Members Of Parliament in Gilesgate, Durham, Durham - Darlington and Stockton Times

MPs: Roberta Blackman-Woods MP; Fiona Hall MEP;

City of Durham (House of Commons)

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (Labour)

Surgery: The Miners' Hall
Redhills
Durham
DH1 4BD

Surgery Tel: 0191 374 1915

MP Since - 2005 Majority - 3,067 Born - 16/08/1957, Married (Tim Blackman), 1 daughter.
Education - University of Ulster (BSc and PhD Social Science).
Previous Occupation - Professor of Social Policy and an Associate Dean, University of Northumbria. Former Dean of Labour Studies at Ruskin College, Oxford and Head of the Local Government Information Unit.

Personal Overview - Politically experienced academic who entered Parliament at her first attempt, having been selected for the Labour stronghold of Durham. As a former Chair of the local constituency party she is well connected in the area, having lived locally for many years. Probably too old to gain ministerial preferment, although was made a PPS, she is likely to figure more strongly on the Committee corridor having a wealth of social policy experience to draw upon. However she did gain a junior opposition role in 2010, and maintained a shadow role on Ed Miliband's accession to the party leadership.

Political History - President, University of Ulster Students' Union, Numerous Labour Party local constituencies roles including Constituency Chairman, Former Councillor in both Oxford and Newcastle, Vice-Chair and Chair of various Council Committees (Equality, Housing, Finance, Police). Member for City of Durham (2005-). Member of the Education & Skills Select Committee (2005-06), member of the Statutory Instruments Committee (2006-10) & Joint Statutory Instruments Committee (2006-10). Member of the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee (2007-09), Science and Technology Select Committee (2009-10). PPS to Rt. Hon Hilary Armstrong MP (Cabinet Office) (2006-07). PPS to Rt. Hon Desmond Browne (Ministry of Defence, Scotland Office) (2007-10). Shadow Minister, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (2010). Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office (2010-11). Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government (2011-).

Characteristics - Member, GMB. Voluntary sector experience includes helping to establish Women's Aid (NI), Save the Children, Child Poverty Action Group and the Housing Association Movement. Chair of Governors, Durham Johnston School.

Business Tel: 020 7219 4982

Email: woodsr@parliament.uk

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (Labour) on Twitter

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Interests: Family Issues,Housing,Poverty,Women's Issues,Education & Training,Social Security,Local Government

Commitee membership

• All-Party Parliamentary Balanced and Sustainable Communities Group (Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Child Health and Vaccine Preventable Diseases (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Dance Group (Member)
• Environmental Health (Associate Group) (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Fuel for Motorists and Hauliers (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Local Government Group (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Rowing Group (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on School Food (Vice Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Care (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group for Social Science and Policy (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Work (Member)
• All-Party Parliamentary University Group (Chairman)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System (Member)
• Women, Peace and Security (Associate Group) (Member)

North East (European Parliament)

Ms Fiona Hall MEP (Liberal Democrat)

MEP Since - 2004. Born - 15/07/1955. Married, 2 daughters.
Education - Worsley Wardley Grammar School, Swinton. Eccles College, Oxford. Oxford University (St Hugh's College). Oxford Polytechnic (Lady Spencer Churchill College).
Previous Occupation - Teacher in Botswana (1977-79). Part-Time Playgroup Leader (1983-86). Parent governor, Whittingham First School (1984-89); Part-Time/Supply Teacher for Northumberland County Council & Workers Educational Association (1986-95). International polling station supervisor, Kosovo (2001).

Personal Overview - Elected to the European Parliament at the second attempt, has also been a worker within the Liberal Democrat party as a regional media coordinator for the North East (in 2000), a press officer and Election Agent. She has experience of campaigning on environmental issues in the North East, notably the Druridge Bay Campaign (1989-96), blocking Nuclear Power and halting sand extraction on the Northumberland coast. Likely to be interested in social issues, having been involved lobbying for the World Development Movement and Oxfam on international development. She was also an International Polling Station Supervisor at the 2001 elections in Kosovo, working for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Political History - Liberal Democrat party: Councillors' assistant, Newcastle City (1994-97); Press/political officer to Lembit Öpik MP and Richard Livsey MP (1997-99); Constituency organiser for Alan Beith MP (1999-2001); Regional media co-ordinator for North East (2000); Senior researcher to Alan Beith MP (2001-04). MEP North East Region (2004-). Member of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly Delegation (2004-). Member of the Delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament (2009-) and substitute member of the Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula (2009-). Substitute member of the Development Committee (2004-). Member of the Industry, Research & Energy Committee (2004-). Substitute member of the Climate Change Temporary Committee (2007-09). Chief observer to EU Election Observation Mission, Togo (2007).

Other Information - Parent Governor of Whittingham First School (1984-89). She is a published poet. Has a web site http://www.fionahall.org.uk/
Intergroups - N/a.

Business Tel: +32 (0)2 28 45561

Email: fiona.hall@europarl.europa.eu

Interests: Environment,Education & Training

Commitee membership

• Industry, Research & Energy (Member)
• Development (Substitute)

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