Laura Moffatt - Labour Member of Parliament for Crawley

Laura Moffatt MP

Parliamentary Career:

• Laura was elected to Parliament on 1 May 1997 and re-elected on 7 June 2001 and 5 May 2005.
• Laura is the first nurse to be elected to Parliament and the first Labour MP for Crawley.

Parliamentary Activities:

• Continued as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP as he moved to Health in 2007. 
• Appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Education in 2005.
• Appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor in 2001.
• Served on the Defence Select Committee (first ever woman) 1997-2001.
• Served on the Parliamentary Labour Party Health Committee.
• Finance Officer to the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS.
• Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse.
• Member of Standing Committees on Health, National Lottery and the Armed Forces.
• Executive Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Care and Public Health.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Pharmacy Group.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fuel Poverty.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Breast Cancer.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity.
• Member of the All Party Parliamentary Pro-Coice Group.

Previous Career:

• Registered Staff Nurse at Crawley Hospital for 25 years.
• Worked on Isolation/Haematology Ward.

Main Political Interests:

• Health, the NHS, Housing, Drug Misuse, AIDS, Aerospace & Aviation and the Environment.

Public Office:

• Served on Crawley Borough Council from 1984-95.
• Vice Chair of Planning Committee and Chair of Environmental Services from 1987-89 & 1990-96.
• Mayor of Crawley 1989-90.
• Governor of Broadfield East First and Middle School for 15 years - Chair for one year.

Labour Party Membership:

• A member since 1979.
• Branch Secretary 1979-84 & 1992-95.
• Constituency delegate to Conference 1984.
• Women's Officer 1992-3.
• Women's Conference Delegate 1992.
• Labour Party Conference Delegate 1991, 1992 & 1995.
• Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Crawley 1992.  

Trade Union Membership:

• Member of COHSE (now UNISON) for over 20 years.

Other Activities:

• Former President, now Honorary Vice President of the Association of Port Health Authorities and an Honorary Fellow.
• Former Chair of NCH Action for Children.
• Former member of the Regional Committee of London and Quadrant Housing Association.
• Founder member of Furni-Aid in Crawley.
• President of the Crawley Hospital League of Friends and Committee Member.
• President of Relate.
• Fellow of the Industry in Parliament Trust.
• Patron of the Fibromyalgia Support Group for Surrey and Sussex.

Family Background:

• Laura is the eldest of two daughters of Stanley and Barbara.
• Born on 9 April 1954.
• Educated at Hazelwick School and Crawley College.
• Married to Colin Moffatt on 1 November 1975.
• Mother of three (now adult) sons.
• Laura has lived in Crawley for more than 40 years and in Broadfield for over 20 years.