In January, The Speaker's Conference, which Anne Vice-Chaired, published its final report into ways of encouraging and enabling a wider diversity of people to become MPs. The report can be accessed here.

Commenting on the publication of the report, Anne said: "The case for equality of representation has not yet been won.  We welcome the progress which each of the main parties has made over recent years towards ensuring that its selection procedures are more professional and objective then they have been in the past. Yet the fact is that, in most cases, it remains more difficult for a candidate who does not fit the "white, make middle-class" norm to be selected, particularly if the seat is considered winnable.

"Our recommendations are aimed at putting that right, and I urge government, political parties and Parliament itself to implement them without delay."

Anne added: "A diverse workforce for Parliament is not an aspiration but an imperative. It is essential to the House's credibility that the participation of Members who have young families and/or other caring responsibilities is maintained and supported. This must be kept in mind by all who are engaged in the current process of Commons reform."

Recommendations to encourage a wider diversity of candidates include:

• There should be a formal code of conduct for campaigning, to make clear it is unacceptable to seek to undermine a candidate by reference to his or her family life, racial background, sexual orientation, health status or disability.
• Parties should place a ceiling upon the expenses which candidates can incur during any single selection process.
• Bursaries should be available to individuals who would otherwise not be able to afford the costs of a candidacy
• All political parties should appoint national and/or regional community champions for women and people from BME and LGBT communities and disabled people.
• The Government should legislate to give approved prospective parliamentary candidates the opportunity for unpaid leave from work.

More widely the Conference recommends that:

• A description of the main functions of a MP should be drawn up.
• Opportunities such as working for a political party or MP be made more accessible to a wider range of people.
• Political parties provide a breakdown of the diversity of their Parliamentary party members.
• More is done to encourage citizenship education in schools.