Leading Ladies - meet the women chairing select committees
14 min read
There are more women chairing select committees than ever before. Natasa Pantelic meets and profiles some of the women in the hot seat. All photos by Jessica Taylor / UK Parliament
Parliament does not yet reflect the gender split of the country. There have only ever been 561 women MPs, and in 2023, women currently represent 35 per cent of the House of Commons. However, the ratio has been improving with each election, and this is reflected in the number of women chairing select committees, with 14 out of 37 currently chaired by a woman.
More progress is needed on the committees themselves, however: when looking at the breakdown of the 443 Commons places on select committees (including seven for lay members on the Committee on Standards) 147 places are filled by women MPs (some sit on more than one committee) but only 109 different women MPs serve on select committees.
Research shows women leaders make a difference in politics and public life, encouraging more collaborative and inclusive ways of working, leading to better decision-making and outcomes for the country. They also inspire young women to get interested and engage in the political process which is vital for our democracy. The more women active in politics, the better.
Select committees matter, because they can effectively change government policy and scrutinise an area of public interest in detail to get the best possible outcomes, with a solid evidence base. They are another visible part of parliamentary life, accessible to the public and reflect a different way of getting things done compared to the cut and thrust of Prime Minister’s Questions.
Chairs of select committees are elected by fellow MPs by secret ballot – even the Speaker has a vote – and their role has become more prominent as they lead and influence the work of their committees while ensuring every member’s voice is heard.
The current departmental select committee system came into force in 1979 but the selection of chairs and members of the majority of committees changed in 2010 following the recommendations of the Wright Committee which was set up to reform the way in which the Commons works.
Leaving party politics at the door is key to their success. Catherine Mckinnell, Chair of the Petitions Committee, spoke to me about working with families and campaigners calling on the Department for Education to bring in mandatory water safety teaching in schools. She said: “We [the committee] take out party politics and engage with issues more deeply to give the petitioners the maximum out of the process.”
The background of the women who serve as chairs of our select committees is diverse and important to their roles: many have experience outside of Parliament of the issues they are considering with their colleagues.
For example, Alicia Kearns is Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and before coming into Parliament worked in counter-terrorism at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Harriett Baldwin is Chair of the Treasury Select Committee – only the second woman to hold this position – and comes from a background of working in the City. Sarah Champion is Chair of the International Development Select Committee (the first woman elected to the role) and has “always been working in the community” in Rotherham, having been the first woman elected to represent the constituency in 2012. She is a fierce champion for women and girls and has campaigned for years against child exploitation.
Others have vast experience in Westminster: Harriet Harman is Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights (joint committees include Peers) and currently Chair of the Privileges Committee. She is Mother of the House, representing Camberwell and Peckham since 1982 when Parliament was 97% male and there were only 10 Labour women. She comes from a background in law and human rights campaigning and set up the first Parliamentary Labour Party Women’s Group and fought for more Labour women MPs through ‘women-only shortlists’. Another, Dame Margaret Beckett, who chairs the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, brings over 40 years of political experience to the role.
I hope these profiles encourage other women MPs to put themselves forward to chair committees and young women to get involved in politics and public life. Our communities need you. Our select committees need you. There are always people willing to give advice and push you forward, if you look for them. I recall something the late Betty Boothroyd (first woman to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons) told me – “keep going, keep up your spirit and enthusiasm…go for gold.”
Natasa Pantelic is a founding member of the Labour Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network and is Senior Parliamentary Assistant to Sir Chris Bryant MP
Name: Dame Caroline Dinenage MP
Constituency: Gosport
Committee: Culture, Media and Sport
Date elected as Chair: 17 May 2023
Party: Conservative
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
Working cross-party with experienced colleagues who are all passionate about the culture, media and sport sectors. These sectors are a force to be reckoned with, and a key route to ensuring the UK retains its global status as an economic powerhouse and an attractive investment opportunity.
Proudest achievement of the committee?
