JOINT DELEGATION OF WHIPS FROM THE OF & KENYA

30 January-2 February 2012

AIM & OBJECTIVES

Aim: to explore the role of the Whips within 3 parliamentary democracies; Ghana, Kenya and the UK

Objectives. To;

1. Explore how Whips operate:

1.1. Organisation

1.2. Responsibilities

1.3. Relationship with parliamentary administration

1.4. Relationships with and responsibilities for Members

2. Learn more about how the Executive can be held to account by:

2.1 The Committee system – understanding this powerful tool for scrutiny

2.2 Oversight of ’s Budget

2.3 Parliamentary administration of the House, including Parliamentary Commissions and supporting Committees

3. Learn about the work of an MP, including support available:

3.1. In Parliament

3.2. In the Constituency

4. Discuss topical issues such as climate change, the role of the media, the challenges of coalition government, gender, parliamentary ethics

5. Acquire a greater understanding of how the Westminster Parliament operates

6. Witness parliamentary democracy in action

DELEGATES

Ghana

1. Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP Majority Chief , Leader of Ghanaian Delegation 2. Hon. Mary Salifu Boforo MP 1st Deputy Majority Whip 3. Hon. George Kuntu Blankson MP 2nd Deputy Majority Whip 4. Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP Minority Chief Whip 5. Hon. Gifty Eugenia Kusi MP 1st Deputy Minority Whip 6. Hon. Benjamin Kofi Ayeh MP 2nd Deputy Minority Whip 7. Mr Peter Telfer Delegation Secretary, Ghana Delegation

Kenya

8. Hon. Jeremiah Kioni MP Deputy Government Joint Whip, Leader of Kenyan Delegation 9. Hon. Benjamin Jomo Washiali MP Deputy Government Joint Whip PROGRAMME

Sunday 29 January

0620 Ghana delegation arrives at London Heathrow (BA 078 I) Belvedere Road, Transfer by car to Premier Inn, County Hall London SE1 7PB

Monday 30 January

0545 Kenya delegation arrives London Heathrow (KQ 102) Belvedere Road, Transfer by car to Premier Inn, County Hall London SE1 7PB

1255 Assemble in hotel lobby, met by Kirsty Jackson (Assistant Director, CPA UK) Depart on foot for Houses of Parliament

1330 Welcome to CPA UK CPA Room

Pauline Latham OBE MP (Vice-Chair CPA UK, Conservative)

1345 Oral Briefing on the Whips’ Systems in Ghana and Kenya CPA Room

Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP (Majority Chief Whip, Ghana)

Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP (Minority Chief Whip, Ghana)

Hon. Jeremiah Kioni MP (Deputy Government Joint Whip, Kenya) 1445 Introduction to Contemporary UK Political Issues & the Westminster CPA Room Parliamentary Scene

Rt Hon. Lord Boateng (Chair of the Ghana All Party Parliamentary Group, Labour)

1545 Holding the Executive to Account: the Committee System CPA Room

Andrew Kennon (Clerk of Committees)

1630 Depart for hotel on foot

Tuesday 31 January

0930 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Houses of Parliament on foot

1015 Observe committees in action: Foreign Affairs Select Committee Committee Rm Subject: British foreign policy and the ‘Arab Spring’: the transition to 20 democracy

Public Administration Select Committee Subject: Role of the Independent Adviser to the Prime Minister on Ministerial Committee Rm Interests 16 1130- Meeting with the Leader of the House of Commons Leader’s Office 1230 Room 4 Principal Rt Hon. Sir George Young Bt MP (Conservative) Corridor

1245 Lunch IPU Room

1400 Oversight of Parliament’s Budget CPA Room Dorian Gerhold (Clerk of Domestic Committees, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission/Clerk to the Finance and Services Committee) 1500 The Parliamentary and Constituency Work of an MP CPA Room

Rt Hon. David Hanson MP (Labour) & James Duddridge MP (Conservative)

1545 Climate Change and the Role of Parliamentarians CPA Room

Ms Joan Walley MP (Chair APPG on Climate Change, Labour)

1630 Observe debate in House of Commons HoC Chamber

1730 Depart for hotel on foot – evening free

Wednesday 1 February

0920 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Houses of Parliament on foot

