Members of MPs health committee named

The Health Select Committee has been named. It includes 6 Labour MPs, 3 Conservatives, a Liberal Democrat and an Independent.

The chair is expected to be Labour's Keith Barron but this will be confirmed shortly.

The full line-up is:

• Mr David Amess - Southend West, Conservative
• Charlotte Atkins - Staffordshire Moorlands, Labour
• John Austin  - Erith and Thamesmead, Labour
• Mr Kevin Barron  - Rother Valley, Labour
• Mr Paul Burstow  - Sutton & Cheam, Liberal Democrats
• Jim Dowd  - Lewisham West, Labour
• Anne Milton  - Guildford, Conservative
• Dr Doug Naysmith  - Bristol North West, Labour
• Mike Penning  - Hemel Hempstead, Conservative
• Dr Howard Stoate - Dartford, Labour
• Dr Richard Taylor  - Wyre Forest, Independent

The Commons Health Select Committee link here includes full biographies of the members and links to relevent debates. You can of course follow all relevent parliamentary debates on this site by following the All-Party Group link.

Meanwhile, the public health committee appears to have been upgraded. The committee, which draws together health ministers with a few other ministers to address public health concerns, has been one of several sub committees of the Cabinet's Domestic Affairs Committee. It seems it will now report directly to the cabinet not that commitee.

'Many have called for this,' said MHF parliamentary coordinator Colin Penning. 'Last year the Commons Health Committee went further, calling for a Cabinet Committee on Obesity.'