Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke, hosted Commonwealth legislators from the British Islands and Mediterranean region in Parliament this week for the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s conference on inclusive parliaments.
Maria said, ‘it was an honour to host Commonwealth parliamentarians this week as chair of the UK branch of the CPA. At this time just before the coronation of our new Head of the Commonwealth, it was a great time to reflect on the values we share and how we, as Commonwealth nations, can move forward together in this new era. It is so important for our future successes that, as we have done here, a focus on building the strongest, most diverse parliaments is the first order of business and it was inspiring to hear from so many parliamentarians talking about their experiences, and offering their best practices.’
More than 40 parliamentarians from over 10 countries attended the conference which focused on the priorities of the BIMR region, including inclusive and sustainable parliaments, the climate emergency, and parliamentary standards.
Maria Miller is Chair of the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
As chair of the BIMR Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians steering committee, Maria hosted female parliamentarians to contribute as well as chairing the plenary session on inclusive parliaments and giving the conference’s opening speech.