Nicholas Scott

The Rt. Hon. Sir Nicholas Paul Scott, PC, JP (5 August 1933 – 6 January 2005), was a British Conservative Party politician.

Scott was educated at Clapham College and was national chairman of the Young Conservatives in 1963. He served as a councillor on Holborn Borough Council 1956-59 and 1962-65.

Scott contested Islington South West at the 1959 general election and at the 1964 election.

He entered the House of Commons on his third attempt, at the 1966 general election, he was returned as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Paddington South constituency, beating Labour's Conrad Russell. When his seat was abolished in boundary changes for the February 1974 election, he stood in the new Paddington seat, but lost to the outgoing Paddington North MP Arthur Latham.

However, Marcus Worsley, the MP for the safe Conservative seat of Chelsea, decided to retire. Scott was selected as the new Conservative candidate, and at the October 1974 general election, he was returned with over 60% of the vote. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1989. A moderate Conservative, during his time in the House of Commons, he served as minister for social security, disabled people, Northern Ireland and employment. His period as Minister for the Disabled saw him come under attack from many campaigners, including his own daughter, a disability campaigner, after he was revealed to have 'talked-down' crucial legislation. He was succeeded in this post by William Hague.

Scott remained MP for Chelsea until the seat was abolished at the 1997 general election. He initially selected as the Conservative candidate for the new Kensington and Chelsea constituency, but was subsequently deselected after allegations of alcoholism surfaced following an incident in which he was found passed out in a gutter during the party conference in Bournemouth.

Sources

• Times Guide to the House of Commons, Times Newspapers Limited, 1992 edition.
• Whitaker's Almanack, 2006 edition.

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Nicholas Scott

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Robert Allan	Member of Parliament for Paddington South 1966–Feb 1974	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Marcus Worsley	Member of Parliament for Chelsea Oct 1974–1997	Constituency abolished