Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women and Equalities

Contents

Responsibilities

The Minister for Women and Equalities is responsible for the following policy areas:

• women and growth
• women on boards
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender strategy
• Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
• body confidence

In July 2014, this role moved from the Department for Culture, Media & Sport to the Department for Education.

Current role holder: Jo Swinson MP

In September 2012, Jo Swinson became Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Women and Equalities Minister. She was elected as the Liberal Democrat MP for East Dunbartonshire in 2005.

Education

Jo was brought up in East Dunbartonshire, where she attended Douglas Academy in Milngavie. She studied Management at the London School of Economics.

Political career

Jo has previously been the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Equality, Scotland and the Arts.

Jo was a member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee from 2007 to 2010 and was also Chairperson of the Liberal Democrats Women’s Policy Working Group in 2009.

As a backbench MP, Jo co-founded the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Allergy, Wellbeing Economics, and Body Image. Jo is also a Governor of the Ditchley Foundation.

Jo was a member of the Speaker’s Conference from 2009 to 2010, which looked at ways to increase the number of women and black and minority ethnic MPs.

Career outside politics

After graduating in 2000, Jo worked in Yorkshire as Marketing and PR Manager for the Emap radio station Viking FM.

In 2002 Jo moved back to East Dunbartonshire and worked for Glasgow-based media business SpaceandPeople.

Personal life

Jo enjoys running and completed the Loch Ness Marathon in 2007 and the London Marathon in April 2011. She also likes reading, hiking, and ceilidh dancing.

Jo is married to fellow Liberal Democrat MP Duncan Hames and they have one son.

More about this person

Previous holders of this role

1. Jenny Willott MP

   • 2013 to 2014

2. Jo Swinson MP

   • 2012 to 2013

3. The Rt Hon Theresa May MP

   • 2010 to 2012

Policies

under the responsibility of Jo Swinson MP as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women and Equalities

1. Creating a fairer and more equal society

   • 18 August 2014

2. Promoting human rights internationally

   • 21 March 2013

View all policies

Announcements

by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women and Equalities

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1. Scottish Referendum - Message from Jo Swinson MP

   • 14 August 2014
   • News story

2. Think, Act, Report initiative goes from strength to strength

   • 14 August 2014
   • News story

3. Government to work with toy industry to get girls into science and engineering

   • 27 June 2014
   • News story

4. The next steps for the Employment Law Review

   • 21 May 2014
   • Speech

5. Homophobic Bullying in Schools project gets underway

   • 28 April 2014
   • News story

6. Corporate responsibility is at the heart of successful businesses - Willott

   • 4 April 2014
   • Press release

7. Building girls’ and young women’s resilience to social pressures

   • 28 February 2014
   • News story

8. Consumers and businesses 1 step closer to new Bill of Rights

   • 23 January 2014
   • Press release

9. Women’s Engagement Newsletter- Jenny Willott

   • 9 January 2014
   • News story

10. New report highlights the real damage of poor body confidence

    • 18 December 2013
    • News story

View all announcements

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