1000 The Whips’ System - the Opposition Chief Whip’s Perspective CPA Room

Rt Hon. Rosie Winterton MP (Labour)

1115- Briefing on Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQs) CPA Room 1145 Jessica Mulley (DCCS Business Development Manager)

1200 Observe PMQs in House of Commons Chamber HoC Chamber

1245 Lunch hosted by Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst MP (Chairperson, CPA UK IPU Room Executive Committee, Conservative)

1430 How Parliament Works & the Role of the Clerk CPA Room

Robert Rogers (Clerk of the House)

1510 The Role of the & Deputy Speakers Ways & Means Conference Hon. MP (Chair of Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker, Room Labour) 1600 The Whips’ System - the Government Deputy Chief Whip’s Perspective CPA Room

Rt Hon. MP (Liberal Democrat)

1700- Meeting with the Ghana and Kenya APPGs, chaired by Rt Hon. Lord Steel CPA Room 1730/ 1800 of Aikwood KT KBE DL (Liberal Democrat)

1730 Depart for hotel on foot – evening free

Thursday 2 February

0920 Assemble in hotel lobby, depart for Bush House by car

1000 BBC World Service Briefing Bush House London Briefing from Peter Horrocks (Director of BBC Global News) WC2B 4PH Briefing from Solomon Mugera (Head of African Production Unit)

Interviews for the “Network Africa” programme

1200 Depart Bush House by car

1245 Lunch hosted by Lady Anelay (Government Chief Whip , IPU Room Conservative)

1345 Depart IPU Room for 1 Parliament Street

1355- Meeting with Rt Hon. John Spellar MP (Shadow Minister for the Foreign & Room B, 1 Parl 1440 Commonwealth Office, Labour) Street 1500 The Whips’ System – the Government Chief Whip’s Perspective 9 Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP (Conservative)

1630 Programme Review and Implementation Session CPA Room

1730- Presentation of Certificates, by Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods MP (Vice- CPA Room 1800 Chair CPA UK, Labour)

1815 Delegates return to hotel, on foot Premier Inn

TBC Delegates depart hotel for evening events hosted by the High Commissions: TBC

1900 Reception hosted by H.E. Professor Kwaku Danso-Banfo for the delegation from Ghana

1930 Dinner hosted by H.E. Mr Ephraim Ngare for the delegation from Kenya TBC Delegates return to hotel

Friday 3 February

1200 All delegates checkout from Premier Inn

1900 Kenya delegation departs London Heathrow (KQ 101)

BIOGRAPHIES - DELEGATES

Hon. Gershon Kofi Gbediame MP Majority Chief Whip, Parliament of Ghana Leader of Ghanaian Delegation

Member of Parliament of Nkwanta South (2005-); of Nkwanta (1997-2004); Physics and Maths Teacher (1974-1996).

BSc (Hons) Physical Dip. Education, University of (1979)

Married with five children.

Hon. Mary Salifu Boforo MP 1st Deputy Majority Whip, Parliament of Ghana

Member of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); Member of Parliament for Savelugu (1997-); Treasurer of NDC Women Caucus in Parliament (2001-2004); Member of the Committees on Government Assurances and Food and Agriculture (2001-2004); Member of Judicial Committee (1991- 2000); Member of the Committees on Communications, Legal & Parliamentary Affairs and Scientific & Industrial Research (1997-2000).

Regional Best Organiser in Tree Planting (1996); Northern Regional Best Farmer (1994); Northern Regional Best Ruminant Farmer (1993).

President and Founder of the Association of Rural Women in Agro-Forestry and Development with a total membership of over 1,800.

Hon. George Kuntu Blankson MP 2nd Deputy Majority Whip, Parliament of Ghana

Member of Parliament for East (2004-); Elder, Church of Pentecost, AT Nartey Assembly, Takoradi (1998-); District Chief Executive, Mfantseman District (1997-2000); Regional Public Education Officer, National Commission for Civic Education, (1992-1996).

Evangelism Certificate Award from United Christian Church and Ministerial Association of USA (2006); Gold Award on Outstanding African Achievers, Vision Africa (2008); West African Noble Forum Award on Integrity, Hard Work and Accountability (2007); USAID Sponsorship Programme on Education and Democracy, Las Aspin Centre of Education USA (1999).

