Maria Miller MP for Basingstoke will be the Chair of the newly established Women and Equalities Select Committee. Maria was nominated for the position by MPs across the House and was elected unopposed.
Speaking after nominations closed Maria said, "It is a great privilege to be the first ever Chair of this important new Committee. In Britain we have a proud history of challenging inequity and intolerance but in any society there will always be a need to shine a light on discrimination in whatever form it takes. This new committee will look carefully at how the laws we already have help create a fairer Britain and whether there need to be any changes to make things work better in the future."
Maria's experience includes being the former Culture Secretary, Minister for Women and Equalities and Minister for Disabled People. She also has almost 20 years business experience in the advertising and marketing industry as well as being a working mum.
The work of the committee will be finalised when the other committee members are elected in the coming weeks. Maria has already indicated that her own priorities will include women's access to executive management jobs, the media and arts record on equality, disabled people's participation in society, and the Government's policies supporting Transgender men and women.