REMARKS TO UNHCR FORUM, GENEVA Anne Begg MP Many thanks for inviting me to contribute to your Forum’s important discussions. I was very much looking forward to being in Geneva to talk to you in person about the work of the United Kingdom Speaker’s Conference on Parliamentary Representation, of which I am Vice-Chairman. However, I am very sorry that I am unable to join you. I am afraid that I am required to be in London where there is considerable business to transact in Parliament before the current session ends on Thursday evening. I wish your Forum every success. The Speaker’s Conference is made up of 18 Members of Parliament, and is chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons himself – something which indicates the great importance that we attach to it. The thinking behind the Conference is the same as that which underlies article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which says “Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives”. The UK is an increasingly diverse country, and that should be properly reflected in its Parliament So the Conference has been asked to look into the reasons why there are not more women, disabled people and people from ethnic minority communities in the House of Commons, which is our elected Chamber of Parliament. The Conference’s remit is to: