BLACK AND ETHNIC MINORITY WOMEN IN PUBLIC LIFE

Early day motion 1555, tabled 23 May 2007 by Dawn Butler (Labour). Signed by 40 members.

That this House celebrates the 20th anniversary of the current hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington becoming the first ethnic minority woman to be elected to Parliament; notes that the Fawcett Society's research shows that two decades later, ethnic minority women are still severely under-represented in Parliament, Government and public life; regrets that only three black women have ever been elected and there has never been an Asian woman MP; expresses concern that at the current pace of change it will take more than three centuries for Parliament to reflect the UK's population of ethnic minority women; and calls on the Government to renew its commitment to positive measures by extending the time limit on all-women shortlists and prioritising the needs of ethnic minority women.

Signatures by party: Labour 27, Liberal Democrat 11, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.