Editing Jim Knight (section)

==Parliamentary career==

Knight was [[Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State]] for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity in the [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] from 2005–06. He then moved to become [[Minister of State]] for Schools in the [[Department for Education and Skills (United Kingdom)|Department for Education and Skills]]. On 28 June 2007, when [[Gordon Brown]] disbanded the department, Knight moved to the newly created [[Department for Children, Schools and Families]], as the Minister for Schools and Learners.<ref name="auto"/> In October 2008 following the reshuffle, Knight became a member of the [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council|Privy Council]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/privy-counsellors/ |title=Privy Counsellors &#124; Privy Council |access-date=28 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913232018/https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/privy-counsellors/ |archive-date=13 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2009, when MPs expenses were revealed following a leak in the Daily Telegraph,<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5297606/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html | title=MPS' expenses: Full list of MPS investigated by the Telegraph| newspaper=The Telegraph| date=16 January 2018}}</ref> Knight was ranked 171 out of 645 in the MPs' expenses list, claiming £155,987 in 2007/2008, compared with £137,970 in 2006/2007, of which £94,135 was for staff, £9,746 was for a communications allowance and £4,993 was for personal living expenses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnews/4370313.What_is_the_cost_of_our_MPs_/ |title=WHAT IS THE COST OF OUR MPS? |access-date=2010-07-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928061818/http://www.thisisdorset.net/news/tidnews/4370313.What_is_the_cost_of_our_MPs_/ |archive-date=28 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

In his first [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]], Jim Knight generally voted in line with party policy, including all major votes such as those on the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq war]] and [[top-up fees]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Jim%20Knight&display=summary |title = The Public Whip — Voting Record - Jim Knight MP, South Dorset (11027)}}</ref>

Jim Knight held the following positions:
*2003–2004 – Parliamentary Private Secretary to [[Rosie Winterton]] then Minister of State at the [[Department of Health]]
*2004–2005 – Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial Team at the [[Department of Health]]
*2005–2006 – Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Rural Affairs, the Landscape & Biodiversity
*2006–2009 – Minister of State for Schools
*2009–2010 – Minister of State for Employment
*2009–2010 – Minister for the South West