Margaret Hodge elected to chair public accounts committee

Labour's Margaret Hodge has been elected to chair the influential House of Commons committee responsible for oversight of government expenditure. The former children's minister replaces Conservative Edward Leigh on the public accounts committee (PAC) after the committee chairs were determined by election for the first time as part of reforms to reduce parliamentary patronage. The PAC chair is always occupied by a senior MP from the opposition party, and Hodge fought off challenges from Labour colleagues Michael Meacher, Iain Wright, Hugh Bayley and Brian Donohoe to claim one of the most high-profile backbench jobs in the Commons. Hodge beat Bayley by just six votes in the fifth round of voting. The Barking and Dagenham MP, who faced down the threat of the BNP in her constituency at last month's general election, had promised a "postmortem" of Labour's spending record while in government if elected. The Conservative Andrew Tyrie was elected chair of the Treasury committee, beating fellow Conservative Michael Fallon, who held the post in the last parliament. Other winners included Conservative Stephen Dorrell, a former health secretary, who beat fellow Tory Nadine Dorries, a former nurse, to head up the health committee. Richard Ottaway, recently defeated in a bid to chair the Tory backbench 1922 committee, takes charge of foreign affairs committee. Labour's Keith Vaz and the Conservatives' James Arbuthnot retained their positions as chairs of the home affairs committee and the defence committee respectively. The race to be communities chair was closely fought between two Labour MPs with Clive Betts beating Nick Raynsford, a former local government minister, by just three votes. Apart from Hodge, three other women were elected as chairs: Anne McIntosh (environment, food and rural affairs), Anne Begg (work and pensions) and Louise Ellman (transport). In all 24 chairs were elected, although for eight of the positions there was only one candidate standing. The results of the elections were announced by the Speaker, John Bercow, in a statement to the House of Commons. Select committees have the power to grill ministers and officials in extended evidence sessions and draw up detailed reports which help shape the political agenda. Chairs receive a pay supplement of nearly £15,000. Elected chairs Business, innovation and skills: Adrian Bailey Children, schools and families (education): Graham Stewart Communities and local government: Clive Betts Defence: James Arbuthnot Energy and climate change: Tim Yeo Environment, food and rural affairs: Anne McIntosh Environmental audit: Joan Walley Foreign affairs: Richard Ottaway Health: Stephen Dorrell Home affairs: Keith Vaz Political and constitutional reform: Graham Allen Public accounts: Margaret Hodge Public administration: Bernard Jenkin Science and technology: Andrew Miller Treasury: Andrew Tyrie Work and pensions: Anne Begg Chairs elected unopposed Culture, media and sport: John Whittingdale International development: Malcolm Bruce Justice: Sir Alan Beith Northern Ireland: Laurence Robertson Procedure: Greg Knight Scottish affairs: Ian Davidson Transport: Louise Ellman Welsh affairs: David T. C. Davies