Alastair Bruce, 5th Baron Aberdare

Alastair John Lyndhurst Bruce, 5th Baron Aberdare, (born 2 May 1947), is a British nobleman, and since 2009 a crossbench hereditary peer elected under the House of Lords Act 1999.

Early life and education
Lord Aberdare was born at 12 Avenue Road in St John's Wood, London, the son of Morys Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare, and Maud Helen Sarah Dashwood, only daughter of Sir John Dashwood, 10th Baronet. His godparents included Lord Terrington and Diana Bowes-Lyon. Aberdare was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He succeeded his father upon the latter's death in 2005.

Career

 * IBM, 1969–1991
 * Partner, Bruce Naughton Wade, 1991–1999
 * Director, ProbusBNW, 1999–?
 * Trustee, National Botanic Garden of Wales, 1994–2006
 * Fellow, Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce
 * Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University since July 2008
 * Sub Prior of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem, Priory of Wales.

Offices
Lord Aberdare is president of the Cynon Valley History Society.

House of Lords
In July 2009, Lord Aberdare was elected to sit in the House of Lords, following the death of Lord Bledisloe in May 2009. A by-election took place under the terms of the House of Lords Act 1999, which provided for 92 hereditary peers to keep their seats in the reformed House, with vacancies in their number filled from amongst all non-sitting hereditary peers. The result was announced in the Chamber of the Lords on 15 July 2009, following the voting by 27 of the 29 Crossbench peers eligible to take part. His maiden speech, made on 26 November 2009 during the debate on the Queen's Speech, focused on the transition from education to employment.

Family
He married Elizabeth Mary Culbert Foulkes in 1971; they have two children:
 * Hon. Hector Morys Napier Bruce (born 1974)
 * Hon. Sarah Katherine Mary Bruce (born 1976)