Biography

First elected in 1999, Janet Ryder AM represents the North Wales region in the National Assembly for Wales. During her first term at the Assembly she was the Shadow Minister for Local Government and Communities and in 2002 she was given additional responsibility for Finance.

Janet Ryder AM was re-elected in May 2003 to serve a second term. Following a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle in November 2003 she became the Shadow Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning. In April 2006, in line with changes made by the Assembly Government this portfolio changed to Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills.

She was re-elected in May 2007 and Plaid Cymru is now in coalition with Labour in the One Wales government. Janet remains Plaid Cymru's spokeswoman on schools, further education and skills development, higher education, the youth service and the careers service.

Janet sits on the following committees in the National Assembly:

Janet Ryder was born in Sunderland in 1955 and educated in Newcastle on Tyne. She moved with her family to Wales in 1990 and has since learnt Welsh. Her three children are also bilingual. Janet’s hobbies and pastimes include Rugby League, folk music, family interests and community activities.

A former teacher and youth worker, Janet has been very much involved with voluntary and community work in her home town of Rhuthun. She is the Chair of Canolfan Awelon Management Committee and a former director on the board of Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council.

Janet has been an active participant in local government for a number of years and, before being elected to the National Assembly in 1999, she was a Denbighshire County Councillor (1995 - 1999), a member of Rhuthun Town Council (1993 - 2003) and Mayor of Rhuthun twice (May 1998 - May 2000).