Phil Willis was born in Burnley, Lancashire. At school he excelled in sport and at one time was a trialist for Burnley FC. He went to study History and Music at the City of Leeds and Carnegie College, qualifying as a teacher in 1963 from the University of Leeds Institute of Education. Later in his career he was seconded to Birmingham University where he gained a B.Phil. degree with distinction in 1978.

Phil's teaching career was mostly spent in Leeds where he rose rapidly from Assistant Master at Middleton Secondary Boys' School in 1963 to become Deputy Headteacher at West Leeds Boys' Grammar School in 1974. Perhaps his most rewarding period was spent at Primrose Hill High School in the Chapletown district of Leeds where for seven years he was involved in multi-cultural education and outreach youth work.

In 1978 he became head of Ormesby School in Middlesbrough where he helped pioneer the integration of children with physical disablilites into mainstream education. In 1983 he returned to Leeds as Head of one of the city's largest comprehensive schools, John Smeaton Community High School. Situated in one of the more deprived areas of Leeds, he continued his mission for 'inclusive' education.

He became nationally recognised for the inclusion of children with severe learning difficulties and others with sensory impairments into mainstream education. Prior to his election to Westminster he was involved with another pioneering development - 'The family of Schools' initiative - which brought together all agencies concerned with developing first class opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Phil joined the Liberal party in 1985 and was elected to Harrogate Borough Council in 1988. He became leader of the Council in 1990 and following his election to North Yorkshire County Council in 1993 became Deputy Group Leader.

His period as Leader of Harrogate Council coincided with an unprecedented rise in Liberal Democrat representation and he is credited with many of the economic generating initiatives which have made the area one of the top earners in the country. His most notable success was turning the famous Harrogate Conference Centre from a loss making 'white elephant' into a £1m a year success story.

At Westminster, he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills in 1999 retaining the post until 2005, when he was appointed Chairman of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. In May 2007 he was also appointed Chair of the Joint Committee on the Draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill. In November 2007 the Science and Technology Select Committee was disbanded and the House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee was formed; Phil Willis was elected chairman soon after.

In the summer 2009 departmental reshuffle the department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was disbanded, along with its corresponding Select Committee. Following a hard-fought campaign from Phil and leading members of the Science community, the Science and Technology Select Committee was re-created on October 1st, with Phil elected as Chairman.

Married with two children, Phil is a keen supporter of Leeds United and spends much of his spare time in Ireland where he retains an interest in his family’s farm in Donegal.

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