MP Cheryl Gillan was elected Member of Parliament for Chesham and Amersham in April 1992. Following the General Election of May 2010 Cheryl was appointed Secretary of State for Wales.
Cheryl was born in Llandaff, Cardiff. She was educated at Cheltenham Ladies College and the College of Law. Her previous occupations include: International Management Group 1977-84; Director of British Film Year 1984-86; Senior Marketing Consultant, Ernst and Young 1986-91 and Marketing Director, Kidsons Impey 1991-1993.
Cheryl was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lord Privy Seal, Leader of the House of Lords from 1994 until July 1995. In July 1995, she was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Employment. She was appointed Frontbench Spokesman for Trade and Industry in June 1997 and in June 1998 she was appointed Frontbench Spokesman for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. From September 2001 to June 2003, she was an Opposition Whip. In December 2003, she was appointed a Shadow Minister for Home, Constitutional and Legal Affairs.
In December 2005, Cheryl was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Wales and after the 2010 General Election, she was appointed Secretary of State for Wales. In September 2012 Cheryl left the Cabinet. Now a backbench MP, she has devoted her time fully to representing her Chesham and Amersham constituents, most notably in opposing proposals for the new High Speed Rail line which will cut through the constituency and the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
