Margaret Hodge

The Rt. Hon Margaret Hodge MBE was appointed Minister for Culture and Tourism at the DCMS in September 2009 following a year out of Government on compassionate leave.

She was elected Member of Parliament for Barking in 1994 and has carried out the following roles in Government: Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment and Equal Opportunities, Department for Education and Employment (1998 - 2001); Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, Department for Education and Skills (2001 - 2003); Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, Department for Education and Skills (2003 - 2005); Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform in the Department for Work and Pensions (2005 - 2006); Minister of State for Industry and the Regions in the Department for Trade and Industry (2006 - 2007); and Minister for Culture, the Creative industries and Tourism in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2007 - 2008).

Margaret Hodge entered politics in 1973 as a councillor for the London Borough of Islington where she was Chair of the Housing Committee from 1975 to 1979 and Deputy Leader from 1981 to 1982, before becoming Leader from 1982 to 1992. She spent two years as a consultant for Price Waterhouse from 1992 to 1994.

Prior to her appointment to the DfEE she was Joint Chairman of the House of Commons Education and Employment Select Committee.

She was educated at Bromley High School and Oxford High School before obtaining a BSc at the London School of Economics. Margaret Hodge is widowed with four children and four grandchildren.