Ministerial Ordination Certificate in Evangelism (Ordination) (1995); BSc Social Sciences (1987).

Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah MP Minority Chief Whip, Parliament of Ghana

Member of Parliament for Suhum Constituency (2005-); Chair, Select Committee on Communications; Deputy Minister of Communications (2007); Member of Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology and Members Holding Office of Profit.

Elected Chief Whip of the Minority Caucus (2009); Current Member of Select Committee on Communications and the Standing Committee on Finance.

Member of Ghana’s 8-member delegation to the ECOWAS Community Parliament in Abuja ; Member of the ECOWAS Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Industrial Development.

BSc Electrical/Electronic Engineering, University of Science and Technology.

Hon. Gifty Eugenia Kusi MP 1st Deputy Minority Whip, Parliament of Ghana

Member of Parliament, Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Western Region, Ghana (2001-); Part-Time Lecturer, Medical School, Department Of Community Health (2007-); Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (Africa—Region) Deputy Representative and Executive Committee Member, Africa Region (2007-); Deputy Government Whip, Parliament Of Ghana (2001-); Member, Parliamentary Standing And Select Committees on Gender And Children, Standing Orders, Business, Health; Chair, Parliamentary Select Committee On Mines And Energy (2005-); Principal Research Assistant, University Of Ghana Medical School (1998-2000).

PhD in Philosophy Student, University of Ghana (2007-); Certificate in Public Health Informatics, University of Illinois (2006); MPhil Sociology, University of Ghana (1996-1999); BA(Hons) Sociology with Psychology, University of Ghana (1980-1984).

Hon. Benjamin Kofi Ayeh MP 2nd Deputy Minority Whip, Parliament of Ghana

Member of Parliament for Upper Denkyira West.

CEO Fembenycold Ltd; Chair of Board, Denkyiraman Rural Bank (2004-2007); Board Member, Ghana Airport Company Ltd (2007-2009); Board Member, Airport Clinic (2007-2009); West Africa Regional Finance Manager of LDS (1995-2000).

Executive Masters in Government and Leadership; Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana).

Peter Okan Telfer Parliamentary Relations Office, Parliament of Ghana

Programmes Coordinator, In and Out-Bound Parliamentary Visits. Travel facilitator for The Speaker and the Leadership in Parliament.

Hon. Jeremiah Kioni MP Deputy Government Joint Whip, Parliament of the of Kenya Leader of Kenyan Delegation

Member of Parliament for Ndaragwa Constituency; Member Procedure and House Rules Committee; Parliamentary Select Committee on Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons.

Managing Director/Lead Valuer, Manclem Valuers (1999-).

LLB, Faculty of Law, University of Nairobi (2006); MA Project Administration, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Development, University of Nairobi (1990); BA Land Economics, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Development, University of Nairobi (1987).

Hon. Benjamin Washiali MP Deputy Government Joint Whip, Parliament of the Republic of Kenya

Member of Parliament, Mumias Constituency (2008-); Director, Planet Managers Ltd (2009-); Coalition Deputy Chief Whip, Kenya (2010-).

Member Parliamentary Committees on Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives; Lands and Natural Resources; House Broadcasting. Pursuing BA Community Development, University of South Africa (UNISA) (2009-). BIOGRAPHIES – SPEAKERS

Lady Anelay Government Chief Whip

Lady Anelay is a Conservative Member of the House of Lords and has been the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords since May 2010, having previously been Opposition Chief Whip before the May 2010 General Election. Lady Anelay was Shadow Home Office Minister from June 2002 to July 2007. On 2 July 2007, she was appointed Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords, and on 12 May 2010 was appointed Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords and Captain of Corps of Gentlemen at Arms.

From 1969 to 1974 she was a secondary school teacher. She later worked as a volunteer adviser with the Citizens' Advice Bureau, and sat as a Justice of the Peace and as a member of Social Security Tribunals. Between 1993 and 1996 she was Chairman of the Conservative Women's National Committee. She served in various Opposition front bench posts between May 1997 and June 2002, including as an Opposition Whip and as Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport.

