Mr Edwin Poots

Title: Mr
Official Last Name: Poots
Official First Name: Edwin
Usual First Name: Edwin
Party: Democratic Unionist Party
Constituency: South Belfast

Biography

Party History

Party	Role	Period
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	05/05/2022 - Present
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	07/03/2022 - 27/03/2022
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	02/03/2017 - 07/03/2022
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	05/05/2016 - 25/01/2017
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	05/05/2011 - 30/03/2016
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	07/03/2007 - 25/03/2011
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	26/11/2003 - 30/01/2007
Democratic Unionist Party	Party Member	25/06/1998 - 28/04/2003

MLA History

Date	Constituency	Designation
25/06/1998	Lagan Valley	Unionist, First Elected
26/11/2003	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Re-elected
20/03/2007	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Re-elected
12/05/2011	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Re-elected
12/05/2016	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Re-elected
13/03/2017	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Resigned
07/03/2022	Lagan Valley	Unionist, Resigned
13/05/2022	South Belfast	Unionist, Re-elected

Office/Committee History

Period	Position	Office/Committee
03/02/2024 - Present	Speaker	Northern Ireland Assembly
03/02/2024 - Present	Committee Chair	Northern Ireland Assembly Commission
03/02/2024 - Present	Committee Chair	Business Committee
07/03/2022 - 27/10/2022	Minister	Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
08/03/2021 - 07/03/2022	Minister	Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
31/03/2020 - 07/03/2022	Committee Member	Ad Hoc Committee on the COVID-19 Response
11/01/2020 - 02/02/2021	Minister	Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
31/05/2016 - 25/01/2017	Committee Member	Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
25/05/2016 - 25/01/2017	Committee Deputy Chair	Committee on Procedures
01/03/2016 - 30/03/2016	Committee Member	Concurrent Committee of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development
05/10/2015 - 30/03/2016	Committee Member	Public Accounts Committee
12/05/2015 - 30/09/2015	Committee Member	Ad Hoc Joint Committee on the Mental Capacity Bill
06/10/2014 - 30/03/2016	Committee Member	Committee for Justice
06/10/2014 - 30/03/2016	Committee Member	Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development
16/05/2011 - 23/09/2014	Minister	Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
03/07/2009 - 04/05/2011	Minister	Department of the Environment
15/09/2008 - 13/09/2009	Committee Member	Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development
17/06/2008 - 13/09/2009	Committee Member	Committee for Education
14/05/2007 - 09/06/2008	Minister	Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
20/03/2007 - 20/03/2007	Committee Chair	Subgroup on Standing Orders
08/05/2002 - 28/04/2003	Committee Chair	EU Affairs Sub Committee
27/07/2000 - 28/04/2003	Committee Chair	Committee of the Centre

All Party Group History

Period	Position	All Party Group
09/05/2017 - 07/03/2022	Assembly Party Group Vice-Chairperson	All Party Group on Country Sports
28/06/2016 - 25/01/2017	Assembly Party Group Member	All Party Group on Country Sports
28/06/2016 - 25/01/2017	Assembly Party Group Member	All Party Group on Human Life
18/11/2015 - 30/03/2016	Assembly Party Group Member	All Party Group on Human Life
13/02/2013 - 14/02/2015	Assembly Party Group Member	All Party Group on Country Sports
28/06/2011 - 18/09/2012	Assembly Party Group Member	All-Party Group on Visual Impairment
22/01/2009 - 24/03/2011	Assembly Party Group Member	All-Party Group on Visual Impairment
01/07/2008 - 24/03/2011	Assembly Party Group Treasurer	All-Party Group on Built Environment

Contacts

Register of Interests

1. Employment and Earnings

E & L Poots, Farming. Remuneration: Nil. Hours worked: seven per week. (Registered 29 June 2022)

2. Donations and other support

None

3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality

19 July 2025: After I officially welcomed representatives of the R&A to Parliament Buildings as Speaker, I was invited as Speaker by the R&A to attend the Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club on Saturday 19 July and was invited as a guest of the R&A to attend the official Captain's Lunch that day. The cost of the ticket and lunch/hospitality provided (estimated in the region of £500) was met by the R&A. (Registered 8 August 2025)

4. Visits

14-16 October 2025: I attended Liberty University’s CEO Summit, as a guest speaker, at the invitation of Liberty University, Virginia. The cost of accommodation, with an estimated value of just under $500, was met by Liberty University. All other associated costs were met by me personally. (Registered 11 November 2025)

5. Shareholdings

Iveagh Properties (Property development) - sub-category (ii). (Registered 29 June 2022)

6. Land and Property

Agricultural land at Crossan, Hillsborough. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Dwelling, Lisnastraen, Hillsborough. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Agricultural land at Lisnastraen, Hillsborough. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Agricultural land at Growell, Hillsborough. (Registered 29 June 2022)

7. Miscellaneous

None

8. Unremunerated interests

Member, Board of Governors, Meadow Bridge Primary School. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Member, Board of Governors, Carr Primary School. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Member, Loyal Orange Lodge. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Member, Dromara Apprentice Boys. (Registered 29 June 2022)

Member, Apprentice Boys of Derry. (Registered 30 June 2022)

9. Family members who benefit from Office Cost Expenditure

None

Assembly Questions

Session:

25 Questions, Page 1 of 3

Display All Answers

Note: [R] indicates a registered declaration of interest

AQO 983/16-21