Rt Hon David Heath CBE
"I used to describe myself as a recovering politician. Now I think I'd say I'm someone with the skills and experience to get things done."
When I retired from politics, I wondered how easy it would be to adjust. But I've done a lot of things over the years, from working in hospitals and running a small business as a qualified optician, to becoming the youngest ever leader of a county council at 31 years old; chairing a major police authority and serving on the board of the National Criminal Intelligence Service; joining the Audit Commission; eighteen years in the House of Commons as a constituency MP; Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and then Minister of Agriculture; the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Nigeria and Angola; a member of the Privy Council. Now I sit on and chair boards. Over recent years I've been regulating solicitors, a watchdog for the water industry, helping make sense of the NHS, and assisting the actuarial profession. I like to think in each area I've made a difference.
My experience
Background & Expertise
June 2022 -
Member of the Disciplinary Committee, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Appointed to the Committee from which panel members are drawn to hear and adjudicate on disciplinary cases against Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses.
December 2020 -
Independent Chair of MCS Standards
Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has since 2008 been the recognised standard for UK products and their installation in the small-scale renewables sector. I was appointed as Independent Chair of MCS Standards in December 2020, a new role ensuring impartiality and integrity in the setting of standards in an increasingly important sector as we move towards a zero-carbon emissions future.
March 2021 -
Chair, Costs Lawyer Standards Board
The CLSB is the body which regulates Costs Lawyers in England and Wales. I will be taking up my appointment as Chair of the Board in March 2021.
December 2014 - December 2020
Senior Independent Director, Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Solicitors Regulation Authority is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of more than 125,000 solicitors across England & Wales. I became a board member at the end of 2014, and in turn acted as Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee and, latterly, Senior Independent Director.
May 2015 - March 2021
Chair, Western Region, Consumer Council for Water
Independent Board Member
Until July 2020 I served as Chair of the Western Region of the Consumer Council for Water, advocating on behalf of water consumers and holding the water companies in the south west of England to account. Following a restructuring, the RegionaI Chair positions no longer exist, but until the end of my term of office I continued to sit on the main board of CCW, the Committee for Wales, and RemCom, as an Independent Board Member.
June 2018 - July 2022
Non-executive Director, Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (NHS)
On the board of Somerset CCG, the NHS body responsible for primary care across Somerset and commissioning healthcare for its population, with an annual budget of over £750 million. I have a particular focus on patient and public engagement. and in addition in 2018 took on the chairing of the newly devolved Primary Care Commissioning committee. The Clinical Commissioning Group was abolished by the Health & Care Act 2022
May 2018 -
Chair of the Policy Advisory Group, Institute & Faculty of Actuaries
Appointed as the first lay chair of the Policy and Public Affairs board to encourage better engagement and communication on behalf of the actuarial profession in UK and overseas. Following a reorganisation, the board has now become the Policy Advisory Group.
May 2017 - March 2019
Non-Executive Director & Chair of RemCom, Bath & Wells Multi-Academy Trust
A pro bono role helping a large and rapidly expanding multi-academy trust operating a number of schools at primary level across Somerset and the city of Bath.
2014 - 2015
Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Nigeria and to Angola
As personal envoy of the Prime Minister, working to establish trade relationships and opportunities with two of the biggest and fastest growing economies in Africa, but each with significantly difficult trading environments for British companies.
2012 - 2013
Minister of State, DEFRA
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. Deputy Secretary of State. Chaired the department's Executive Board. Represented HM Government on the EU Agriculture Committee and on the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
2010 - 2012
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
Working closely with Sir George Young, responsible for the management of house business, resolving policy difficulties within the coalition government, and working with MPs of all parties in the House of Commons.
1997-2015
Member of Parliament
for Somerton & Frome
Member of Select Committees on Justice, Foreign Affairs, Science & Technology, and Standards & Privileges. Shadow Minister at various times for Foreign Affairs, Work & Pensions, Home Affairs, Justice, Agriculture, and Parliamentary Affairs.
1998 - 2010
Member of Parliamentary Assembly, Organisation for Cooperation & Security in Europe (OSCE)
Vice-President of the Assembly and Leader of the Liberal Group. Leader of international election monitoring missions to Bosnia-Herzegovina and United States. Further missions to Ukraine, Georgia, and North Macedonia. Humanitarian mission to refugee camps during Kosovo crisis.
1993 -1996
Chair of Avon & Somerset Police Authority
First Somerset-based chair of one of the biggest constabularies outside London. Vice-Chair of the Association of Police Authorities. Board Member of the National Criminal Intelligence Service.
1985 -1997
County Councillor
Leader of Somerset County Council
At 31 years old the youngest ever leader of a county authority. Leader of Liberal Democrats and Vice-Chair of the Association of County Councils and co-founder of the Local Government Association. Appointed as member of the Audit Commission in 1992.
1980 -
Other positions held
Registered Optician, Director of EW Heath Ltd 1980 - 1985
Consultant to Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) 1990-1992
Head of Fundraising, National Meningitis Trust 1993 - 1995
Appointed CBE for public & political service 1989
Appointed a member of the Privy Council 2015
Honorary Fellow, British College of Optometrists 2005
Honorary Associate, British Veterinary Association 2014
Chair, Independent Funeral Standards Organisation 2021-2022
What I do
Key Skills
Regulation & Governance
Getting things right
To get the balance which ensures regulation is both effective and proportionate needs a mindset which is judicious, an understanding of how systems and work, and the wisdom gleaned from experience.
Advocacy
Communicating effectively
I suppose advocacy is the key skill of a politician, but actually it was the ability to speak up for others who may be less able to do so for themselves that brought me into politics in the first place.
Ambassador
Influencing others
What does it take to be a good ambassador, whether it's for your country, a cause or a company? You need to be credible, authoritative, sometimes patient and resilient, always good-humoured and attentive.
In my own words
Written pieces published in local newspapers on the issues of the day 2009-2015
And in my spare time....
I like travelling. I love being at home in Somerset. I enjoy being active. I also like just spending time with my family.
Here's some of the things I get up to when I'm not working.
Frome Cheese Show
I'm Vice President of the Frome Cheese Show and help out on the Cheese Committee. I'm also Vice President of Frome Festival and host an annual Book Quiz.
Sport
I'm too old to play rugby any more, but I am a season-ticket holder at Bath. I do still attempt to play cricket for Witham Friary Cricket Club, and wonder whether Somerset will finally win the county championship in my lifetime.
My cider orchard
Just last year I planted a small orchard of traditional Somerset cider apple varieties, like Dabinett, Slack-ma-girdle, Brown Snout, and Somerset Redstreak.
The classic car
I'm not sure this counts as a hobby, as the car spends more time off the road than working, but I've owned my 1954 Triumph TR2 sports car since I was at university.
Local history
I've always had an interest in local history and I enjoy giving occasional talks to interest groups on my research.
Pig keeping
This one's in the past I'm afraid, but I used to breed pedigree Tamworth pigs. I also for a while had a small number of Manx Loghtan sheep.
"I am very proud of having served the 900 square miles, 135 villages and 82,000 happy, smiling, tolerant, independent, bloody-minded, cantankerous Somerset people - and I am proud to be one of them."