Terence Higgins, Baron Higgins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Higgins
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 7 April 1972 – 4 March 1974 |
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| Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
| Preceded by | Patrick Jenkin |
| Succeeded by | John Gilbert |
| Member of Parliament for Worthing |
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| In office 15 October 1964 – 8 April 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Otho Prior-Palmer |
| Succeeded by | constituency abolished |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 28 October 1997 – 1 January 2019 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 January 1928 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge |
| Medal record | ||
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| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  England |
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| Commonwealth Games | ||
| Silver | 1950 Auckland | 4x440 yard relay |
Terence Langley Higgins, Baron Higgins (born 18 January 1928) is a British politician and a former athlete. He was a member of the Conservative Party. He also won a silver medal for England in the Commonwealth Games. He even competed in the men's 400 metres at the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Early Life and Education
Terence Higgins was born in 1928. He went to Alleyn's School in Dulwich. From 1946 to 1948, he served in the Royal Air Force, which is the UK's air force. He was also part of the British Olympic team in both 1948 and 1952.
In 1948, he moved to New Zealand. There, he worked for a company that deals with shipping. After seven years, he came back to Britain. He decided to study economics at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he became the President of the Cambridge Union. This is a famous debating society.
After finishing his studies in 1958, Higgins worked for a year. He was an economics teacher at Yale University in the United States. Later, he chose to work as an economist for Unilever. This is a very large company that makes many different products.
A Career in Politics
Terence Higgins became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1964. An MP is someone elected to represent a local area in the UK Parliament. He represented the area of Worthing until 1997.
From 1972 to 1974, he held an important job. He was the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. This role helps manage the UK's money and economy. In 1979, he became a Privy Councillor. This means he became a senior advisor to the King or Queen.
Higgins also served on important committees in Parliament. From 1979 to 1992, he was on the Treasury Select Committee. This committee checks how the government spends money. He was even its chairman for many years. He also served on the Liaison Committee from 1984 to 1997.
Joining the House of Lords
On 28 October 1997, Terence Higgins was given a special title. He became a life peer called Baron Higgins. This meant he could become a member of the House of Lords. The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. A life peer holds their title for life but cannot pass it on to their children.
While his party was not in power, he served as a "shadow minister." This means he was the main spokesperson for his party on topics like work and pensions. In 1993, he received a high honour. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). This is a special award for great achievements. Lord Higgins retired from the House of Lords on 1 January 2019.
Family Life
Terence Higgins is married to Dame Rosalyn Higgins. They have two children together. His wife, Dame Rosalyn, was also very successful. She was the President of the International Court of Justice. This is a very important court that settles arguments between countries.
