Anne Begg facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dame Anne Begg DBE
Begg in 2008
Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee
In office 10 June 2010 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by	Terry Rooney
Succeeded by	Frank Field
Member of Parliament for Aberdeen South
In office 1 May 1997 – 30 March 2015
Preceded by	Raymond Robertson
Succeeded by	Callum McCaig
Personal details
Born	Margaret Anne Begg (1955-12-06) 6 December 1955 (age 69) Brechin, Angus, Scotland
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	University of Aberdeen

Dame Margaret Anne Begg DBE (born 6 December 1955) is a Scottish politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Aberdeen South from 1997 to 2015. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. Anne Begg is a member of the Labour Party. From 2010 to 2015, she led the Work and Pensions Select Committee, a group of MPs who check the work of the government department responsible for jobs and welfare.

When she was first elected, Anne Begg became the first person who used a wheelchair full-time to be an MP in the House of Commons since the 1800s.

Early Life and Learning

Margaret Anne Begg grew up in Brechin, Angus, Scotland. She went to Damacre Primary School and Brechin High School. Later, she studied History and Politics at the University of Aberdeen. After that, in 1978, she got a special certificate from Aberdeen College of Education to become a teacher.

After finishing her studies, Anne Begg taught English and History at Webster's High School in Kirriemuir. In 1988, she became the main English teacher at Arbroath Academy.

Becoming an MP

Anne Begg became involved with groups that support teachers. In 1983, she joined the Labour Party. She was chosen to be a candidate for Parliament in Aberdeen South. This happened through a special process called an "all-women shortlist," which helps more women become candidates. Frank Doran, a former Labour MP for the area, encouraged her to stand.

In the 1997 general election, Anne Begg won against the Conservative MP Raymond Robertson. She was re-elected in 2001, 2005, and 2010. This made her the first Labour MP to hold the Aberdeen South seat for more than one term. However, in the 2015 general election, she lost her seat to Callum McCaig from the SNP.

Working in Parliament

Anne Begg gave her first speech in Parliament on 21 May 1997. This is called a "maiden speech." She was involved in many different groups in Parliament. She was the secretary of a group that looked at the BBC. She also led groups focused on equal opportunities, the oil and gas industry, long-term pain conditions, and commercial radio.

She was also part of a group that helped the Speaker of the House of Commons. This group worked to help people from different backgrounds be better represented in Parliament. From 2010 to 2015, Anne Begg was the leader of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This committee checks how the government handles jobs, benefits, and pensions.

Her Views and Votes

As an MP, Anne Begg voted on many important issues:

• In 2003, she voted to ban smoking in restaurants.
• She supported laws about identity cards in 2004 and 2005.
• She voted for allowing unmarried couples, both heterosexual and homosexual, to adopt children. She also supported the Civil Partnership Bill, which gave legal rights to same-sex couples.
• In 2002, she voted to ban hunting wild animals with dogs.
• She supported the idea of NHS foundation trusts, which give local hospitals more control.
• She voted against replacing the Trident system, which is the UK's nuclear weapons system.
• She voted on laws about how people suspected of serious crimes could be held.
• In 2003, she voted against going to war in Iraq.
• Later, she voted for inquiries into the reasons for the Iraq War.
• In 2008, Anne Begg and 17 other MPs supported a plan for a Team GB football team to play in the 2012 Olympics. This was a debated topic because Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland usually compete as separate nations in football.
• During a time when MPs' expenses were being looked at (the 2009 MPs expenses scandal), Anne Begg was one of the first Scottish MPs to share all her spending details online. She believed it was important for people to see how MPs spent public money.
• In 2011, she had a discussion with another MP, Philip Davies, about whether disabled people should be allowed to work for less than the minimum wage to gain experience. Anne Begg strongly believed this could lead to unfair treatment.

Important Campaigns

Anne Begg has been a strong supporter of using embryonic stem cells for research. This research aims to find treatments for serious diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, which currently have no cure. She also worked hard to stop a complete ban on the pain-relief medicine called co-proxamol, which helps many people with long-term pain.

She also campaigned on other important issues:

• She worked to help seafarers (people who work at sea) with their taxes.
• She fought for compensation for trawlermen who lost their jobs during the Cod Wars, which were disputes over fishing rights.
• In 2009, she convinced the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, to make a change. This change meant that grandparents of working age who look after their grandchildren could get special credits towards their state pension. She believed that their caring role should be recognized.
• In Parliament, Anne Begg spoke out against people who trick vulnerable individuals with fake mail scams and pyramid schemes.

Local Work

Anne Begg also focused on issues in her local area of Aberdeen.

• In 2008, she criticized the Aberdeen City Council for cutting their budget. She called their actions "draconian" (very harsh) when they used a debt collection agency against an 80-year-old partially sighted woman for a small amount of money.
• She wrote to the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, asking for changes to the house buying system in Scotland.
• She also spoke out against plans to close a school in Aberdeen, saying it was being closed "by stealth" (secretly or unfairly) after it had been saved just 18 months earlier.

Personal Life and Awards

Anne Begg lives with Gaucher's disease, a rare genetic condition. She has used a wheelchair since 1984. In 1988, she won the "Disabled Scot of the Year" award.

In 1999, she was in a road accident outside Aberdeen Airport. She was knocked from her wheelchair and broke her leg and wrist. She had to stay in the hospital for three months.

In 2011, Anne Begg was given a special honour. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). This award recognized her important work for disabled people and for promoting equal opportunities.