Dr Andrew Murrison was born in 1961 in Colchester. Studying at Bristol and Hughes Hall, Cambridge, his 1995 doctoral thesis was entitled Studies into the Neurological Consequences of Diving he was awarded the Gilbert Blane medal. Andrew served for 18 years as a Medical Officer in the Royal Navy, leaving in October 2000 as a Surgeon Commander. In 2003 he was recalled to serve in Iraq.
Andrew was elected to Parliament for the then Westbury constituency in June 2001. Since the 2010 General Election he has represented the newly-created constituency of South West Wiltshire. In November 2003 he was appointed to the Conservative front bench as a health spokesman, transferring in July 2007 to defence.
In May 2010 Andrew became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Health and was asked by the Prime Minister to review and make recommendations on healthcare for members of the Service community. The principal recommendations in the subsequent reports ‘Fighting Fit’ and ‘A Better Deal for Military Amputees’ are now being implemented by the Government. His book The Military Covenant was published in June 2011. In November 2011 Andrew was appointed by the Prime Minister as his Special Representative for the Centenary Commemorations of the Great War.
On the 5 September 2012 Andrew was appointed Minister for International Security Strategy and transferred from Defence to the Northern Ireland Office in the Prime Minister’s reshuffle on the 15 July 2014.
Married to Jenny, Andrew lives near Warminster with their five daughters and dog Buster.