David Timothy Simmonds was born in Canterbury in February 1976, the son of Rory and Veronica Simmonds.[3][6] He attended Cardinal Newman RC School in Pontypridd, before going to Grey College, University of Durham, where he gained a BA. Simmonds gained a Postgraduate Certificate at Birkbeck College, University of London, and a Financial Planning Certificate from the Chartered Institute of Insurers (CII). His professional background is in financial services, where he worked for several high street banks after qualifying with the CII in 1997. He was a non-executive director at NHS Hillingdon.[7]
He has served in hung and majority administrations as a committee chairman and Cabinet Member, with responsibilities including planning, housing, social services, education and children's services. He led work for the Local Government Association in a number of high-profile areas including children's services, education, immigration and Brexit, serving as Conservative Group Leader and Deputy Chairman of the organisation representing councils. Simmonds was also Chairman of the Children and Young People Board from 2011 to 2015.[6]
His previous public service includes as Chairman of the National Employer's Organisation for Schoolteachers (NEOST) and of the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE), as an active member of the Committee of the Regions and leader of the UK Conservative delegation there, and at the Congress of the Council of Europe.
He is known for his work on refugee children and led the implementation of the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme (VPRS) with then-Home SecretaryTheresa May to resettle vulnerable refugees to areas of the UK volunteering to take them in.
He served as Deputy Chairman and previously Treasurer of the Conservative Councillors Association, and served as an associate non-executive director in his local NHS and as a magistrate in North-West London. He stepped down as Deputy Leader of Hillingdon Council and as Deputy Chairman of the LGA following his election to Parliament. He was Deputy Leader of the council from 2002 to 2020, and Deputy Chairman of the LGA from 2015 to 2020.[6]
Simmonds is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration, the APPG on Housing and Planning, the APPG for Social Workers, and the APPG for Airport Communities.[15]
On 7 July 2022, Simmonds was elected to the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs.[16]
In February 2023, Simmonds was re-selected as the Conservative candidate for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner at the 2024 general election.[17]
Simmonds married Suzanne Cordell, an NHS doctor, in 2012. They have two children, a son and daughter. He lists his recreations as travelling in Europe, wine and modern British prints.[19][20][6]
