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.
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