Conservative MP Peter Ainsworth is the Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under David Cameron. His department has been vocal in its criticism of Government strategies such as the waste management scheme and plans to increase GM thresholds in organic certified foods. In a probing interview, Katie Derham quizzes Peter Ainsworth on these issues and covers other topics including the relationship between the farming industry and the government; paying more for ethical food; food labeling and the odds of there being another Tory government in the near future.

Peter Ainsworth’s political career began in 1979 when, after leaving Lincoln College, Oxford with an MA in English Literature and Language he became research assistant to Sir Jack Stewart-Clark, MEP for Sussex East.

He has been the Member of Parliament for East Surrey since 1992. In that time he has held a number of high profile roles including member of the Select Committee on the Environment (1993-4), member of the Public Service Committee and joint Secretary of the All Party Conservation Group. Between 1994-1996 he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ministers in the Treasury and Department of National Heritage and in July 1996 he was appointed an Assistant Government Whip.

He became Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in 1997 and from June 1998 until September 2001 he was Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Following Iain Duncan Smith's election as Leader of the Conservative Party he was promoted to Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which he stepped down in June 2002. In January 2003 he was appointed to the Environmental Audit Committee and in July 2003 he was appointed Chairman.

Peter Ainsworth is a Director of Plantlife International which works to preserve wild plants in their natural habitat), and in 2005 was awarded the Public Affairs News 'Politician of the Year' award in recognition of his work on the environment.

Peterainsworth.com

Peter Ainsworth speech at the Ecobuild Conference 2007 : We need to put a clear and realistic price on carbon across the economy

Peter Ainsworth’s profile on theyworkforyou.com

Peter Ainsworth profiled at Ask Aristotle

GM threshold in Organic Food news story from The Guardian

Environmental Audit Committee

Plantlife International