1) Sandra Gidley

8) Lady Hermon

2) Vera Baird

9) Ann McKechin

3) Annette Brooke

10) Meg Munn

4) Patsy Calton

11) Anne Picking

5) Sue Doughty

12) Iris Robinson

6) Annabelle Ewing

13) Angela Watkinson

7) Michelle Gildernew

Sandra Gidley

Date of Birth

26 March 1957 (née Rawson)

Family

married, three children

Education

Bath University

Early career

pharmacist

Early political experience

Test Valley Borough Council (1995-date), Mayor of Romsey (1997-98)

Years in parliament

2000-date

Party

Liberal Democrat

Constituency

Romsey

Opposition portfolios

Health (2001-date)

Vera Baird

Date of Birth

13 February 1951

Family

Widow, two step-sons

Education

Newcastle Polytechnic, Open University

Early career

Criminal lawyer, QC

Early political experience

contested Berwick (1983)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Labour

Constituency

Redcar

Committees

Human Rights (2001-date)

Annette Brooke

Date of Birth

7 June 1947 (née Kelly)

Family

Married, two children

Education

London School of Economics; Hughes Hall, Cambridge

Early career

counsellor, tutor, various college posts

Early political experience

Poole Borough Council (1986-date), Mayor of Poole (1997-98)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Liberal Democrat

Constituency

Dorset Mid and Poole North

Offices held

Lib Dem whip (2001-date)

Committees

Public Administration (2001-date)

Patsy Calton

Date of Birth

19 September 1948

Family

Married, three children

Education

University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology

Early career

Chemistry teacher

Early political experience

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (1994-date); contested Cheadle (1992, 1997)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Liberal Democrat

Constituency

Cheadle

Committees

Administration (2001-date)

Sue Doughty

Date of Birth

13 April 1948 (née Powell)

Family

Married, two children, two step-children

Education

Northumberland College of Education

Early career

Management consultant; manager, Thames Water

Early political experience

Former constituency chair, Reading East Lib Dems, Deputy Regional Chair, Chilterns Region, contested London, European elections (1999)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Liberal Democrat

Constituency

Guildford

Committees

Environmental Audit (2001-date)

Annabelle Ewing

Date of Birth

8 August 1960

Family

daughter of Winnie Ewing MSP, sister of Fergus Ewing MSP; single

Education

Glasgow University, Bologna, Amsterdam

Early career

lawyer

Early political experience

contested Scottish Parliament election (1999), Hamilton South by-election (1999)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

SNP

Constituency

Perth

Michelle Gildernew

Date of Birth

1 January 1970

Family

Married, one son

Education

University of Ulster, Coleraine

Early political experience

Head of Sinn Féin’s London Office, press officer, member of delegation to Downing Street (1997)

Years in parliament

Northern Ireland Assembly (1998-date); House of Commons (2001-date)

Party

Sinn Féin

Constituency

Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Assembly and House of Commons)

Opposition portfolios

Women's Issues, Social Development (Assembly)

Lady Hermon (Sylvia Hermon)

Date of Birth

11 August 1955 (née Paisley)

Family

Married, two sons

Education

University of Aberystwyth

Early career

Law lecturer, Queens University of Belfast (1978-88)

Early political experience

Chair of North Down UUP constituency association (2001-date)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

UUP

Constituency

North Down

Opposition portfolios

Home Affairs, Youth and Women’s Issues, Trade and Industry (2001-date)

Honours or titles

Lady Hermon (1988-)

Ann McKechin

Date of Birth

22 April 1961

Family

Single

Education

Strathclyde University

Early career

Solicitor

Early political experience

Glasgow Kelvin Constituency Labour Party: Constituency secretary (1995-98), Women’s Officer (2000-date), West of Scotland list in Scottish Parliament election (1999)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Labour

Constituency

Glasgow Maryhill

Other public offices

Member of Co-ordinating Committee of Jubilee Scotland, international debt relief coalition (November 2000-date)

Committees

Standing Orders, Information, Scottish Affairs (2001-date)

Meg Munn

Date of Birth

24 August 1959

Family

Married (1989)

Education

University of York, University of Nottingham, Open University

Early career

Social worker, Assistant Director, Children's Services, City of York Council.

Early political experience

Nottingham City Council (1987-91)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Labour

Constituency

Sheffield Heeley

Committees

Education & Skills, Procedure (2001-date)

Ann Picking

Date of Birth

30 March 1958

Family

Married (1984), one son

Education

Woodmill High Comprehensive School

Early career

Nurse, UNISON president (1999-2000)

Early political experience

Ashford Borough Council (1996-2000)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Labour

Constituency

East Lothian

Offices held

Modernisation Select Committee, Accomodation & Works Committee, (2001-date)

Iris Robinson

Date of Birth

6 September 1949 (Collins)

Family

Married Peter Robinson (1970), future MLA, MP, three children

Education

Cregagh/Castlereagh Technical College

Early political experience

Castlereagh Borough Council (1989-date; Mayor, 1992, 1995, 2000); contested Strangford (1997)

Years in parliament

Northern Ireland Assembly (1998-date); House of Commons (2001-date)

Party

DUP

Constituency

Strangford (Assembly and Westminster)

Opposition portfolios

Health, Social Services, Public Safety, Whip

Angela Watkinson

Date of Birth

18 November 1941

Family

Married (1961), three children

Education

Anglia University

Early career

Banking, local government officer

Early political experience

Havering Borough Council (1994-98), Essex County Council (1997-2001)

Years in parliament

2001-date

Party

Conservative

Constituency

Upminster

Committees

Home Affairs (2001-date)