From 1968–70, he was a research fellow of the Department of Social Administration at the University of York, then a research worker at the Centre for Environmental Studies from 1970–2. Wicks worked in the Urban Deprivation Unit of the Home Office as a social policy analyst from 1974–77, and was a lecturer in Social Administration at Brunel University from 1970–74. From 1977–8, he was a lecturer in Social Policy at the Civil Service College in Ascot, then research director and secretary of the Study Commission on the Family from 1978–83. He was later Director of the Family Policy Studies Centre from 1983–92. He was the author and co-author of many publications, including Old and Cold: hypothermia and social policy and A Future for All: Do we need the Welfare State? His keen concern about fuel poverty led to him to act as a Trustee of the National Energy Foundation. He was involved in politics in Croydon, chairing his local Constituency Labour Party and standing for election to Croydon Council before his election to Parliament. It was only revealed in his posthumous memoirs that in 1976 Wicks had leaked Cabinet papers to Frank Field at the Child Poverty Action Group. This action proved decisive in preventing the Callaghan government from introducing means testing of child benefit.
Parliamentary career
He was first elected in 1992 for Croydon North West after having previously contested the seat unsuccessfully in 1987. Wicks was one of the few MPs whose Private Member's Bill reached the statute books, with the Carers Act 1995 recognising the needs of family carers. He was Chairman of the Education Select Committee from 1998 until his July 1999 appointment as Minister for Lifelong Learning in the Department for Education and Employment. In July 2001 he moved to the Department for Work and Pensions, where he spent four years, first as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, and then as Minister of State, for Pensions. In May 2005, he was appointed as Minister for Energy at the Department of Trade and Industry in the post-election Cabinet reshuffle. In a mini-reshuffle on 10 November 2006, following the retirement of Lord Sainsbury, Wicks was appointed as Minister of State for Science and Innovation in the same department. In Gordon Brown's first reshuffle on 28 June 2007, Wicks was moved to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, which replaced the Department of Trade and Industry, to resume his old role as Minister for Energy. It is reported that Wicks was intended to serve in the cabinet, but the post-it note bearing his name and position fell onto the floor. He was a vice-president of Carers UK and the Alzheimer's Society. Wicks stood down from the government in October 2008 for issues relating a at Sellafield, accepting an appointment to the Privy Council and becoming the Prime Minister's special representative on international energy issues. He emerged with enhanced repution during the MPs expenses scandal being deemed a "parliamentary angel." Wicks was re-elected as the MP for Croydon North on 6 May 2010 with an increased majority of 16,483.
Death
Wicks died on 29 September 2012, aged 65. He had been suffering from cancer.
Personal life
Wicks married Margaret Baron in 1968 and they had a son and two daughters.
