Profession: barrister

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Law degree
• Advanced diploma in sociology
• Diploma from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris

LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES HELD

• Member of the Auvergne Regional Council from 1976 to 1986
• Mayor of Yssingeaux from March 1989 to March 2001
• Chairman of the Haute-Loire Departmental Council since 1976

PARLIAMENTARY OFFICES HELD

• Member for Haute-Loire since 12 March 1967 (representing the 1st district of Le Puy-Yssingeaux)
• Re-elected on 30 June 1968, 4 March 1973, 12 March 1978, 14 June 1981, 16 March 1986, 5 June 1988, 21 March 1993, 1 June 1997 and 16 June 2002.
• Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on Cultural, Family and Social Affairs from March 1986 to March 1988
• Chairman of the Finance Committee from April 1993 to June 1995
• Finance Committee special rapporteur on vocational training from June 1997 to May 2002

MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• State Secretary for Housing, 1974-1978
• Minister for Trade and Craft Industries, 1978-1979
• Minister for Health and Social Security, 1979-1981
• Minister for Labour, the Social Dialogue and Participation, May to November 1995
• Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, from October 1995 to June 1997

POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• General Secretary of the Centre des Democrates Sociaux from 1983 to 1991
• Chairman of the Centre Union Group in the National Assembly from
  September 1991 to April 1993
• First Vice-Chairman of the UDF Group in the National Assembly from April
  1993 to May 1995
• Since June 2002 Chairman of the UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire) Group in the National Assembly

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

National vice-chairman of the Cercle de l'Industrie, the forum for major
French industrial firms

PUBLISHED WORKS

• Les Pierres de l'Avenir (1978)
• Notre contrat pour l'alternance (together with M. Barnier, D. Perben and J.-P.Raffarin, 2001)