Paul Drayson, Baron Drayson

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The Right Honourable  The Lord Drayson  PC
Lord Drayson signing a memorandum. (2006)
Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform
Incumbent
Assumed office  8 June 2009
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Position established
Minister of State for Science and Innovation
Incumbent
Assumed office  3 October 2008
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	Ian Pearson
Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support
In office 6 May 2005 – 7 November 2007
Prime Minister	Tony Blair Gordon Brown
Preceded by	The Lord Bach
Succeeded by	The Baroness Taylor of Bolton
Born	5 March 1960 (1960-03-05) (age 49) , United Kingdom
Political party	Labour
Residence	Nether Lypiatt Manor
Alma mater	Aston University
Profession	Businessman

Paul Rudd Drayson, Baron Drayson PC (born March 5 1960^[1]) is a British businessman, amateur racing driver and politician. He is currently Minister of Science in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, where he replaced Ian Pearson.

Contents 1 Early life and career 1.1 Personal life 2 Controversy 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Early life and career

After attending St Dunstan's College, Paul Drayson graduated from Aston University in Production Engineering, followed in 1986 by a PhD in robotics.^[2] From 1986 to 1991 he was Managing Director of the Lambourn Food Company.

In 1993 he co-founded PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc in Oxford which specialised in the production of vaccines, and was Chief Executive until 2003 when PowderJect was acquired by Chiron Corp.

In May 2005 Lord Drayson replaced Lord Bach as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Procurement and as Government Spokesman for Defence to the House of Lords. Lord Drayson's responsibility for defence procurement in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was one of the most high profile jobs in the MoD. His remit included oversight of the Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Logistics Organisation. In December 2005 Lord Drayson published a report entitled The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). On 6 March 2007 Lord Drayson was promoted to Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support. He oversaw the new Defence Equipment and Support Organisation.^[3] On 29 June 2007 he also became a Minister of State in the newly created Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, combining this with his role in the Ministry of Defence. He stood down from ministerial responsibilities on 7 November 2007. His official reason for stepping down was his wish to participate in the Le Mans race, but it has been reported that the actual reasons were being left out of the loop when Prime Minister Brown decided to disband the Defence Export Services Organisation and equipment budget deficits which would make the follow-up to the DIS largely irrelevant.^[4] His job as Defence Procurement Minister was transferred to Lady Taylor.^[5] He rejoined the Brown government as Minister of State for Science and Innovation in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on 3 October 2008 following a cabinet reshuffle.^[6]

Between 2001 and 2002 he was the Chairman of the BioIndustry Association, and has been Chairman of the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign since 2002. Since 2003, he has been the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Said Business School, Oxford University.

[edit] Personal life

Drayson and his wife have five children, and live between homes in London and Nether Lypiatt Manor near Stroud in Gloucestershire, purchased for £5.75million in 2006 from TRH Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.^[7]

Self described as a "car nut and I'm a Government minister",^[8] he drives an Aston Martin Vanquish, his wife has an Aston Martin DB9, and his collection includes a Lotus Elan. He also races a bio-ethanol powered Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3-spec race car for Barwell Motorsport ^[9] in the British GT Championship. He stood down as a Government minister in November 2007 to compete in the American Le Mans Series.^[5]

Drayson was born blind in one eye which, under FIA rules, prevented him from acquiring an international racing licence for participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours. In light of his performance during the 2008 ALMS season and FIA rule changes, he was granted an international licence to allow him the chance of competing in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.^[10]

[edit] Controversy

In 2002 PowderJect was awarded a £32 million government smallpox vaccine contract without competition shortly after Paul Drayson donated £50,000 to the Labour Party. Following a Parliamentary enquiry no improper activity was identified.

There were also unrefuted allegations that his company knowingly sold to the National Health Service several batches of BCG tuberculosis vaccine that failed to "meet the end of shelf-life potency criteria", in other words were stale and ineffective, risking the health of their recipients. ^[11]

Following his elevation to the House of Lords, made a working peer entitled Baron Drayson, of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in May 2004, he gave the Labour Party another £500,000, raising allegations that his peerage had been "bought".

