BLACKMAN-WOODS, Dr Roberta

Member for City of Durham since 2005. Committees: Member, Select Committee for Innovation, Universities Science and Skills/Science and Technology 2007-10; Member, Education and Skills Select Committee 2005-06; Member, Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and Commons Committee on Statutory Instruments 2005-10. Political career: Shadow Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government since 2011; Shadow Minister for Cabinet Office 2010-11; Parliamentary Assistant to Nick Brown as Minister for the North East 2008-10; Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Lammy as Minister of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills/Business, Innovation and Skills 2008-10; Parliamentary Private Secretary to Des Browne as Secretary of State for Defence 2007-08; Parliamentary Private Secretary to Hilary Armstrong as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 2006-07; Councillor: Oxford, Newcastle; Chair, Newcastle East and Wallsend; Chair, Durham. Special political interests: Social exclusion, international development, Afghanistan, education, housing, regeneration. Profession/Trade: Professor, Social Policy, and Associate Dean, University of Northumbria. Education: University of Ulster, BSc, PhD Social Science. Affiliations: GMB, AUT, Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH); Save the Children, Child Poverty Action Group. Hobbies: Music, reading. b. 16 August 1957, Belfast. Married with one child.