The Frank Terry Memorial Lecture is an annual lecture series in memory of the late Frank Terry (History Teacher and Boarding Headmaster from 1946-1982).

This year, we are delighted to have Rt. Hon. Andrew Smith as our esteemed guest speaker. Andrew Smith will reflect on aspects of his time in politics and current issues.

Andrew Smith is a former Cabinet Minister, who was educated at Reading School (1962 -1968), leaving with The Sir Thomas White Scholarship for St John’s College, Oxford, where he gained a BA and then a BPhil degree.  He served as a Councillor on Oxford City Council for 11 years from 1976 and became MP for Oxford East in 1987.  He served in the governments of Tony Blair, initially as Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights, from 1997, and then as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1999 to 2002.  In 2002, he was promoted to be Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, holding that office until 2004.  Re-elected for Oxford East in 2005, in 2010 and again in 2015, he continued as a Member of Parliament until retiring in 2017.   

Andrew Smith is remembered for his initiatives in reducing child poverty while Secretary of State, for his support for the rights of Ghurkas to remain in Britain and for his opposition to the privatisation of Air Traffic Control.  He introduced Pension Credit and the Pension Protection Fund, championed the rights of the disabled and sponsored the New Deal to help young and long-term unemployed people into jobs. 

Following his talk, there will be opportunity for questions and discussion.