Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Skelmersdale
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office 26 July 1989 – 28 November 1990
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	The Lord Lyell
Succeeded by	Jeremy Hanley
Junior ministerial offices 1981–1989 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security In office 25 July 1988 – 26 July 1989 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Office established Succeeded by The Lord Henley Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security In office 13 June 1987 – 25 July 1988 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Michael Portillo Succeeded by Edwina Currie Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment In office 10 September 1986 – 13 June 1987 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by Angela Rumbold Succeeded by Christopher Chope Lord-in-waiting Government Whip In office 9 January 1981 – 10 September 1986 Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Preceded by The Lord Trefgarne Succeeded by The Lord Hesketh
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
as a hereditary peer 8 July 1974 – 11 November 1999
Preceded by	The 6th Baron Skelmersdale
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
as an elected hereditary peer 11 November 1999 – 31 October 2018
Election	1999
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	The 15th Lord Reay
Personal details
Born	(1945-04-02)2 April 1945
Died	31 October 2018(2018-10-31) (aged 73)
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Eton College

Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, 7th Baron Skelmersdale (born April 2, 1945 – died October 31, 2018), was a British politician. He was a member of the Conservative Party and served in the House of Lords.

He went to Eton College for his education.

Early Life and Family Business

Roger Bootle-Wilbraham became the 7th Baron Skelmersdale in 1973. This happened after his father, the 6th Baron Skelmersdale, passed away. A "Baron" is a title of nobility, and it meant he became a member of the House of Lords.

From 1972, Lord Skelmersdale and his wife, Christine, ran a business together. They owned Broadleigh Gardens, which was a special plant nursery. It was located at Barr House in Bishops Hull, Taunton, Somerset.

Political Career

Lord Skelmersdale had a long career in British politics. He was a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.

Serving in Government

In 1981, he became a whip in Margaret Thatcher's government. A whip's job is to make sure members of their party vote in a certain way. He held this role until 1986.

After that, he took on different government roles. He was a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in several departments. This means he helped a main minister run a government department.

• From 1986 to 1987, he worked in the Department of Environment. This department deals with issues like protecting nature and managing waste.
• From 1987 to 1988, he moved to the Department of Health and Social Security. This department looked after health and welfare services.
• When that department split in 1988, he continued at the Department of Social Security until 1989. This new department focused on social welfare.
• His last government role was in the Northern Ireland Office from 1989 to 1990. He served there until Margaret Thatcher stopped being Prime Minister.

Changes to the House of Lords

In 1999, a new law called the House of Lords Act 1999 changed how the House of Lords worked. Before this law, many members inherited their right to be there. These were called "hereditary peers."

Lord Skelmersdale was a hereditary peer. After the law, most hereditary peers lost their automatic right to sit in the House of Lords. However, some were elected to stay, and Lord Skelmersdale was one of them. He continued to serve as an elected hereditary peer until 2018.

Later Roles in Parliament

Even when he wasn't a government minister, Lord Skelmersdale remained active in politics.

• From 1991 to 2003, and again from 2010 to 2014, he served as a Deputy Chairman of Committees. He was also a Deputy Speaker from 1995. These roles involve helping to manage debates and procedures in the House of Lords.
• In 2006, he was a Conservative Shadow Minister for the Department for Work and Pensions. A "Shadow Minister" is a member of the opposition party who watches over a specific government department. They suggest different policies.
• He was part of David Cameron's team before Cameron became Prime Minister. However, Lord Skelmersdale did not become a minister in the government that formed in 2010.

Personal Interests

Lord Skelmersdale enjoyed playing bridge. He was also a member of the all-party parliamentary bridge group. This group brings together politicians who share an interest in the game.

Passing Away

Lord Skelmersdale passed away on October 31, 2018, at the age of 73.