Chris Evans
As someone born and raised in the valleys, it is an honour to be elected to represent the community of Islwyn in Parliament. Brought up in the Rhondda valleys, I was educated at Porth County Comprehensive, Pontypridd College and Trinity College, Carmarthen where I graduated with a history degree.
Upon finishing university, I worked for Jack Brown (Bookmakers) Ltd before moving on to work for Lloyds TSB as a Personal Account Manager and then later working at the University of Glamorgan.
In 2004, I was appointed as a trade union official with the Union of Finance Staff where I campaigned to save finance and IT jobs from being off-shored.
Most recently, I spent four years working as parliamentary researcher to Don Touhig, the former MP for Islwyn, until his decision to stand down at the May 2010 General Election.
I have been a member of the Labour Party since the age of 15, holding positions at every level of the Party. I am also a member of Unite, the Fabian Society and the Co-operative Party.
Having previously stood for Parliament in 2005 as the Labour candidate in Cheltenham, I was elected the Member of Parliament for Islwyn in 2010.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, running as well as watching most sports.
Listed among: Members of Parliament, Members of the Westminster Group in Wales
- Luciana Berger leads parliamentary debate on food banks and food poverty (14 Dec 2012)John Hite reports from a debate in Parliament this week where MPs discussed the growing use of food banks to address food poverty. Earlier this week, a seemingly one-sided debate occurred within the House of Commons regarding food poverty and its growing effect within the UK. Led by Co-operative MP Luciana Berger, Labour and Co-operative [...]
- Co-operative MPs debate a better banking system (25 Jul 2012)Earlier this month, a Parliamentary debate gave Labour & Co-operative MPs the chance to raise their concerns with the current banking culture and structure. Sharon Hou reviews their ideas for a better banking system based on co-operative values. As our Parliamentary Group Chair, Cathy Jamieson MP declared during the debate, ‘the culture of banking must [...]
- Chris Evans MP: How the banks can tackle financial exclusion (22 Mar 2012)Co-operative Member of Parliament Chris Evans MP outlines the background to his Banking Disclosure and Responsibility Bill in Parliament. It has been in vogue of late by all political parties to bash the banks. While nearly everyone has been quick to blame the banks for the financial collapse, very few have asked where do we go [...]
- Our MPs working for a fairer economy (8 Feb 2012)Parliamentary Officer Joe Fortune outlines the work Co-operative MPs are doing in Parliament to make our economy fairer. The Co-operative Party Parliamentary Group has always sought to provide the movement a range of activity in Westminster, whether it is promoting co-operative legislation, promoting the ideas of the movement and scrutinising proposals to ensure that the co-operative angle is [...]
- Is the Coalition committed to credit unions? (9 Jul 2010)There has probably never been a more appropriate climate for credit unions to prosper. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, people are keener than ever to place their assets in organisations that they have real trust in and control over. To fulfil its promise, however, the credit union sector must be supported by a [...]
- Public Bill Committee: Finance (No. 2) Bill: (25 Apr 2013)Chris Evans: Further to that point of order, Mr Amess. Thank you for allowing me to indulge in a point of order. I came to this Committee late, and I was faced with Government and Opposition Whips speaking to you. I was not privy to that conversation, and I do not know what advice you were given. I would be grateful if you could relay it to the Committee.
- Oral Answers to Questions — Transport: Rail Fares/Ticketing Review (25 Apr 2013)Chris Evans: What progress his Department is making on its rail fares and ticketing review; and if he will make a statement.
- Public Bill Committee: Finance (No. 2) Bill: Clause 2 - Personal allowance for 2013-14 for those born after 5 April 1948 (23 Apr 2013)Chris Evans: I know the hon. Gentleman is from Abercynon. I come from the Rhondda, which is the better valley of the two. It is not as good on his side. I am into fighting talk now. I can see why he left the valleys because with his attitude he had no chance of getting elected anywhere. That is the attitude- he talks about the right hon. Member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and 1999, 14 years ago...
- Finance (No. 2) Bill (15 Apr 2013)Chris Evans: If there was one test that the Government put in place from the day that they got into power, it was reducing the deficit. Three years on, what do we see? Borrowing is increasing by £245 billion and there is no chance of the deficit being paid off by 2015. By 2016-17, debt as a ratio of GDP will be 85.4%. Those are damning figures. On 23 April 2012, the Prime Minister said:...
- Written Answers — Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Central African Republic (20 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in the Central African Republic.
- Written Answers — Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Burundi (20 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of religious freedom in Burundi.
- Fuel Poverty (Wales) — [Mrs Linda Riordan in the Chair] (19 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: As always, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Riordan. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) on securing the debate. This is the third fuel poverty debate I have spoken in since I came to the House. The first was quite early on, and I had not been a Member very long-I was green behind the ears. Constituents who had come to my...
- Written Answers — Energy and Climate Change: Energy: Meters (19 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households in the UK with prepayment (a) gas and (b) electricity meters.
- Written Answers — Energy and Climate Change: Fuel Poverty (19 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of levels of fuel poverty.
- Operation Jasmine (Care Home Abuse) (13 Mar 2013)Chris Evans: I commend my hon. Friend and parliamentary neighbour on his efforts in this campaign, and the work of Gwent police in putting together the investigation. Is he not concerned, as I am, that the case has taken seven years and cost £11.6 million, as he mentions? At a briefing, he and I saw harrowing photographic evidence of some of the alleged abuse. Is he not worried that that situation...
