The 11 MPs who will sit on the new education committee have been confirmed. The parliamentary committee consists of seven Labour MPs, two Conservatives and two Liberal Democrats. It will be chaired by Labour MP Helen Hayes, the former shadow children’s minister who was elected to the position in September. The committee plays a key role in holding the Department for Education and its executive agencies and arms-length bodies to account. It has the power to compel senior figures such as ministers and the chief inspector of Ofsted, as well as civil servants to give evidence. Each party has its own internal processes for choosing its allocation of seats, which are proportionate to the number of MPs elected to the House of Commons at the last general election. Details of the committee’s meetings will be announced in due course, but Hayes had said SEND reform, child poverty, the school curriculum and a fit-for-purpose skills system are on her agenda. Who are the MPs? Helen Hayes Party: Labour Constituency: Dulwich and West Norwood, London Former town planner and councillor in Southwark. MP since 2015 and former shadow children’s minister. Jess Asato Party: Labour Constituency: Lowestoft, Suffolk Health campaigner and former Islington councillor. Elected in July. Sureena Brackenbridge Party: Labour Constituency: Wolverhampton North East Former science teacher and deputy headteacher. Elected in July. Dr Caroline Johnson Party: Conservative Constituency: Sleaford and North Hykeham, Lincolnshire Former consultant paediatrician and health minister who previously served on the education committee from 2020 to 2022. First elected at a by-election in 2016. Amanda Martin Party: Labour Constituency: Portsmouth North Former teacher, National Education Union president and staffer for the NAHT heads’ union. First elected in July. Darren Paffey Party: Labour Constituency: Southampton Itchen Former lecturer in Spanish and linguistics and deputy leader of Southampton council. First elected in July. Manuela Perteghella Party: Liberal Democrats Constituency: Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire Former university lecturer and school governor. First elected in July. Mark Sewards Party: Labour Constituency: Leeds South West and Morley Former teacher, head of maths, Leeds councillor and member of the National Union of Students national executive team. First elected in July. Patrick Spencer Party: Conservative Constituency: Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Former policy adviser at the Department for Education and senior fellow at the Centre for Social Justice. First elected in July. Dr Marie Tidball Party: Labour Constituency: Penistone and Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire Disability rights campaigner and former charity policy and legal officer. Stood against Hayes for committee chair. First elected in July. Caroline Voaden Party: Liberal Democrats Constituency: South Devon Former journalist, member of the European Parliament and leader of the Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament. First elected in July.