05 Jul 2002
Sandra Osborne, MP for Ayr, has been appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell.
Mrs Osborne was elected as Member of Parliament for Ayr in May 1997.
Born and brought up in Renfrewshire, Mrs Osborne was educated at Camphill Secondary School, Paisley. In 1992 she gained a MSc from Strathcylde University in Equality and Discrimination.
She was a paid Women’s Aid Councellor in Kilmarnock from 1983 until being elected to Parliament in 1997, and has served as Chairperson for Scottish Women’s Aid.
Mrs Osborne served as a Councillor on Kyle and Carrick District Council and South Ayrshire Council for six years before becoming an MP. She was also convenor of the Community Services Committee.
Until her appointment as PPS, Mrs Osborne was a member of the House of Commons Select Committee on Scottish Affairs. Mrs Osborne served as PPS to two former Ministers of State at the Scotland Office - Brian Wilson MP from November 1999 to January 2001, and George Foulkes MP until May 2002.
She is married with 2 children. Her special interests include women’s rights and in particular the problem of violence against women. Her recreational interests include reading, walking and spending time with her family.