WOMEN GOVERNMENT WHIPS, SPEAKERS AND DEPUTY SPEAKERS

These tables (as at July 2008) list current and former women government whips spekers and deputy speakers of both Houses. There are three deputy speakers of the Commons (the Chairman and two Deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means). Under the Constitutional Reform Act (2005) the post of Lord Speaker of the House of Lords was created. Baroness Hayman was elected as the first Lord Speaker in July 2006. A panel of 20-25 Deputy Speakers assist the Lord Speaker. The Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees in the Lords is also Chairman of the Select Committee on the European Communities. The House of Lords normally has seven government whips and the Commons normally has five lords commissioner of the treasury and five assistant whips, though the present government currently has nine assistant whips.

Table 1a: Women House of Commons government whips

Name / Title / Party / Dates
Harriet Slater / Lord Commissioner of the Treasury / Labour / 1964-66
Betty Boothroyd / Assistant Whip / Labour / 1974-75
Margaret Jackson / Assistant Whip / Labour / 1975-76
Ann Taylor / Assistant Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) / Labour / 1977-79
1998-2001
Jacqui Lait / Assistant Whip / Conservative / 1996-97
Janet Anderson / Vice Chamberlain of HM’s Household / Labour / 1997-98
Bridget Prentice / Assistant Whip / Labour / 1997-98
2003-2005
Jane Kennedy / Assistant Whip
Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Govt Whip) / Labour / 1997-1998
1998-1999
Anne McGuire / Assistant Whip
Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Govt Whip) / Labour / 1998-2001
2001-2002
Hilary Armstrong / Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip) / Labour / 2001-2006
Angela Smith / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2001-2002
Karen Buck / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2001
Joan Ryan / Assistant Whip
Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Govt Whip) / Labour / 2002-2003
2003-2006
Gillian Merron / Assistant Whip
Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (Govt Whip) / Labour / 2002-2004
2004-2006
Margaret Moran / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2003-2005
Jacqui Smith / Government Chief Whip / Labour / 2006-2007
Charlotte Atkins / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2002-2004
Liz Blackman / Assistant Whip
Vice Chamberlain of HM Household (govt whip) / Labour / 2006-2007
2007-date
Claire Ward / Assistant Whip
Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury (govt whip) / Labour / 2005-2006
2006-date
Siobhan McDonagh / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2007-date
Alison Seabeck / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2007-date
Diana Johnson / Assistant Whip / Labour / 2007-date

Table 1b: Women House of Commons Speakers and Deputy Speakers

Name / Office / Party / Dates
Betty Harvie Anderson / First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means / Conservative / 1970-73
Betty Boothroyd / Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means
Speaker of the House / Labour / 1987-92
1992-2000
Janet Fookes / Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means / Conservative / 1992-97
Sylvia Heal / First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means / Labour / 2000-date

Table 2a: House of Lords government whips

Name / Title / Party / Dates
Baroness Phillips / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1965-70
Baroness Serota / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1968-69
Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe / Baroness in Waiting
Captain of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (Chief Whip) / Labour / 1969-70
1974-79
Baroness Young / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1972-73
Baroness Birk / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1974
Baroness Stedman / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1975-79
Baroness David / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1978-79
Baroness Trumpington / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1983-85, 1992-97
Baroness Cox / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1985
Baroness Hooper / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1985-86
Baroness Blatch / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1990
Baroness Denton of Wakefield / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1991-92
Baroness Miller of Hendon / Baroness in Waiting / Conservative / 1994-97
Baroness Gould of Potternewton / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1997-98
Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1997-date
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1997-2001
Baroness Amos / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1998-2001
Baroness Crawley / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 2002-date
Baroness Andrews / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 1998-2005
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon / Baroness in Waiting
Lords Chief Whip / Labour / 2005-2008
2008-date
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 2007-date
Baroness Thornton / Baroness in Waiting / Labour / 2008-date

Table 2b: House of Lords Deputy Speakers

Name / Office / Party / Dates
Baroness Wootton of Abinger / Deputy Speaker / Labour / 1967-88
Baroness Emmet of Amberley / Deputy Speaker
Deputy Chairman of Committees / Conservative / 1968-77
1972-77
Baroness Tweedsmuir of Belhelvie / Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees / Conservative / 1974-77
Baroness White / Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Speaker / Labour / 1979-82
1979-89
Baroness Llewelyn-Davies of Hastoe / Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Labour / 1982-86
1986-95
Baroness Serota / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees
Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees / Labour / 1985-2002
1986-92
Baroness Cox / Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Speaker / Conservative / 1986-2004
1986-2005
Baroness Lockwood / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Labour / 1990-2007
Baroness Hooper / Deputy Chairman of Committees / Conservative / 1993-date
Baroness Nicol / Deputy Speaker / Labour / 1995-2002
Countess of Mar / Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Speaker / Cross-Bench / 1997-2007
1999-date
Baroness Turner of Camden / Deputy Chairman of Committees
Deputy Speaker / Labour / 1997-date
2002-date
Baroness Gardner of Parkes / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Conservative / 1999-2002
Baroness Pitkeathley / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Labour / 2002-date
Baroness Gould of Potternewton / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Labour / 2002-date
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Liberal Democrat / 2002-2007
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale / Deputy Speaker / Labour / 2002-date
Baroness Fookes / Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees / Conservative / 2002-date
Baroness Hayman / Lord Speaker / Not Party Political / 2006-date

Copyright © Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics 2001

19-21 University Square, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast, N. Ireland, BT7 1PA