former top trades unionist in Britain.

Elizabeth Symons -- Baroness Symons of Vernham Deans -- was general secretary of the Association of First Division Civil Servants before being created a Labour Life Peer in 1996.

The First Division Association represents the top echelons of the UK Civil Service.

Following the Labour landslide in the UK elections earlier this month, Baroness Symons, 46, became one of three Ministers of State under Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

With the title of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, she will be responsible for North America and the West Indies and Atlantic department, which includes Bermuda.

Baroness Symons will also be the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs spokesman in the House of Lords.

The Baroness was not available for comment yesterday due to a national holiday in the UK.

Deputy Governor Peter Willis said he did not know the Baroness personally and was unable to comment on her.

The Baroness was educated at Putney High School for Girls in London and at Girton College, Cambridge, before joining the Civil Service.

She worked as an administration trainee at the Department of the Environment from 1974 to 1977 before becoming involved in the union movement, first with the Inland Revenue Staff Federation.

Baroness Symons has also been a member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress and has served on the Executive Council of the Campaign for Freedom of Information.

She is unmarried, but has one young son, James. Her partner is Philip Bassett, the industrial editor of London-based heavyweight newspaper, The Times.

She lists her hobbies in Who's Who as reading, gardening, friends and entertaining her "unruly'' son.

Baroness Symons replaces former Conservative MP for Upminster Sir Nicholas Bonsor, who lost his seat in the Labour wipeout of the Tories.

Sir Nicholas was appointed Minister of State at the Foreign Office in July 1995.

Oxford-educated barrister Sir Nicholas, 55, who served in the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry, previously served as Secretary of the Conservative Africa Sub-Committee, vice-chairman of the Conservative Foreign Affairs Committee and chairman of the Commons Select Committee on Defence.