Meg Hillier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame Meg Hillier
DBE MP
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Chair of the Treasury Select Committee | |
| Assumed office 9 September 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Harriett Baldwin |
| Chair of the Public Accounts Committee | |
| In office 18 June 2015 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Margaret Hodge |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Clifton-Brown |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change | |
| In office 8 October 2010 – 7 October 2011 |
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| Leader | Ed Miliband |
| Preceded by | Ed Miliband |
| Succeeded by | Caroline Flint |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Identity | |
| In office 28 June 2007 – 12 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Joan Ryan (Under-Secretary of State for Nationality, Citizenship and Immigration) |
| Succeeded by | Damian Green (Minister of State for Immigration) |
| Member of Parliament for Hackney South and Shoreditch |
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| Assumed office 5 May 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Sedgemore |
| Majority | 14,737 (35.4%) |
| Member of the London Assembly for North East |
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| In office 4 May 2000 – 10 June 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Jennette Arnold |
| Mayor of Islington | |
| In office May 1998 – May 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Rupert Perry |
| Succeeded by | Jenny Sands |
| Islington Borough Councillor for Sussex Ward |
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| In office 5 May 1994 – 2 May 2002 |
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| Succeeded by | Ward abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Margaret Olivia Hillier
14 February 1969 Hampstead, London, England |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative |
| Spouse | Joe Simpson |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | St Hilda's College, Oxford |
Dame Meg Hillier (born 14 February 1969) is a British politician. She is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hackney South and Shoreditch since 2005. She belongs to the Labour and Co-operative political party.
Meg Hillier was a government minister from 2007 to 2010. Later, she was a 'Shadow Minister' for Energy and Climate Change. A 'Shadow Minister' is a member of the opposition party who watches over a specific government department.
Meg Hillier has led important committees in Parliament. She chaired the Public Accounts Committee from 2015 to 2024. Since 2024, she has been the chair of the Treasury Select Committee.
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Early Life and Education
Meg Hillier was born on 14 February 1969 in Hampstead, London. She went to Portsmouth High School, a private school for girls.
After school, she studied at St Hilda's College, Oxford at the University of Oxford. She studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. While at Oxford, she was chosen to be the Librarian of the Oxford Union Society.
Start of Her Political Career
Before becoming an MP, Meg Hillier worked as a journalist. She wrote for local newspapers and about social housing.
In 1994, she became a Councillor in the London Borough of Islington. She represented the Sussex ward. In 1998, she served as the Mayor of Islington. She left the Council in 2002.
In 2000, she was elected as a founding member of the London Assembly. She represented North East London until 2004. She also served on the board of Transport for London.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 2004, Meg Hillier was chosen to be the Labour candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch. She was elected to the House of Commons in the 2005 general election. She won with 52.9% of the votes.
In 2006, she became a Parliamentary Private Secretary. This role helps a government minister. In 2007, she was appointed a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office. This means she was a junior minister.
Meg Hillier was re-elected as an MP in the 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2024 general elections. Each time, she won with a large number of votes.
Leading Parliamentary Committees
In June 2015, Meg Hillier was elected to chair the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). This committee checks how the government spends public money.
As chair of the PAC, she was considered one of the most important people in the NHS in 2016. She often spoke out about how government programs were managed.
In 2024, she was elected to chair the Treasury Select Committee. This committee looks at the work of the Treasury, which manages the country's money.
Other Political Views
Meg Hillier supported the "Remain" campaign in the 2016 vote on whether the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union. She was very sad when the UK voted to leave.
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2021. This honour was given for her service in politics and Parliament.
Personal Life
Meg Hillier married Joe Simpson in 1997. They have three children. She is a Roman Catholic.