The level of scrutiny that was applied by the Committee following the fallout with ITV and toxic workplace accusations. The session could easily have been distracted by a focus on the details of Philip Schofield’s personal life, but the Committee ensured it was used as a platform to understand the extent to which, not only ITV, but all public service broadcasters, and indeed the wider creative industries, have the right systems and processes in place to promote a healthy workplace culture.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
Select Committees are a key part of our scrutiny system, whether that is legislation, organisations or individuals. Committees spend a lot of their time producing very long, detailed documents which are intended to influence the thinking of government and wider organisations. While their work is generally well respected, I‘m not convinced, beyond the flurry of activity around the publication, how widely they are digested and to what extent they change government policy. I would like to see their work taken more seriously. That may mean producing fewer, shorter and more dynamic reports.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given?
I still recall the wise advice of my former neighbour, Fareham MP Mark Hoban, that Parliament is a marathon, not a sprint – those who make it out the blocks first don’t always get to the finish line.
As a new MP, without a political background, I was aware that many of my colleagues were parliamentary staffers or special advisers, with a wealth of experience and huge ambitions, it was a daunting environment. Thirteen years later, while many have left Parliament for a variety of reasons, I’m still here, having worked at my own pace, steadily learning, sometimes by trial and error, how to do this job.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Don’t be put off by the images of MPs on TV in Prime Minister’s Questions, it can seem like a very aggressive and testosterone-filled environment, hostile to women.
In actual fact the vast majority of the work of an MP is outside of the chamber and requires communication and collaboration, working with MPs from across the House, constituents, stakeholders and other partners.
Your favourite piece of music:
Carlos Gardel – Por Una Cabeza
Name: Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP 
Constituency: Romsey and Southampton North
Committee: Women and Equalities
Date elected as Chair: 27 January 2020
Party: Conservative
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
The massive range of issues we get to look at – from black maternal health to disability rights, GRA and misogyny in schools. The Committee has a wide scope and it means we are always doing something different.
Proudest achievement of the committee?
We saw a real sea change over the last two years in people’s attitude towards the menopause, breaking down taboos and encouraging conversations. It feels like we have made a difference for all those perimenopausal and menopausal women who needed someone to champion them.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
One of the challenges we have is time – we are always so busy that it feels as if we are constantly juggling issues and sometimes get blown off course just by events.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Be yourself – there is only one person you are truly accountable to, and that is you in the bathroom mirror every morning.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Do it – it may be a tough job at times, but it is also the best job.
Your favourite piece of music:
Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Name: Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson MP
Constituency: Kingston Upon Hull North
Committee: Home Affairs
Date elected as Chair: 15 December 2021
Party: Labour
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
Working with politicians from different parties, “hunting as a pack”, strategically asking questions, looking at evidence then reaching conclusions together and forming recommendations. Cross-party parliamentary scrutiny is very powerful and effective.
Proudest achievement of the committee?
Our report on small boat crossings in the channel (published last Summer) highlighted the need for the government to act on the asylum backlog which they have subsequently done and in fact clearing the backlog has become one of the PM’s promises to the British people.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
I think select committees are one of the hidden jewels of Parliament and should have more media attention for the cross-party work they do. The public like it when politicians work together constructively. I think more support and resources would allow is do an even better job in holding government to account.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Do one thing that scares you every day.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Do it! Never be afraid to just have a go.
Your favourite piece of music:
Tina Turner’s Simply the Best
Name: Sarah Champion MP 
Constituency: Rotherham
Committee: International Development
Date elected as Chair: 29 January 2020
Party: Labour
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
The best thing about chairing the International Development Committee is being able to do a deep dive into a particular topic and hold the government to account on the detail. We also to get to amplify the voices of our witnesses, who tend to be experts from the sector or are the people who benefit most from aid. Getting their views on the record, hopefully, goes some way to shifting the power towards them.