Lord Boateng Chair of Ghana All Party Parliamentary Group

Lord Boateng is a Labour Party politician who was the MP for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first black Cabinet Minister in May 2002 when he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Following his departure from the House of Commons, he served as the British High Commissioner to South Africa from March 2005 to May 2009. He was introduced as a Member of the House of Lords on 1 July 2010.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference honoured Lord Boateng as the recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his contributions to the field of civil rights in 1988. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) in 2004 and the University of Bristol in 2007. He serves on the executive board of the international Christian charity, Food for the Hungry. Alistair Carmichael MP Deputy Chief Whip

Alistair Carmichael has been the Liberal Democrat Member for Orkney and Shetland since 2001, and currently serves as Deputy Chief Whip (Comptroller of HM Household). During his time in the House of Commons, he has Shadow Secretary of State for Transport (2006-07) and Home Affairs (2004-06). He has also acted as the Liberal Democrat Deputy Spokesperson for Northern Ireland (2002-05), and the Scottish Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on the Energy Review (2001-02).

His work on Select Committees includes those for: Scottish Affairs 2001-05, 2008-10; International Development 2001-02; Public Accounts 2005-06; the Joint Committee on Consolidation, Etc, Bills 2008- 10; and Members' Allowances 2009-10. He currently serves on the Joint Committee on Security.

James Duddridge MP Government Whip

James Duddridge is the Conservative for Rochford and Southend East and was first elected in 2005. During his time in the House of Commons, he has served as an Opposition Whip (from 2008 to 2010) and has been a Government Whip since the 2010 election.

He has served on Select Committees on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2006-10); International Development (2006-08); and Strategic Export Controls (Quadripartite Committee)/Arms Export Controls (2007-08).

Mr Dorian Gerhold

Clerk of Domestic Committees, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission, Clerk to the Finance and Services Committee

Dorian Gerhold is the Secretary to the House of Commons Commission, which is headed by the Speaker and is responsible for House staff, finances and estates. He is also the Clerk of the Members Estimate Committee (MEC), also headed by the Speaker, which deals with Members’ pay, allowances and pensions; Clerk of the Finance and Services Committee, which makes recommendations to the Commission about matters relating to the House Administration budget; Secretary to the Public Accounts Commission, which deals with the funding and corporate governance of the National Audit Office (but not the detail of inquiries, which is handled by the Public Accounts Committee); and Superviser of the staff of the domestic committees (Administration and Works of Art).

He joined the Clerks’ Department (now the Department of Chamber and Committee Services) in 1978.

Rt Hon. David Hanson MP Shadow Minister for Policing

Rt Hon. David Hanson MP is the current Member of Parliament for Delyn in Wales, a seat he has held since 1992. He also holds the brief as Shadow Minister for Policing, and was the Shadow Secretary of the Exchequer from 2010-2011.

Over a diverse and busy career in politics Rt Hon. David Hanson MP has worked as PPS to as Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1997-98) and was later promoted to PPS to as Prime Minister (2001-05). He was also appointed Minister of State for the Northern Ireland Office (2005- 07), the Ministry of Justice (2007-09) and the Home Office (2009-10). Under ’s leadership of the Labour party he was handed the important role of Shadow Secretary of the Exchequer, a position he has held since 2010. Mr Hanson also sits on the CPA UK Executive Committee.

Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst MP Chair CPA UK Executive Committee, Chairperson CPA International Executive Committee

Sir Alan has served on various Committees in the House of Commons, including the Chairman’s Panel (1997-2010(; the Court of Referees (1997-2010); Standing Orders (1998-2010); and Unopposed Bills Panel (2000-2010). He has chaired the Administration Committee since 2010 and currently serves on the Finance & Services and Liaison Committees.

Sir Alan has been an active CPA Member since he was first elected to Parliament in 1970 and currently is Chair of CPA UK’s Executive Committee. He was elected as the new Chairperson of the CPA International Executive Committee in July 2011. He was Chair of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council 1978-81 and has visited many Commonwealth Branches.

During his term as Deputy Speaker and as Chair of CPA UK he has welcomed many Commonwealth colleagues to the Houses of Parliament. In addition to his Commonwealth interests, his other interests include education, aerospace, aviation, youth affairs, agriculture and community development.

