Mr. George Howarth MP

Mr. Howarth was first elected to Parliament in a by-election on 13 November 1986 for Knowsley North. In 1997 following boundary changes the seat became Knowsley North and Sefton East. He was elected as a councillor to the Huyton District Council in 1971 and served in its successor,the Knowsley Borough Council, until 1986. During that time Mr. Howarth was chair of the Housing Committee and latterly the Finance Committee. He was also chair of the Knowsley South Constituency Labour Party for four years from 1981. In Parliament Mr. Howarth served as an opposition spokesperson on Environment 1989-1994 and Home Affairs 1994-1997. In 1997 he was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, and then went to the Northern Ireland Office in 1999. Since leaving the Government in 2001 he has served on a number of select committees and is currently a member of the Modernisation Committee and the Intelligence and Security Committee. He also chairs the All Party Group on Liverpool, European Capital of Culture 2008 and became a member of the Privy Council in 2005.During 2007 and 2008 he was a member of the sentencing commission working group, which was set up following the review of prisons by Lord Carter of Coles.