Minister for Employment and Learning

Sir Reg began his education by attending Hillcrest Prep School, Belfast and the Royal School in Armagh. He went on to read Economics at Queen's University, Belfast where he graduated in 1970. Working in business and industry between 1970 and 1986 - for Goodyear International Corp., the House of Fraser, Switzer and Co., and McMahon and Co. - Sir Reg eventually founded his own business in 1986. Actively involved in politics from his student days, Sir Reg was a member of the Queen's University Conservative and Unionist Association. In 1975, when still only 28, he was elected a Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention, the body which superseded the old Northern Ireland Parliament. By 1975 he was already at the heart of the Party's machine, serving as Secretary of the Ulster Unionist Council's Policy Committee.

Sir Reg has had an active career in Belfast City Council since he was first elected as a Councillor in 1985. He has twice been Lord Mayor of Belfast, in 1989 and again in 1993. In 1994 he was appointed OBE for his services to local government. In addition to his long service as a Councillor and on numerous Council Committees, Sir Reg has served on the Senate of Queen's University, as a Belfast Harbour Commissioner, as a Director of Laganside Corporation from 1992-1998, as a Member of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board and on the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights from 1994-1996, and a Member of the European Union's Committee of the Regions from 1994-2002. Sir Reg was also a Vice-President of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1996-2004.

In the 1990's he served as a leading member of the Ulster Unionist negotiating teams both in the Brooke-Mayhew talks of 1991 and in the Castle Buildings talks, chaired by Senator George Mitchell, which ultimately led to the Belfast Agreement and the formation of the present Assembly in 1998. Sir Reg was elected to the new Assembly and was subsequently Knighted (KBE) in the New Year's Honours List of 1999.

On the formation of the Executive in 1999, Sir Reg was appointed as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, a position he held until the collapse of the power-sharing Executive in October 2002. In addition, during the summer of 2001 he served for a time as Acting First Minister of Northern Ireland. In 2004 Sir Reg became Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Assembly Party and a year later in 2005, he was elected Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Sir Reg is married to Stella and they have two children - Julie-Anne and Christopher.

Responding to comments made by Labour Secretary of State Shaun Woodward, Conservatives and Unionists South Antrim candidate Reg Empey has expressed his anger at Woodward's criticism of David Cameron for so-called 'interference' in the politics of this part of the United Kingdom.

Sir Reg said, "It is staggering beyond words that Shaun Woodward as Secretary of State should condemn David Cameron for 'interferring in the politics of Northern Ireland'. Interfering? Northern Ireland is not a semi-detached colony to be kept at arms length by Westminster for fear of upsetting the natives. When David Cameron and I, Conservatives and Unionists, work together to bring normal politics to Northern Ireland we are demonstrating that this region is an integral part of the United Kingdom.

"Woodward has, of course, previously boasted that he is 'neutral' on the Union. Now he has repeated it. He regards it as a 'terrible mistake' for David Cameron to say that he will not be neutral in declaring support for the Union. Nothing more clearly illustrates Labour's pathetic weakness on the Union.

"The rank hypocrisy of his comments will also not go unnoticed. Labour seeks to deny people in Northern Ireland from having a vote on who will form the next government of the United Kingdom. Woodward wants the people of Northern Ireland to be second-class citizens. That is utterly undemocratic. Conservatives and Unionists are giving the people of Northern Ireland a real say on who will form the next UK government. This is what real democracy in the United Kingdom is meant to mean.

"Shaun Woodward and Labour want Northern Ireland to be on the window-ledge of the Union. Conservatives and Unionists passionately believe that Northern Ireland's place is at the heart of the Union. On the 6th May the people of Northern Ireland can send a clear message to Woodward - by voting Conservative and Unionist to show that we want to be at the heart of the Union".