Deputy First Minister and
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Personal history
Huw is married to Joanna
Irranca-Davies (they combined their surnames Davies and Irranca on marrying,
becoming Irranca-Davies). They have three sons, and are all proud of their
Welsh and Italian family roots. Born into a strong Labour Party family, he has
long been a grass-roots campaigner and active in community regeneration.
Born in 1963, he is an alumni
of Gowerton Comprehensive School, Crewe and Alsager College (BA Hons), and
Swansea Institute of Higher Education (MSc).
A keen walker (Vice-President
of Ramblers Cymru) and “everyday cyclist on a sit-up-and-beg-bike”, he also
relaxes watching his sons playing rugby or reading historical novels (and never
anything political!).
Professional background
Huw Irranca-Davies worked in
public and private sector management and as a Senior Lecturer in Higher
Education before entering politics. In February 2002 he was elected as the
Labour MP for Ogmore in a parliamentary by-election, a seat which he held until
2016 when he was duly elected as the Assembly Member for Ogmore at the National
Assembly for Wales.
Political history
Huw was elected as Labour MP
for Ogmore in 2002. Huw served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ministers
in DWP, Northern Ireland and DCMS, as a Government Whip, as Under-Secretary of
State for Wales; and as Environment Minister.
From 2010 he served as Shadow
Energy Minister, and then as Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and Rural
Affairs. In May 2015, he was elected as the Chair of the Environmental Audit
Committee, a position held till May 2016 when he was elected to the National
Assembly of Wales – now Senedd Cymru.
In the Fifth Senedd he
initially served as the Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs
Committee before becoming the Minister for Social Services and Children, then
at the request of the First Minister became Chair of the Regional Investment Wales
Steering Group, the European Advisory Group and the PMC committee overseeing
the spending of EU funding streams in Wales.
During the Sixth Senedd he has
held a number of positions, including Chair of the Legislation, Justice and
Constitution Committee, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and
Infrastructure Committee, Chair of the Strategic Forum for Regional Investment
in Wales and also Chaired the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform. He
was also a member of a number of Cross Party Groups, holding Chair and Vice
Chair roles for several.
In March 2024 Huw was appointed
to the Welsh Government as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural
Affairs.