Proudest achievement of the committee:
I’m really proud that we haven’t shied away from difficult topics, like racism or challenging sexual abuse within the aid sector. It’s important to hold organisations to account for their failings and encourage them to change their safeguarding practices for the better, but also to kick start a wider debate.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
I think the main problem with the Select Committee system is time capacity. There’s only a limited amount of work that we can do and it’s sometimes hard to be as reactive as we would like to be, particularly when our role is so deeply rooted in government scrutiny.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given:
I don’t think anyone’s ever given me any advice regarding select committees, maybe that’s the problem!
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Don’t be deterred. There will be lots of blocks put in your way – climb over them, go around them, and find another woman to give you a helping hand.
Your favourite piece of music:
Being dyslexic, I can find music to be quite a challenge because I’m such a visual person. That being said, music that always cuts through to me is anything by Elbow, I can see them all in colour as big landscapes.
Name: Sharon Hodgson MP 
Constituency: Washington and Sunderland West
Committee: Finance
Date elected as Chair: 7 March 2023
Party: Labour
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
I’m still relatively new to this role, but already I find having some autonomy and the ability and responsibility to set the agenda and take decisions is really empowering after two years in a behind the scenes role as Keir’s PPS.
Proudest achievement of the committee:
I’m proud of the committee’s decision on increasing the thresholds for supporting travel costs for schools visiting the Parliamentary Outreach and Education Service and also the Budget for Select Committee Travel.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
No, I think it serves a very valuable purpose and works really well, supported by the excellent teams of select committee clerks, support staff and subject experts.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given:
Listen to your clerks.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Go for it! Don’t second guess your ambition or ability. Men never do and often they have way too much ambition and not enough ability. Also, you only regret what you don’t do, so have a go!
Your favourite piece of music:
‘Bad Romance’ by Lady Gaga. Trust me, you can’t help but dance to it. Same with ‘Rain on Me’ (Also Lady Gaga). Also love ‘Shallow’ (Gaga and Cooper). Basically, I love almost all of her songs.
Lately I am enjoying listening to most Elvis songs and especially love ‘An American Trilogy’, ‘Always on my Mind’ and ‘In the Ghetto’. They get me every time.
Name: Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP
Constituency: Staffordshire Moorlands
Committee: Procedure
Date elected as Chair: 29 January 2020
Party: Conservative
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
Chairing a cross party committee which is interested in improving the ways that we can all better represent our constituents is a real pleasure. It is rare that members work in such a largely consensual way, and I do enjoy that we can all agree on so much.
Proudest achievement of the committee:
We first met as a committee on 2 March 2020. On the following Monday, we were briefed by the Clerk about plans being made to deal with what we called Coronavirus at the time, including hearing the term social distancing for the first time. Just two weeks later, we went into the first lockdown and it was down to the Procedure Committee to make sure that Parliament could still function. It wasn’t perfect during those next two years, but being part of the process of making sure that we could meet and carry out our duties, was an incredible achievement for the whole House.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
There are always a few small changes at the margins, but I think largely it works well and produces really good recommendations for how to improve policies and the workings of Parliament.
Best piece of advice you've ever been given:
That you are in charge of your own destiny. If you want to change things, you need to do it.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office:
Go for it.
Your favourite piece of music:
I’m a child of the 80s, so anything by Duran Duran or Wham will make me very happy.
Name: Harriett Baldwin MP 
Constituency: West Worcestershire
Committee: Treasury
Date elected as Chair: 9 November 2022
Party: Conservative
What’s the best thing about chairing the committee?
The Treasury Select Committee Chairmanship is an influential platform from which to try to help the Government and the regulators improve the financial lives of people in the UK.
Proudest achievement of the committee:
Several of our recommendations have become government policy, most recently highlighting the need for the banks to pass on rate increases to savers.
Is there anything you’d change about the select committee system and why?
I’d love it if more members of the public came to the hearings as they are open to all.
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Buy low. Sell high.
One thing you tell women thinking of standing for elected office?
We need more women at every level of public office. Please apply. Please stand.
Your favourite piece of music?
I’m an opera fan but Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” has got me through many a day.
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