Born into a Welsh speaking family in 1968, Siôn is the welsh spelling of Shaun, Mr Simon spent most of his childhood growing up in Birmingham, and attended Handsworth Grammar School before gaining a prized place at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Whilst studying for his degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics Siôn developed a keen interest in fairness and equality, building on this background he became convinced a fairer society that offered equality of opportunity to all was desperately needed.
After leaving university he worked for George Robertson MP, as a research assistant whilst continuing to develop his political ideas and passion to see change in Britain. Siôn then went on to become a senior manager at Guinness PLC and eventually moved on to be a weekly columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and News of the World, commenting on the changing face of politics and social change.
Stepping up his involvement with the Labour Party Siôn ran the European press desk during the 1992 elections and then the foreign press department in 1997.
Siôn was elected to Parliament to represent the BirminghamErdington seat during the 2001 election, and was re elected in 2005 with the biggest Labour majority in Birmingham.
During his time as an MP Siôn has worked to represent the people of Erdington both in Parliament and locally. He has led campaigns to secure the future of the Jaguar Plant, to ensure Erdington gets it fair share of lottery funding and to improve youth services. He has also dealt with thousands of cases on behalf of individual constituents and stakeholders such as schools, doctors, businesses, voluntary groups and so on.
In Parliament Siôn sat on the public accounts committee and was then a Parliamentary Private Secretary between 2003 and 2005. He currently serves on the Treasury Select Committee, which position he has used to press the Government to support working people and families. He is also chaired a Labour manifesto group on law and order, and the all party group on private equity and venture capital.
Sion is also a trustee of Action against Medical Accidents, and a founding member and trustee of the Choroideremia Research Foundation.
Most recently Siôn has been promoted to a Ministerial position and is now Minsiter for Further Education, within the Skills Department. He holds responsibility for Learning Skills Council, Developing the FE Sector, Qualification Reform and Quality and Standards in FE amongst many others.
Details of his role and responsibilities can be found on the DIUS website at www.dius.gov.uk