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Britain buys up stocks of smallpox vaccine - April 2002
• Labour claims unravel over vaccine deal - April 2002
• The irresistible rise of 'Tony's crony' - November 2005

Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Bach	Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support 2005–2007	Succeeded by The Baroness Taylor of Bolton
Preceded by Ian Pearson	Minister of State for Science and Innovation 2008–present	Incumbent
New creation	Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform 2009–present

v • d • e Cabinet of Prime Minister Gordon Brown (2007–present)   Secretaries of State First Secretary of State Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord Mandelson (2009–present) Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband (2007–present) Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw (2007–present) Secretary of State for the Home Department Jacqui Smith (2007–2009) • Alan Johnson (2009–present) Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Hilary Benn (2007–present) Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander (2007–present) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears (2007–2009) • John Denham (2009–present) Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls (2007–present) Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband (2007–present) Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson (2007–2009) • Andrew Burnham (2009–present) Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shaun Woodward (2007–present) Secretary of State for Scotland Des Browne (2007–2008) • Jim Murphy (2008–present) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain (2007–2008) • James Purnell (2008–2009) • Yvette Cooper (2009–present) Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain (2007–2008) • Paul Murphy (2008–2009) • Peter Hain (2009–present) Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne (2007–2008) • John Hutton (2008–2009) • Bob Ainsworth (2009–present) Secretary of State for Transport Ruth Kelly (2007–2008) • Geoff Hoon (2008–2009) • Lord Adonis (2009–present) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport James Purnell (2007–2008) • Andrew Burnham (2008–2009) • Ben Bradshaw (2009–present) Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform John Hutton (2007–2008) • Lord Mandelson (2008–2009) Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham (2007–2009)   Other Cabinet ministers Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Minister for the Civil Service Gordon Brown Leader of the House of Commons Minister for Women and Equality Lord Privy Seal Harriet Harman (2007–present) Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling (2007–present) Lord Chancellor Jack Straw (2007–present) Leader of the House of Lords Lady Ashton of Upholland (2007–2008) • Lady Royall of Blaisdon (2008) • Lord Bassam of Brighton (2008–present) Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Ed Miliband (2007–2008) • Liam Byrne (2008–2009) • Lady Royall of Blaisdon (2009–present) Lord President of the Council Lady Ashton of Upholland (2007–2008) • Lady Royall of Blaisdon (2008–2009) • Lord Mandelson (2009–present) Minister for the Cabinet Office Ed Miliband (2007–2008) • Liam Byrne (2008–2009) • Tessa Jowell (2009–present) Minister for the Olympics Paymaster General Tessa Jowell (2007–present) Chief Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Burnham (2007–2008) • Yvette Cooper (2008–2009) • Liam Byrne (2009–present)   Also attending Chief Whip of the House of Commons Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Geoff Hoon (2007–2008) • Nick Brown (2008–present) Minister of State for Housing and Planning Yvette Cooper (2007–2008) • Caroline Flint (2008) • Margaret Beckett (2008–2009) • John Healey (2009–present) Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Pat McFadden (2009–present) Minister of State for Science and Innovation Lord Drayson (2008–present) Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform Lord Drayson (2009–present) Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform Tony McNulty (2008–2009) • Jim Knight (2009–present) Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms Lord Grocott (2002–2008) • Lady Royall of Blaisdon (2008) Minister of State for Africa, Asia and the United Nations Lord Malloch-Brown (2007–2009)   Also attending when on agenda Attorney General for England and Wales Attorney General for Northern Ireland Lady Scotland of Asthal (2007–present) Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes (2007–2009) • Dawn Primarolo (2009–present) Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Coordination Minister of State for Local Government Rosie Winterton (2009–present) Minister of State for Transport Sadiq Khan (2009–present) Minister of State for Europe Caroline Flint (2008–2009)