House of Lords Appointments Commission

House of Lords Appointments Commission - New Non-Party-Political Peers

Six new non-party-political peers recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission were announced today.

The new non-party-political peers are:

• Paul Bew, an academic and leading commentator on Northern Irish politics
• Jane Campbell, campaigner for disability rights and social care
• Jean Coussins, an adviser on corporate responsibility and self-regulation, previously Chief Executive of the Portman Group
• Khalid Hameed, a hospital management expert and leader in the promotion of international understanding and the development of young people
• John Krebs, an international expert in behavioural ecology and former Chairman of the Food Standards Agency
• Andrew Mawson, a social entrepreneur who has played a major role in neighbourhood regeneration.

They will sit on the crossbenches in the Upper House.

Notes to Editors

1. Media enquiries about the work of the House of Lords Appointments Commission should go to Maggie O'Boyle on 07880 740627.
2. Further information on the Appointments Commission can be obtained from www.lordsappointments.gov.uk
3. The Appointments Commission is a non-statutory advisory body set up by the Prime Minister to make recommendations for non-party-political peerages. The Commission’s remit is to find people of distinction who will bring authority and expertise to the House of Lords. The Commission recommends individuals on merit and their ability to contribute effectively to the work of the House.
4. The House of Lords Appointments Commission has now recommended a total of 42 non-party-political peerages to the Prime Minister.
5. The membership of the House of Lords Appointments Commission was announced by the Prime Minister on 4th May 2000. The Chairman, Dennis Stevenson, is a crossbench peer. The Commission comprises two other non-party political members: Angela Sarkis and Felicity Huston. These members of the Commission were selected through open competition. The Commission also includes three members nominated by each of the three main political parties: Baroness Brenda Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde (Labour), Lord Douglas Hurd of Westwell (Conservative) and Lord Navnit Dholakia (Liberal Democrat). Commission members were re-appointed by the Prime Minister for a further 18 months from January 2007, pending further discussion of Lords reform.
6. Paul Bew is Professor of Irish Politics at Queen’s University of Belfast and a leading commentator on Northern Irish politics.  He is the author of many publications on Northern Ireland, both past and present.
7. Dame Jane Campbell is a Commissioner of the Disability Rights Commission and of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR).  She also serves as Chair of the Disability Committee which will lead on the CEHR Disability Programme.   She was the former Chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence.  During the 1990s, she established the National Centre for Independent Living.  She is an active leader in the social care field and a campaigner and adviser for disability reforms.
8. Ms Jean Coussins served as the Chief Executive of The Portman Group from 1996 to 2006.  Her role involved bringing together the alcoholic drinks industry, the government and the health sector to reduce the misuse of alcohol and promote sensible drinking.  She currently sits on the Council of the Advertising Standards Authority and  works as an independent consultant, advising on issues such as corporate responsibility and self-regulation.
9. Dr Khalid Hameed has been Chairman of the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council since 1997.  He is also the High Sheriff of Greater London and Chairman of Alpha Hospitals.  Formerly, he was Executive Director and Chief Executive of the Cromwell Hospital.  He is involved in a number of organisations and charities which help develop harmony between diverse faiths and cultures in the UK.
10. Professor Sir John Krebs has been Principal of Jesus College, Oxford since 2005.  He was the former Chairman of the Food Standards Agency from 2000 to 2005 and held a Royal Society Research Professorship at Oxford from 1988 to 2005.
11. Andrew Mawson is a social entrepreneur, who has played a significant role in neighbourhood regeneration.  He is founder of the Bromley-by-Bow Centre, a model for community based enterprise, health, education and care and co-founder of Community Action Network (CAN), which supports social entrepreneurs nationwide.  In 2006, he founded the Water City Group whose aims are to use the 2012 Games as a catalyst to bring the rivers and waterways of East London back to life.