Chair of Joint Economic Commission for the North West
Chair of the Joint Economic Commission North West, Phil Woolas was appointed Regional Minister for the North West in June 2009.
MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth since 1997, Phil Woolas joined the Home Office in 2008. He was previously Minister for the Environment at the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, Minister for local government at the Department for Communities and Local Government and deputy leader of the House of Commons. He was educated at Manchester University and worked in television (where he became Jeremy Paxman's producer). Then for 7 years worked as a national officer for the GMB union. He is married with two sons.
Phil Woolas says: "I was brought up in Burnley, went to school and college in Nelson, University in Manchester, my family live in Cumbria and I represent Oldham. As Minister for Local Government and Regeneration, I got to know Merseyside and Cheshire well. I have strong links to the region and a great affection for it and see it as my job to champion the region in Whitehall and Europe."