Cormack

Sir Patrick Cormack was first elected to Parliament in 1970 and has enjoyed uninterrupted service, first as the Member of Parliament for Cannock, from 1970 to 1974, and since then as the Member for South Staffordshire (formerly called South West Staffordshire), a constituency which incorporates a large portion of his former Cannock seat.

At the General Election in 2005 Sir Patrick's polling day was delayed for seven weeks because of the death of his Liberal Democrat Opponent. Nevertheless he increased both his share of the vote and his majority, and achieved a swing of 9.1% from Labour, the largest such swing of the whole General Election. Sir Patrick's current majority, which represents 52.05% of the vote, is 8,847.

Sir Patrick is a former Conservative Party Spokesman on Constitutional Affairs and a former Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, a post he resigned in 2000 in order to contest the Speakership election later that year.

Sir Patrick has served on many House of Commons' Committees, including the Education and Foreign Affairs Select Committees and many House Committees. He was a member of the House of Commons Commission from 2001 until 2005 and Chairman of the House of Commons Works of Art Committee from 1987 to 2001. Since 1979 he has been Chairman of the All Party Arts and Heritage Group.

In July 2005 Sir Patrick became Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee.

He edited the House Magazine from 1983 to 2005 and is now Life President of the Magazine and Chairman of the Editorial Board. He writes and broadcasts regularly and is a team captain of BBC's Parliamentary Questions quiz.

From 1995 to 2005 he served on the General Synod of the Church of England as an elected member.

Visit the website regularly to find news on South Staffordshire and Sir Patrick's work in the House of Commons.

 

Committees

 

Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

 

Sir Patrick was appointed Chairman of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in 2005 and has helped to conduct inquiries resulting in four reports, including ones on Organised Crime in Northern Ireland and Tourism and its Economic Impact and Benefits and is currently working on one on Policing and Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland. For more information please follow the link below: -

 
Link - http://www.parliament.uk/niacom/

 

 

Liaison Committee

 

Sir Patrick is also a member of the Liaison Committee due to being Chairman of a Select Committee. It is a committee consisting of all 30 chairmen of select committees and is appointed to consider general matters relating to select committees, as well as other issues such as choosing select committee reports for debating in the House. The Committee, since 14th May 2002, hears evidence from the Prime Minister on matters of public policy. For more information please see the link below: -

 

Link - http://www.parliament.uk/liaisoncom/

Groups

 

 

1) All-Party Arts and Heritage Group

 

Sir Patrick founded the All-Party Arts and Heritage Group in 1974 and has been Chairman since 1979. The aim of the group is to promote interest in the arts and heritage in Westminster. They have regular meetings with speakers from such organisations as The National Trust and The Arts Fund and also gallery visits - for more details please see below.

 

ARTS AND HERITAGE NOTICE

 

       ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY ARTS & HERITAGE GROUP
FROM THE CHAIRMAN

 

 Chairman
Sir Patrick Cormack, FSA, MP President

Rt Hon Lord Sheldon, PC
 
 

Vice Chairmen
Rt Hon Alan Beith, PC, MP

Mark Fisher, MP

Baroness Hilton of Eggardon

 

Honorary Secretary
Lord Crathorne

 

Honorary Treasurer
Baroness Noakes, DBE
 

Senior Vice President
Lord Strabolgi

Baroness David

 
Vice Presidents
Rt. Hon Lord Howarth of Newport PC

Michael Mates, MP

Andrew Dismore, MP

Gordon Marsden, MP

Rt. Hon Lord Thomson of Monifeith, PC

Baroness Nicol

Viscount Falkland

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu

Rt Hon Baroness Boothroyd

Lord Lea of Crondall

Baroness Lockwood
 

 

    
28th January 2008

Notice for Members

 

Joint Meeting with the All-Party Historic Churches and Chapel Group - Wednesday 27th February

Sir Roy Strong will address the groups on the subject of English Country Churches.  The meeting starts at

6.00 pm in Committee Room 10.

 

National Gallery - Pompeo Batoni - Tuesday, 4th March

Dr Nick Penny, the new Director has kindly invited us to view 'Pompeo Batoni'.  This exhibition marks the tercentenary of the artists birth.  He was the most celebrated artist in Rome best known for his 'Grand Tour' portraits but was equally gifted in other areas of painting.  The exhibition contains works publicly exhibited for the first time.  We should arrive at 8.45 am and will be given a cup of coffee and croissant.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 22nd February if you are able to come.  Spouses are welcome.

 

Meeting - National Trust - Tuesday, 4th March

The Chairman, Sir William Proby and Director General, Dame Fiona Reynolds will discuss some of the current issues facing the National Trust.  The meeting will take place in Committee Room 17 and will begin at

5.30 pm.