Hon. Lindsay Hoyle MP Chair, Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Lindsay Hoyle MP was first elected as Member for the constituency of Chorley in 1997 and was previously a prominent local councillor and businessman. He was the youngest- ever member of Chorley Borough Council where he chaired the economic development committee and was deputy leader for three years before his election to Parliament.

Following the May 2010 election, in the first secret ballot of its kind, he was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Chairman of Ways and Means, in the new Parliament. One of his most high- profile duties is to preside over the Budget Statement. He is also an ex officio member of the , and a member of the Select Committee on Finance and Services.

He served on the Trade and Industry Select Committee (now Business, Innovation and Skills) for twelve years, in addition to the European Scrutiny Committee.

Mr Andrew Kennon Clerk of Committees

Mr Andrew Kennon has been the Clerk of Committees since 2011. Prior to this he served as Principal Clerk of the Table Office (2009 – 2011); Clerk of the Journals (2008-09); Secretary of the House of Commons Commission (2006-08); Principal Clerk of Select Committees (2004 -06); and Head of the Scrutiny Unit (2002-04). From 1997-99 he was seconded to the Cabinet Office to advise ministers and officials on the implementation of the new Government’s programme for constitutional reform and modernisation of Parliament.

Mr Kennon has also been the Clerk of the Trade & Industry, Procedure, Defence and Home Affairs Committees; Joint Secretary of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliament; and was called to the Bar in 1979 (Gray’s Inn). He is co-author of the second edition of Griffith & Ryle’s Parliament: Functions, Practice & Procedures (Sweet & Maxwell 2003). Pauline Latham OBE MP Member of International Development Select Committee, Vice Chair CPA UK

Pauline Latham OBE has been the Conservative Member for Mid since the 2010 general election. Since her election, she has served as a member of the International Development Select Committee, and has been actively involved in CPA UK, of which she is now a Vice Chair.

She was born in in 1948 but grew up in and went to Bramcote Hills Technical Grammar School. She moved to Derbyshire in 1970, was proprietor of Humble plc from 1976 to 1987 and chaired Michael Street Development Ltd.

She was a Derbyshire County councillor for fifteen years from 1987 and served on City Council from 1992 with a two-year break. She was Mayor of Derby 2007-08 but retired from the council on her election to Parliament. She chaired the ’ board of a secondary school and was awarded the OBE for services to education in 1995.

In her maiden speech she stressed her interest in education and international development, and was elected to the International Development Select Committee. She founded a social and educational project in Uganda involving students from Derbyshire schools and has led two trips there. She has also been to Rwanda on a Conservative Party project, and is active on all-party groups on malaria and neglected tropical diseases and on HIV/AIDS.

Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP Chief Whip

Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP is the Conservative Member for Derbyshire Dales, and was first elected to Parliament for the constituency of West Derbyshire in a 1986 by-election.

Since 2010, he has been Government Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury, prior to which he was the Opposition Chief Whip from 2005, Opposition Deputy Chief Whip 1998-2005, and held various Whip posts from 1994-1998. He also served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Trade and Industry from 1993-94; for the Department of Transport (Minister for Aviation and Shipping) 1989-92; and for the Department of Employment 1992-93. He has also served on Select Committees for: Broadcasting 1994-95; Selection 1997-2001; Finance and Services 1998-2005, Accommodation and Works 2001-05, Modernisation of the House of Commons 2004-05, Selection 2005, and Administration 2005.

Ms Jessica Mulley DCCS Business Development Manager

Since joining the House of Commons Service as the Clerk of Public Petitions in 1993 Jessica has led teams supporting the work of various select committees including those scrutinising the Government in areas such as science and technology, environmental audit and communities and local government. For four years up to 2011 she worked in the Table Office, assisting Members in tabling parliamentary questions and motions and compiling the daily Order Paper for the Chamber, becoming Deputy Head of the Office in 2010. Jessica has also worked for the House on a range on IT-led projects and is currently leading a strand of work to improve the presentation and usefulness of digital information and to reduce the House’s reliance on printed papers.

She has extensive experience working with and for a range of international organisations including the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe, the Western European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliament Assembly, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. She is responsible for the design and delivery of aspects of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy’s capacity building programme for staff of the .

