Chris Bryant MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Chris Bryant MP was appointed Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in October 2008.

Chris was born in Cardiff in 1962 and brought up in Cardiff, Spain and Cheltenham. He read English at Mansfield College Oxford and Theology at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, before ordination in the Church of England in December 1986.

Following his election as Rhondda's MP in June 2001 he has served on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of the House of Commons, as well as the Joint Committee of the Lords and Commons on Reform of the House of Lords.

From May 2005 to June 2006 Chris was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, then to Harriet Harman as Leader of the House of Commons from July 2007 to October 2008.

He is an Associate of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and a member of the Co-op Party, Amnesty International, Amicus and the Fabians.

He speaks fluent Spanish and good French. He lives in Porth in the Rhondda Fach.

Responsibilties

• European Union  
• Europe, including Balkans, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova
• Russia, South Caucasus, Central Asia
• OSCE and Council of Europe
• Overseas Territories
• South America
• Australasia and Pacific
• Consular policy
• Olympics
• HR and Diversity
• Public Diplomacy, including British Council and BBC World Service
• Shanghai Expo 2010
• Protocol