Paul Rudd Drayson, Baron Drayson PC (born 5 March 1960) is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 businessman, amateur racing driver and politician. He was Minister of Science in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...

 until May 2010, where he replaced Ian Pearson

Ian Pearson

Ian Phares Pearson is a British Labour Party politician who was a Member of Parliament from 1994 until 2010, representing Dudley West from 1994 until 1997, and then Dudley South from 1997 until his retirement from the House of Commons at the 2010 general election...

. In June 2009 he was additionally appointed as Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform at the Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....

. After losing his ministerial positions in the General Election 2010 he decided to devote himself totally towards his motorsports company Drayson Racing.

Early life and career

After attending St Dunstan's College

St Dunstan's College

St Dunstan's College is a co-educational independent school in London, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and was an all-boys establishment until 1994...

, Paul Drayson graduated from Aston University

Aston University

Aston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...

 in Production Engineering, followed in 1986 by a PhD in robotics

Robotics

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...

. From 1986 to 1991 he was Managing Director of the Lambourn Food Company.

In 1993 he co-founded PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc in Oxford

Oxford

The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...

 which specialised in the production of vaccine

Vaccine

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...

s, and was Chief Executive until 2003 when PowderJect was acquired by Chiron Corp.

In May 2005 Lord Drayson replaced Lord Bach

William Bach, Baron Bach

William "Willy" Stephen Goulden Bach, Baron Bach is a British Labour member of the House of Lords and was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice from 2008 to 2010....

 as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Procurement and as Government Spokesman for Defence to the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

. Lord Drayson's responsibility for defence procurement in the Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....

 (MoD) was one of the most high profile jobs in the MoD. His remit included oversight of the Defence Procurement Agency

Defence Procurement Agency

The Defence Procurement Agency , was an Executive Agency of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence responsible for the acquisition of materiel, equipment and services, for the British armed forces....

 and Defence Logistics Organisation

Defence Logistics Organisation

The Defence Logistics Organisation was a key element of the UK Ministry of Defence, responsible for supporting the armed forces throughout the various stages of an operation or exercise; from training, deployment, in-theatre training and conduct of operations, through to recovery and recuperation...

. In December 2005 Lord Drayson published a report entitled The Defence Industrial Strategy

Defence Industrial Strategy

The Defence Industrial Strategy is a United Kingdom government policy which was published as a white paper on 15 December 2005. The purpose of the DIS is stated to be to ensure that the UK armed forces are provided with the equipment they require, on time, and at best value for money. This is...

 (DIS). On 6 March 2007 Lord Drayson was promoted to Minister of State for Defence Equipment and Support. He oversaw the new Defence Equipment and Support Organisation. On 29 June 2007 he also became a Minister of State in the newly created Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was a United Kingdom government department. The department was created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department of Trade and Industry , and was itself disbanded on 6 June 2009 on the creation of the Department for Business,...

, combining this with his role in the Ministry of Defence. He stood down from ministerial responsibilities on 7 November 2007. His official reason for stepping down was his wish to participate in the Le Mans

Le Mans

Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...

 race, but it has been reported that the actual reasons were being left out of the loop when Prime Minister Brown decided to disband the Defence Export Services Organisation

Defence Export Services Organisation

The Defence Export Service Organisation is a UK government department within the Ministry of Defence which promotes arms exports by arms companies based in Britain....

 and equipment budget deficits which would make the follow-up to the DIS largely irrelevant. His job as Defence Procurement Minister was transferred to Lady Taylor

Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton

Winifred Ann Taylor, Baroness Taylor of Bolton, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was Minister for International Defence and Security, based at both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from October 2008 until 11 May 2010.-Member of Parliament:Taylor was the...

. He rejoined the Brown government as Minister of State for Science and Innovation in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was a UK government department created on 28 June 2007 to take over some of the functions of the Department of Education and Skills and of the Department of Trade and Industry. In June 2009 it was merged into the newly formed Department for...

 on 3 October 2008 following a cabinet reshuffle.

Between 2001 and 2002 he was the Chairman of the BioIndustry Association, and has been Chairman of the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign since 2002. Since 2003, he has been the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Said Business School

Saïd Business School

Saïd Business School is the business school of the University of Oxford in England, located on the north side of Frideswide Square on the former site of Oxford Rewley Road railway station. It is the University's centre of learning for graduate and undergraduate students in business, management...

, Oxford University.

Lord Drayson is a large contributor to the Labour party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

, with BBC News reporting in 2005 that he "was made a lord and then the UK defence procurement minister after giving New Labour more than £1m."
Lord Drayson is the current president of the Motorsport Industry Association

Motorsport Industry Association

The Motorsport Industry Association is the trade association for the motorsport industry in the United Kingdom. Most top-level motorsport constructors are based in the UK. Around 75% of motorsport research and development takes place in the UK.-History:...

.