Mr Robert Rogers Clerk of the House of Commons and Chief Executive

Mr Rogers is the Clerk of the House of Commons of the . Mr Rogers joined the House's service in 1972 and was appointed Principal Clerk in 1998. He previously served as Clerk of the Journals (2004–2005), Principal Clerk of the Table Office (2005–2006), Clerk of Legislation (2006–2009) and Clerk Assistant (2009–2011).

Mr Rogers is the co-author with Rhodri Walters of ‘How Parliament Works’ (2004).

Rt Hon. John Spellar MP Shadow Minister for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Rt Hon. John Spellar MP has been a Labour Member of Parliament since 1982, and currently represents the constituency of Warley. He served as a Government Whip from 2008-2010 and an Opposition Deputy Chief Whip in 2010. From 2003-05 he was a Minister of State for the Northern Ireland Office; for the Department of Transport from 2002-03; and from 2001-02 for the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions 2001-02. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Defence 1997-99, and Minister of State for the Armed Forces 1999-2001.

His Select Committee membership includes: Joint Committee on Conventions (2006), Finance and Services (2009-10), Selection (2010), and the Joint Committee on Security (2010).

Rt Hon. Lord Steel of Aikenwood KT KBE PC

Lord Steel is a British Liberal Democrat politician who served as the Leader of the Liberal Party from 1976 until its merger with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the Liberal Democrats. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1965 to 1997 and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2003, during which time he was the parliament's Presiding Officer. Since 1997, he has been a member of the House of Lords.

He retired from the House of Commons at the 1997 general election and was made a life peer as Baron Steel of Aikwood, of Ettrick Forest in the Scottish Borders in the same year, residing at Aikwood Tower. He campaigned for Scottish devolution, and in 1999 was elected to the Scottish Parliament as a Liberal Democrat MSP for Lothians. He became the first Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament on 12 May 1999. In this role, he used the style "Sir David Steel", despite his peerage, and had no party allegiance. He stepped down as an MSP when the parliament was dissolved for the 2003 election, but remained as Presiding Officer until he had supervised the election of his successor George Reid in May of that year. He was appointed Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in both 2003 and 2004. On 30 November 2004, the Queen created Lord Steel of Aikwood a Knight of the Order of the Thistle – the highest honour in Scotland.

Joan Walley MP Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee; Chair of the Climate Change All Party Parliamentary Group

Joan Walley MP has been a Labour Member of the House of Commons since 1987, and represents the Stoke-on-Trent North constituency.

She currently Chairs the Environmental Audit Select Committee, and sits on the Liaison and Members’ Expenses Select Committees. Her all-party group membership includes the Lighting Group, the Environmental Health Group, the Climate Change Group (all of which she chairs) and the Football Group (Vice Chair).

She has previously served as the Opposition Spokesperson on Environmental Protection & Development (1988-90) and Transport (1990-95) and on the Trade and Industry, Environmental Audit, Chairmen's Panel and West Midlands Select Committees.

Rt Hon. Rosie Winterton MP Opposition Chief Whip.

Rt Hon. Rosie Winterton has been the Labour Member for Central since 1997, and is currently the Opposition Chief Whip and a member of the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission.

She is a member of the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and has served as Shadow Minister for Women and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal since 2010.

She was Minister of State Pensions and the Ageing Society for the Department for Work and Pensions (2008-09); Minister of State Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination for the Departments for Business, Innovation and Skills and for Communities and Local Government (2009-10); and Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber 2008-10. Rt Hon. Sir George Young MP Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal

Rt Hon. Sir George Young is the Conservative Member of Parliament for North West Hampshire, and currently Leader of the House of Commons. He is also a serving member of the Public Accounts Commission, the House of Commons Commission, and of the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Sir George was Shadow Leader of the House of Commons from 2009-10 and 1998-1999, and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons and Constitutional Affairs 1999-2000. He has previously served as Shadow Secretary of State for Defence (1997-98); Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1998- 99); Government Whip (1990); Member Shadow Cabinet (1997-2000): Secretary of State for Transport (1995-97); Financial Secretary to HM Treasury (1994-95); Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction (1993-94); and Minister for Housing and Planning at the Department of Environment (1990-93).