Paul Kenneth Burstow

http://www.libdems.org.uk/paul_burstow

Paul Burstow MP
MP for Sutton and Cheam

Paul Burstow was born at St Helier Hospital and comes from a family of tailors and seamstresses. He was educated at Glastonbury High School for Boys (formerly on Glastonbury Road in Sutton) and South Bank Polytechnic.

Since 1991, when he was appointed to chair the Council's Disability Forum, Paul has taken an active interest in issues affecting carers, the elderly and the disabled. As a Councillor, MP and Minister he has championed action to improve the support they receive.

Sutton born and bred, Paul has spent his life fighting for the people of Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park.

Record Of Delivery
Paul is a lifelong resident of Sutton and Cheam, he was born in St Helier hospital in Carshalton. He has successfully fought to save the hospital each time it has been threatened. He is still fighting and to make sure St Helier has a secure future.

Since 1997 Paul has been Sutton's voice in Westminster, speaking up for local people and defending the area’s environment, services and heritage from successive Conservative and Labour Governments who would see them cut. He has worked closely with the local Lib Dem Council to bring millions in investment to Sutton and Cheam, securing jobs and building schools and homes.

Whilst in Government, he has helped give over 87,000 people in Sutton a £700 tax cut, and is campaigning to increase this to £800. He has fought to improve the lives of family carers and older people, doubling the UK's investment in dementia research and putting mental and physical health on an equal footing in our NHS for the first time.

Parliamentary Experience
First elected to Parliament in 1997, Paul has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Shadow Minister for London, and Liberal Democrat Chief Whip.


After the formation of the coalition government in 2010, Paul was appointed Minister of State for Care Services which he served until September 2012. He was responsible for reforming adult Social Care, and his achievements include changing the law so that people would no longer have to sell their home to pay for care, banning age discrimination in the NHS and increasing access to mental health services for children.


Paul is currently Chair of the Liberal Democrat Health Backbench Committee. Last year Paul chaired the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Draft Care and Support Bill and is now chairing two year- long independent commissions. One is on mental health with the think-tank CentreForum, the other is on the future of residential care with Demos.