Jane Hutt
CBE MS
Official portrait, 2019
Welsh Government Chief Whip
Assumed office
2 May 2023
First MinisterMark Drakeford
Preceded byDawn Bowden
In office
13 December 2018 – 13 May 2021
First MinisterMark Drakeford
Preceded byJulie James
Succeeded byDawn Bowden
In office
19 May 2016 – 3 November 2017
First MinisterCarwyn Jones
Preceded byJanice Gregory
Succeeded byJulie James
Minister for Social Justice
Assumed office
13 May 2021
First MinisterMark Drakeford
Preceded byOffice established
Leader of the House
In office
10 December 2009 – 3 November 2017
First MinisterCarwyn Jones
Preceded byCarwyn Jones
Succeeded byJulie James
In office
10 September 2005 – 19 July 2007
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded byKaren Sinclair
Succeeded byCarl Sargeant
Minister for Finance
In office
10 December 2009 – 19 May 2016
First MinisterCarwyn Jones
Preceded byAndrew Davies
Succeeded byMark Drakeford
In office
31 May 2007 – 19 July 2007
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded bySue Essex
Succeeded byAndrew Davies
Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills
In office
19 July 2007 – 10 December 2009
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded byCarwyn Jones (Education, Culture and the Welsh Language)
Succeeded byLeighton Andrews (Children, Education and Lifelong Learning)
Minister for Equalities and Children
In office
10 September 2005 – 31 May 2007
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Minister for Health and Social Services
In office
12 May 1999 – 10 September 2005
First MinisterRhodri Morgan
Alun Michael
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byBrian Gibbons
Member of the Senedd
for Vale of Glamorgan
Assumed office
6 May 1999
Preceded byOffice established
Majority3,270 (7.6%)
Personal details
Born (1949-12-15) 15 December 1949
Epsom, England
Political partyWelsh Labour
SpouseMichael Trickey
Children2 daughters
Alma materUniversity of Kent
London School of Economics
University of Bristol
OccupationPolitician, trade unionist
WebsiteJane For The Vale

Jane Elizabeth Hutt CBE (born 15 December 1949) is a Welsh Labour Party politician serving as Welsh Government Chief Whip since 2023 and Minister for Social Justice since 2021. She has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the Vale of Glamorgan since 1999.[1]

A member of the Parliament since its creation, Hutt holds the record for the longest serving Welsh Government minister and has served in every administration to date. She served continually in government from May 1999 until the November 2017 reshuffle, returning in December 2018. Hutt has held several of the most senior government offices, including Minister for Finance, Minister for Health and Social Services, and Minister for Education.

Early years

Born in Epsom, Surrey, on 15 December 1949, Hutt's Welsh-speaking grandparents are from North Wales,[2] and her father was the pathologist Michael Hutt.[3] 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.[4]

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 South Glamorgan County Council and a former vice-chair of the Social Services Committee. She unsuccessfully stood for election to the British Parliament in 1983 in Cardiff North.

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.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[8]

She became Minister for Assembly Business 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 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for political and public service.[9]

Personal life

In July 1984, Hutt married Labour councillor Michael Trickey. They have two daughters.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Member Profile". National Assembly for Wales.
  2. ↑ "Jane Hutt Biography". Jane Hutt's constituency website. Jane Hutt. 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  3. ↑ "Munks Roll Details for Michael Stewart Rees Hutt". Munks Roll. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Linda; Bright, Bob; Kimber, Jon (2 March 1983). General Election Guide, 1983. BBC Data Publications. ISBN 9780946358151 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ "Plenary 14/11/2017". National Assembly for Wales.
  6. ↑ "Hutt is sacked as health minister". BBC News. 10 January 2005.
  7. ↑ "Minister pledges 'new phase' NHS". BBC News. 14 January 2005.
  8. ↑ Shipton, Martin (11 January 2005). "Attacks forced Rhodri to ditch Hutt". WalesOnline. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  9. ↑ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B9.
  10. ↑ "Jane Hutt". BBC News. 12 May 1998.
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