Personal life

Drayson and his wife have five children, and live between homes in London and Nether Lypiatt Manor

Nether Lypiatt Manor

Nether Lypiatt Manor is a compact, neo-Classical manor house situated in the parish of Thrupp, near Stroud in Gloucestershire. It was formerly the country home of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.-Description:...

 near Stroud

Stroud

Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...

 in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....

, purchased for £5.75million in 2006 from TRH Prince

Prince Michael of Kent

Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside...

 and Princess

Princess Michael of Kent

Princess Michael of Kent is an Austrian-Hungarian member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....

 Michael of Kent.

Self-described as a "car nut and I'm a Government minister", he has owned an Aston Martin Vanquish, his wife an Aston Martin DB9

Aston Martin DB9

-DB9 Volante:The Aston Martin DB9 Volante is the convertible version of the DB9 coupe. It is built by hand in limited numbers and has enhanced styling. It is powered by the same 6.0 litre, DOHC 48 valve V12 as the DB9 and is completed with 470 bhp and a top speed of 186 mph...

, and his collection includes a Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...

. He has also raced a bio-ethanol powered Aston Martin DBRS9

Aston Martin DBRS9

The Aston Martin DBRS9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing to be a cheaper alternative to the Aston Martin DBR9, both of which are based on the Aston Martin DB9. The DBRS9 is the only GT3 class car produced by Aston Martin and was introduced in 2005....

 GT3

FIA GT3 European Championship

The FIA GT3 European Championship is a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It is a championship derived from the international FIA GT1 World Championship, but meant to provide competition for more...

-spec race car for Barwell Motorsport in the British GT Championship

British GT Championship

The Avon Tyres British GT Championship is a sports car racing series currently based in the United Kingdom, although they have had select races outside of Britain in the past few years. The series was created by the British Racing Drivers' Club in 1993 and for its first two seasons was called the...

. He stood down as a Government minister in November 2007 to compete in the American Le Mans Series

American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...

 (ALMS).

Drayson was born blind in one eye which, under FIA rules, prevented him from acquiring an international racing licence for participation in the Le Mans 24 Hours. In light of his performance during the 2008 ALMS season and FIA rule changes, he was granted an international licence to allow him the chance of competing in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...

. Drayson finished 37th overall and 12th in class at the race. He also competed at the 2010

2010 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 78th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also known as the Grand Prix of Endurance. The race took place on 12–13 June 2010 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Fifty-six cars participated in the...

 event but failed to finish.

Drayson has currently competed in two seasons of the ALMS with a best finish of a win at the 2010 Road America

2010 American Le Mans Series powered by eStar

The 2010 American Le Mans Series powered by eStar was the seventh round of the 2010 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at Road America on August 22, 2010.-Qualifying result:Pole position winners in each class are marked in bold....

 race in a LMP Lola B09/60. For 2011, Drayson has made the switch to the EV Cup

EV Cup

EV Cup is a multiple electric vehicle racing series to be held in accordance with MSA standards. The racing cup is run with a mix of different race classifications that are divided according to the performance parameters of each model....

, a new championship for electric cars. He will be driving a Westfield iRACER.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Class	No	Tyres	Car	Team	Co-Drivers	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2009 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...	GT2	87		Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2 Aston Martin Aston Martin Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...  4.5L V8	Drayson Racing	Jonny Cocker Jonny Cocker Jonathan "Jonny" Cocker is a British racing driver. He used to drive in the American Le Mans Series for Drayson Racing, a team run by Paul Drayson.-Career:...   Marino Franchitti Marino Franchitti Marino Alessandro Cesare Franchitti is a Scottish race car driver, and the younger brother of Dario Franchitti...	272	DNF	DNF
2010 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 78th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also known as the Grand Prix of Endurance. The race took place on 12–13 June 2010 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Fifty-six cars participated in the...	LMP1	11		Lola B09/60 Judd Judd (engine) Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...  GV5.5 S2 5.5L V10	Drayson Racing	Jonny Cocker Jonny Cocker Jonathan "Jonny" Cocker is a British racing driver. He used to drive in the American Le Mans Series for Drayson Racing, a team run by Paul Drayson.-Career:...   Emanuele Pirro Emanuele Pirro Emanuele Pirro is an Italian former Formula One driver and five time Le Mans 24 hour winner.- Biography :...	254	NC	NC

Controversy

There were also allegations that his company knowingly sold to the National Health Service several batches of BCG tuberculosis vaccine that failed to "meet the end of shelf-life potency criteria", in other words were stale and ineffective, risking the health of their recipients.

Honours

He was elevated to the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 in May 2004, made a working peer entitled Baron Drayson, of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....

.

External links

• Britain buys up stocks of smallpox vaccine - April 2002
• Labour claims unravel over vaccine deal - April 2002
• The irresistible rise of 'Tony's crony' - November 2005

|-
|-