Hazel was born and brought up in Salford. She was
educated at Wardley Grammar School in Swinton and Eccles Sixth Form
College.
Hazel studied law at Nottingham Trent University and
Chester College of Law. She had a dual career as a senior
solicitor and a North West Councillor and she was Chair of the
Salford Community Health Council from 1992 to 1996.
She was elected Member of Parliament for Salford in
1997.
Hazel was PPS for Alan Milburn when he was Minister of
State at the Health Dept in 1998 and when he was Chief Secretary to
the Treasury between Jan and Oct 1999.
Hazel was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
for Health in June 2001, and promoted within the Department of
Health to the role of Minister for Public Health, in May 2002.
In June 2003 she moved to the Home Office, promoted to
Minister of State and she had responsibility for crime
reduction, policing, community safety and counter-terrorism.
In May 2006, Hazel was appointed Chair of the Labour Party
and Minister without Portfolio at the Cabinet Office.
In June 2007, she was appointed Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government, a position she held until June
2009.
During the 1997-2001 Parliament, Hazel was Vice President
of the Local Government Association, Vice Chair of the Home Affairs
Select Committee, Party Development Co-ordinator and a member of
the Health and Culture Media and Sport backbench committees.
Hazel has chaired the North West Group of Labour MPs and
she remains involved in what is the largest Political Group in
Parliament.
Hazel has played an active role in a number of All-Party
Parliamentary Groups, including the Rugby League Group.
(She is a keen supporter of the Salford Reds!)
Hazel was Secretary to the Community Health Councils, Chair
of the Motor Cycling Group and a member of others including:
Sustainable Energy, Homelessness and Housing Needs, Public Health
and Primary Care.
Hazel is a member of TGWU, Usdaw and Co-operative
Action. She is a former member of the Labour Party's
National Policy Forum. She was appointed to the National
Executive Committee of the Labour Party in October 2003.
Hazel is the author of the following publications:
The Politics of Decency (Mutuo 2004)
Communities in Control (Fabian Society 2003)
Making Health Care Mutual (Mutuo 2002)
Hazel is a keen supporter of The Lowry, which displays an
unrivalled collection of Lowry paintings. She also has a
keen interest in the Arts and the role they can play in economic
regeneration.
Hazel's interests outside Parliament include motorcycling,
tap dancing, going to the cinema and theatre, fell walking and
gardening. She is married to Michael Halsall and lives in
Salford.
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