About Meg

I was elected to parliament for the first time in 2001, to represent Sheffield Heeley – where I grew up. In my first term in parliament I was on the Education Select Committee and was active in getting legislation changed on adoption and body piercing. After the 2005 election I became the Minister for Women and Equality, firstly at the Department for Trade and Industry and then the Department for Communities and Local Government. In 2007 I was appointed as a minister to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – my geographical areas are south east Asia and the Pacific, central America and the Caribbean and British Overseas Territories. I’m also responsible for consular services, diversity and human resources.

I’ve been asked to do this blog – I’m worried whether I can make it interesting and whether I will be able to make the time to write it regularly. I’d like to use it to talk about things I do that people won’t hear from any other source. Not big news but the day to day work of a minister and the things I think are important. I’d like to get a balance of things that will interest people who work for the Foreign Office and things that are interesting to a wider audience.

When I’m not working I like to read, play sport or swim and try and keep up with the gardening.