- Source: Brian Gibbons (politician)
Brian Gibbons (born 25 August 1950) is a medical doctor who was the Labour Party Assembly Member for Aberavon from May 1999 to May 2011. He served in the Welsh Government as Minister for Health and Social Services from 2005 to 2007, Minister for the Economy and Transport in 2007, and Minister for Social Justice and Local Government from 2007 to 2009.
Background
Born in Dublin, a son of the former Irish Fianna Fáil politician, Hugh Gibbons, he was raised in County Roscommon Ireland, and moved to Yorkshire in 1976 to train as a general medical practitioner in Calderdale. He subsequently became a GP in Blaengwynfi and also worked as a GP in partnership with Julian Tudor Hart at Glyncorrwg in the Afan Valley near Port Talbot.
A member of the British Medical Association (BMA), the Socialist Health Association, and the Medical Practitioners Union (UNITE), he is a fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners, and a former Secretary to the Morgannwg Local Medical Committee.
Political career
In April 1999, Gibbons was selected as the Labour party candidate for the Aberavon constituency in the new National Assembly for Wales. He was elected in the first Welsh Assembly elections in May, with a majority of 6,743. In October 2000, he was appointed as Deputy Minister for Health by First Minister Rhodri Morgan, providing support to Health Minister Jane Hutt.
He was re-elected in 2003, and appointed as Deputy Minister for Economic Transport and Development shortly after. In August 2003, Gibbons, alongside labour colleague John Griffiths, wrote a submission to the Richard Commission supporting further powers for the Welsh Assembly.
In January 2005, Gibbons was appointed as Minister for Health after prior Health Minister Jane Hutt was removed from the role. After being appointed he was given "free rein" over the government's policy on health. Gibbons announced he would begin a period of consultation, to determine the best course of action. He faced pressure to adopt similar systems to those used for the English health service, particularly from Wales Secretary Peter Hain, and in March 2005 adopted a target for treatment waiting times of no waits longer than six months by 2009.
In the first Cabinet of the Third Assembly he was appointed Minister for the Economy and Transport in May 2007, and Minister for Social Justice and Local Government in the coalition government in July 2007. In 2009, he announced he would stand down at the 2011 Welsh Assembly election, and stand down from the Cabinet. He was succeeded as AM for Aberavon by David Rees, also of the Labour Party. He stated he intended to return to medicine.
External links
Brian Gibbons AM Website
Welsh Labour Party Website
Website of the Welsh Assembly Government