 

Natural History Museum - Wildlife Photographer of the Year - Wednesday, 12th March

The Director, Dr Michael Dixon has kindly invited us to view the 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' exhibition.  After viewing this remarkable exhibition we will have a behind the scenes look at the science research facilities and a tour of some parts of the collection.  We should arrive at 8.45 am and will be given coffee and croissant and the tour will finish at 11.00 am.  If you cannot manage to stay until then it would be helpful if you could indicate in your acceptance roughly when you will have to leave.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 3rd March if you are able to come.  Spouses are welcome.

 

Tate Britain - Modern Painters - The Camden Town Group - Wednesday, 26th March

The Director, Dr Stephen Deuchar has kindly invited us to view 'Modern Painters - The Camden Town Group'.  This group captured the mood of London just before the First World War.  The exhibition concentrates on the core members of the group where Walter Sickert was a key player.  We should arrive at 8.45 am at the Atterbury Street entrance and will be given coffee and biscuits.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 17th March if you are able to come.  Spouses are welcome.

 

Southbank Centre - Royal Festival Hall - Wednesday 2nd April

Michael Lynch, CEO and Jude Kelly, Artistic Director have kindly invited 20 members to the concert by the pianist 'Mitsuko Uchida'.  She is an iconic figure who performs music from Bach to the present with great passion.   The concert starts at 7.30 pm in the recently restored Royal Festival Hall.

Please let Lord Crathorne know if you would like to attend.  Tickets are for members only and will be dealt with on a 'first come' basis.  You will be notified whether your application has been successful or not.  (It is possible that tickets will be available for purchase for spouses).

 

Royal Academy - From Russia - Thursday, 3rd April

The Director, Dr Charles Saumerez Smith has kindly invited us to see the exhibition 'From Russia - French and Russian Master Painters 1878 to 1925 from Moscow and St Petersburg'.  120 extraordinary paintings from these museums have been gathered for a single exhibition.

 

We will also have the chance to see in the Sackler Gallery the first major exhibition in Britain devoted to 'Lucas Cranach the Elder (circa 1472 - 1553)'.  Cranach created striking portraits and expressive devotional works.  He was a close friend of Martin Luther and a strong supporter of the reformation.  We should arrive at 8.45 am and be given a cup of coffee.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 24th March if you are able to come.  Spouses are welcome.

 

Meeting - Royal Mint - 3rd or 10th April

5.30 pm in Room   ?

 

Mall Gallery - Royal Society of Portrait Painters - Thursday, 24th April

The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters has kindly invited us to a breakfast viewing of their annual exhibition.  We shall arrive for breakfast at 8.45 am.  One or more members will be there to talk to us about the exhibition.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 14th April if you are able to come.  Spouses are welcome.

 

 

 

Southbank Centre - Queen Elizabeth Hall - Wednesday, 21st May

Michael Lynch, CEO and Jude Kelly, Artistic Director have kindly invited 20 members to the concert by 'Takacs Quartet'.  The concert starts at 7.30 pm in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and includes the world premier of James Macmillan's string quartet no.3 specially written for the quartet.

Please let Lord Crathorne know if you would like to attend.  Tickets are for members only and will be dealt with on a 'first come' basis.  You will be notified whether your application has been successful or not.  (It is possible that tickets will be available for purchase for spouses).

 

English Heritage - Churches Tour - Tuesday, 17th June

We shall board the bus at 9.30 am (the pick up point is yet to be fixed but I will confirm this to those who accept to come).   Lord Bruce-Lockhart, Chairman and Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive and The Bishop of London have kindly arranged visits to:

 St Peter's Italian Church in Clerkenwell

Wesley's Chapel

St George's German Lutheran Church. 

We shall lunch at St George's and return to Westminster departing no later than 1.30 pm.

Please let Lord Crathorne know in writing by 6th June if you are able to come - members only.

 

 

2) History of Parliament Trust

 

Sir Patrick has been a member of the Trust since 1979. He was made a trustee in 1983 and then Chairman in 2001.

 

Link - http://www.histparl.ac.uk/

 

 

 

3) Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber

 

The campaign, which is chaired by Sir Patrick, was established with three aims in mind: to support the House of Lords in its role as a highly effective second chamber; to provide a balance to the debate on future Lords reform; and to analyse the right options for change. It has over 200 members and currently meets on a regular basis.

 

Link - http://www.effectivesecondchamber.com/

 

 

 

 

4) British-Finnish All-Party Group

 

Sir Patrick was appointed Chairman of the group in 1992. Its aim is to foster relations between Britain and Finland, their parliaments and people.

 

Link - http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi47.htm

 

 

5) All-Party Parliamentary Bosnia Group

 

Sir Patrick was Chairman from 1992-97 and was re-appointed in 2001. The aim of the group is to facilitate relations with Bosnia.

 

Link - http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi22.htm