Gillian Shephard

The Right Honourable The Baroness Shephard of Northwold PC
Official portrait, 2018
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions
In office 1 June 1998 – 15 June 1999
Leader	William Hague
Preceded by	Norman Fowler
Succeeded by	John Redwood
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
In office 11 June 1997 – 1 June 1998
Leader	William Hague
Preceded by	Alastair Goodlad
Succeeded by	George Young
Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In office 11 June 1997 – 1 June 1998
Leader	William Hague
Preceded by	Michael Heseltine
Succeeded by	George Young
Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment
In office 2 May 1997 – 11 June 1997
Leader	John Major
Preceded by	David Blunkett
Succeeded by	Stephen Dorrell
Secretary of State for Education and Employment[a]
In office 20 July 1994 – 2 May 1997
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	John Patten
Succeeded by	David Blunkett
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In office 27 May 1993 – 20 July 1994
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	John Gummer
Succeeded by	William Waldegrave
Secretary of State for Employment
In office 10 April 1992 – 27 May 1993
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Michael Howard
Succeeded by	David Hunt
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
Incumbent
Assumed office 21 June 2005 Life peerage
Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk
In office 11 June 1987 – 11 April 2005
Preceded by	Paul Hawkins
Succeeded by	Christopher Fraser
Personal details
Born	Gillian Patricia Watts (1940-01-22) 22 January 1940 (age 84) Cromer, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Thomas Shephard ​ (m. 1975)​
Alma mater	St Hilda's College, Oxford
a. ^ Shephard served as Education Secretary from 1994 to 1995. In July 1995, Shephard took over the duties of the former role of Secretary of State for Employment, held by Michael Portillo until the role was abolished. Shephard then became Education and Employment Secretary.

Gillian Patricia Shephard, Baroness Shephard of Northwold, PC, DL (née Watts; born 22 January 1940), is a British Conservative politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South West Norfolk from 1987 to 2005.^[1] Shephard served as a Cabinet Minister, and is now Chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers.

Shephard is currently the chair of the Alumni Association of Oxford University. She was the chair of the Council of the Institute of Education until 2015 and deputy commissioner of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission until 2017.