Alex Chalk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Chalk
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2019
|
|
| Secretary of State for Justice Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain |
|
| In office 21 April 2023 – 5 July 2024 |
|
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Dominic Raab |
| Succeeded by | Shabana Mahmood |
| Minister of State for Defence Procurement | |
| In office 26 October 2022 – 21 April 2023 |
|
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Alec Shelbrooke |
| Succeeded by | James Cartlidge |
| Solicitor General for England and Wales | |
| In office 16 September 2021 – 5 July 2022 |
|
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Michael Ellis |
| Succeeded by | Edward Timpson |
| Minister of State for Prisons and Probation | |
| In office 2 March 2021 – 10 September 2021 |
|
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Lucy Frazer |
| Succeeded by | Lucy Frazer |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice | |
| In office 14 February 2020 – 16 September 2021 |
|
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Wendy Morton |
| Succeeded by | James Cartlidge |
| Member of Parliament for Cheltenham |
|
| In office 7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024 |
|
| Preceded by | Martin Horwood |
| Succeeded by | Max Wilkinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alexander John Gervase Chalk
8 August 1976 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire, England |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford City University London |
Alexander John Gervase Chalk (born 8 August 1976) is a British politician and a barrister (a type of lawyer). He was the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from April 2023 to July 2024.
As a member of the Conservative Party, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cheltenham from 2015 to 2024. Mr. Chalk has also held other important roles in the government. He lost his seat in the 2024 general election.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alexander Chalk was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, on 8 August 1976. His mother and grandmother were both magistrates, who are officials who hear cases in lower courts.
He went to private schools: Windlesham House School and Winchester College. After school, he studied modern history at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Later, he earned a law degree from City University London. He then became a barrister in 2001. As a barrister, he worked on many legal cases. He also advised companies and worked for government departments.
Political Journey
Mr. Chalk started his political career as a local councillor. He was elected to the Hammersmith and Fulham Council in May 2006. He served on the council for several years.
Becoming an MP
In the 2015 general election, Alex Chalk was elected as the MP for Cheltenham. This meant he represented the people of Cheltenham in the UK Parliament.
From 2015 to 2019, he was part of the Justice Select Committee. This committee checks how the government's justice system is working. He also led or was part of several other parliamentary groups.
Making Laws Safer
Mr. Chalk worked with other MPs to make laws stronger against stalking. They helped to increase the maximum sentence for stalking from five to ten years. This change became part of the Policing and Crime Act 2017.
In December 2015, he voted for UK airstrikes against a group called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria. In April 2016, he voted against a plan for Britain to accept 3,000 unaccompanied Syrian child refugees. He later explained his reasons for this vote to his constituents.
Brexit and Re-election
Mr. Chalk supported staying in the European Union during the 2016 Brexit referendum. However, after the public voted to leave, he voted to start the process of Britain leaving the EU. He believed it was important to respect the public's decision.
He was re-elected as MP for Cheltenham in the 2017 general election.
Mental Health and Social Media
In 2018, Mr. Chalk became concerned about the rise in mental health problems among young people. He led a special inquiry with charities like the Children's Society. This inquiry looked into how social media and cyberbullying affect young people's mental health.
Government Roles
In 2018 and 2019, Mr. Chalk took on several roles as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS). These roles involved helping senior government ministers. He worked for the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Defence.
He was re-elected as MP for Cheltenham in the 2019 general election.
In the 2024 General Election, Mr. Chalk lost his seat to Liberal Democrat Max Wilkinson.
Ministerial Career
Justice Minister
In February 2020, Mr. Chalk became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice. In this role, he helped pass a new law about divorce. This law made it easier for couples to divorce without having to blame each other.
Prisons and Probation Minister
In March 2021, Mr. Chalk was appointed as the Prisons and Probation Minister. He worked to improve the prison system.
- He said that new prisons would be "net zero." This means they would use very little energy and produce almost no carbon emissions. They would use things like heat pumps and solar panels.
- He also announced that charities and companies helping former prisoners would receive funding. This money would help reduce reoffending by providing support like job and housing advice.
- In June 2021, he announced that 1,000 new trainee probation officers had been hired. He also changed how community service (unpaid work for offenders) would be managed.
- In July 2021, he introduced a new plan to provide temporary housing for people leaving prison. This aimed to help them find jobs and avoid becoming homeless.
- He also announced that more solar panels would be added to prisons. This would save money and reduce carbon emissions.
- In August 2021, the Clink Kitchens Scheme was expanded to more prisons. This program trains prisoners to work in professional kitchens. It helps them gain skills for jobs after they are released.
Solicitor General
On 16 September 2021, Mr. Chalk became the Solicitor-General for England and Wales. This is a senior legal role in the government. After this, he became a Queen's Counsel (KC), which is a special title for experienced barristers.
As Solicitor General, he worked to make sure that criminals received fair sentences for their crimes. He often asked the Court of Appeal to review sentences that seemed too light.
Minister of State for Defence
From October 2022 to April 2023, Mr. Chalk served as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
.jpg)
On 21 April 2023, Mr. Chalk was appointed as the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor. These are very important roles in the UK government's justice system. He was appointed by King Charles III.
In August 2023, he ordered an inquiry into a case where a person was wrongly convicted. He said it was important to find out how this happened and why it took so long to discover the mistake.
Personal Life
Mr. Chalk is married and has three children. He lives in Charlton Kings, Cheltenham.
See Also
- List of Members of Parliament for Cheltenham
Images for kids
-
Official portrait, 2019
-
Chalk (left, in court dress) at the State Opening of Parliament, 2023
