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Jane Kennedy MP was appointed Minister of State for Defra in October 2008.
Jane has been the Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree since the new seat was formed in 1997. Before that she was the Labour MP for Liverpool Broadgreen from 1992-1997.
Jane was educated at Haughton School in Darlington, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College and Liverpool University.
Jane has a long and distinguished record of public service and has served in successive Labour governments.
She was previously Financial Secretary to the Treasury (2007-08) and a Minister of State in the Department of Health (2005-06), Department of Work and Pensions (2004-05) and Northern Ireland Office (2001-2004). Jane was also Parliamentary Secretary in the Lord Chancellor's Department (1999-2001). She has also served as a Government Whip (1998-99) and was a member of the Administration Select Committee (1997-99).
Earlier in her career, Jane was a residential child care officer at Liverpool City Council (LCC) between 1979-1983 and a care assistant in Social Services between 1983-88. She has also been an active trade unionist, first as NUPE Branch Secretary in Liverpool between 1983-88 and then as an Area Organiser for the union between 1988-92.
As a Labour Party activist, Jane was one of the most prominent campaigners against the Militant Tendency on Merseyside.
Born in 1958, Jane lives in Liverpool with her partner Peter and has two grown-up sons. Her interests include walking, training dogs and horse-riding.
Jane was also chair of the Labour Friends of Israel from 1997-98 and from 2006-07.
 An active grassroots campaigner on local issues - especially the health service and social services, Jane is committed to social justice, decent housing and public service.
Jane's current ministerial responsiibilities include:
- Farming for the future programme
- Rural Payments Agency
- Food chain programme, stakeholder engagement and delivery
- Animal welfare programme
- Exotic animal disease policy programme and emergency response capability
- Bovine TB programme
- Endemic animal disease
- Veterinary policy
- Animal Health
- CAP reform and EU strategy programmes, evidence and knowledge base
- Responsibility and Cost Sharing Programme
- Waste and recycling
- Environment Agency Water (including Nitrates Directive)
- Coastal erosion
- Flooding
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Biography
