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Grant Shapps

Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield

Minister for Housing

Tel: 020 7219 8497 / Fax: 020 7219 0659 / Welwyn Hatfield Conservatives , Maynard House , The Common , Hatfield , AL10 0NF
Email: grant@shapps.com / Web: www.shapps.com
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Shapps Grant 2007

Grant was born and educated in Hertfordshire, attending Watford Grammar School.

After studying Business in Manchester he returned home to found his own printing company, aged 21, and it is a business that thrives to this day.
Grant is well-known as a hard-working, campaigning, constituency MP who has often led the fight on behalf of his Welwyn Hatfield constituents. In particular Grant fought a long battle against the closure of major hospital services in his area creating HospitalSOS; a cross-party campaign to highlight the closure of A&E and Maternity services at the QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City. Grant lives in his constituency and prides himself on being at the heart of the Welwyn Hatfield community.

Grant is a strong believer in social justice and this has been a driving factor is his work to uncover the true extent of homelessness in Britain. Having researched and written various reports on the subject, Grant went on to highlight his concerns by sleeping rough on Christmas Eve 2007.

During 2008 he helped the modern day Conservative Party follow in the footsteps of Ian MacLeod - who founded homeless charity Crisis in 1967 - by joining David Cameron to launch the Conservative Homelessness Foundation at Crisis HQ in London. The new Foundation will work with the Conservative Party to develop policies aimed at eradicating rough sleeping and addressing the wider issue of homelessness.

With housing high on the national agenda, Grant believes that stability in family life and social structure begins at home and he has become a vocal critic of housing policy over the past ten years which has led to fewer homes of every type being built.

Grant has written a number of reports, some of which are available on the right-hand side of this page under 'Downloadable documents'. Other reports can be found on Grant's website.

POSITIONS HELD:

  • MP for Welwyn Hatfield, May 2005 -
  • Vice-Chairman of Conservative Party Campaigning, Dec 2005 -
  • Shadow Minister for Housing, June 2007 - May 2010
  • Minister for Housing, May 2010 -

PROUDEST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT:

Founding the Conservative Homelessness Foundation

INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS:

Aviation (holds a pilot's licence)

FAMILY LIFE:

  • Married to Belinda
  • Three children: Hadley and twins, Noa and Tabytha

Elderly given more choice over where they live

Wednesday, January 18 Housing Minister Grant Shapps and Communities Minister Andrew Stunell have called on councils to use every opportunity under the New Deal for Older People to give elderly people more choice and control over where they live, so they are not pressured to sell their home or move into residential care.

Eric Pickles announces riot support package

Thursday, August 11 Residents and local firms are in line for financial support, as part of a package of measures from the Government to help communities get back on their feet.

Go to news

Grant Shapps: Housing - A rural revolution

Thursday, December 10 The Shadow Housing Minister unveiled plans to revolutionise housing in rural areas.

Grant Shapps: We will green up to 25 million homes

Thursday, November 26 The Shadow Housing Minister said that every household will be able to claim up to £6,500 in energy improvements.

Go to speeches
Articles

Apprenticeships: encouraging growth

Richard Graham - Wednesday, February 8 

Apprenticeships are good for the country, companies and individuals.

A successful CPF conference

Baroness Warsi - Tuesday, January 31 

Sayeeda Warsi opened the first CPF Winter Conference.

Go to The Blue Blog

The Conservative approach to Housing

Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps sets out Conservative plans to meet people's aspirations on housing issues.