Field, Frank (1942– )

UK Labour Party politician, member of Parliament for Birkenhead from 1979. He was appointed minister for welfare reform 1997–98 in Tony Blair's first government, having been an anti-poverty campaigner and chair of the Commons social security select committee. From 1999 he has been chair of the Pension Reform Group and has published numerous books and pamphlets on the politics of poverty, welfare, low pay, and social issues.

Born in London, he was educated at St Clement Danes School before studying at the University of Hull. He became a local councillor for Hounslow Borough Council 1964–68, director of the Child Poverty Action Group 1969–79, and a director of the Low Pay Unit 1974–80. After entering Parliament in 1979, he was opposition spokesperson on education 1980–81 and then the chair of the social security select committee 1990–97. He was committed to eliminating welfare dependency in favour of work and self-help. Following the election of the Labour government in 1997, he was appointed minister of state in the Department of Social Security. Following reports of disagreements about proposed reforms within the government, he returned to the backbenches in 1998. Since 1999 he has worked to identify weaknesses in the pension system, and from 2002 to 2005 was a member of the Commons public accounts committee.