Member for Stockton South since 1997. Committees: Member, House of Commons Select Committee on Defence 1997-2001; Treasurer, All-Party Chemicals Group; Vice-Chair, All-Party Adoption Group; Member, All-Party All Cancers Group, All-Party Breast Cancer Group; Member, All-Party Opera Group; Member, GMB Group of MPs; Vice-Chair, Labour Women's Forum. Political career: Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lewis Moonie and Lord Bach (Ministry of Defence) since 2001; Councillor, Sunderland Metropolitan Council 1987-87. Special political interests: Domestic violence, drugs and crime, child welfare, adoption. Profession/Trade: FE lecturer. Education: Ynyshir Girls School; Burnley Municipal College; University of Nottingham, BA (Hons); University of Durham, MA. Affiliations: General Municipal and Boilermakers Union (GMB). Hobbies: Choral singing, tap dancing, walking, travelling.
b. 13 December 1944, Ynyshir Rhondda. Married with one child.

2005				2001
LAB HOLD	Votes	%	+/- %	Votes	%
Labour	21,480	47.8	-5.2	23,414	53
Conservative	15,341	34.2	1.7	14,328	32.4
Lib Dem	7,171	16.0	2.4	6,012	13.6
UKIP	931	2.1	-	-	-
Soc Alliance	-	-	-	455	1
Majority	6,139	13.7		9,086	20.6
Turnout	44,923	63.0	0.8	44,209	62.2