Caroline Flint, Member of Parliament for Don Valley since 1997, lives near her constituency, in Sprotbrough village, with her husband Phil Cole.  They have three children, now adults.

In July, their dog, Joey, an RSPCA rescue dog, died. Said Caroline: "Getting Joey was one of the best decisions we ever made."  To find out more about adopting a rescue pet, contact the RSPCA.

Parliamentary Career:

On 7 October 2011, Caroline was promoted to the post of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change, in Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet.

Former Posts

In October 2010, Caroline was elected to Labour's Shadow Cabinet and was subsequently apppointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by Labour Leader Ed Miliband.

Having served as the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from October 2008, Caroline left the Government on 5 June 2009.

From January - October 2008, Caroline Flint was appointed to the post of Minister for Housing. As Housing Minister, Caroline's achievements included: a £1billion housing package, new shared ownership and shared equity schemes to help first time buyers and a mortgage rescue scheme. She also shortlisted 15 locations for future eco-towns - the future of low carbon living in Britain.

Between June 2007 and January 2008 Caroline was Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform. Her ministerial responsibilities included the labour market, welfare to work and child poverty. Caroline was also Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber between June 2007 and January 2008.

From 2005-2007 Caroline was Minister for Public Health, first as Parliamentary Under Secretary and then as Minister of State.

Her first Ministerial appointment, in 2003, was as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, before being moved to the Department of Health in 2005.

Previous House of Commons Committees:
Education & Employment Committee (1997-9)
Administration Committee (2002-3)
Modernisation Committee (2002-3)

All Party Groups
Member, All Party Parliamentary Childcare Group (Founded this Group, Chair 1998-03)
Member, All Party Coalfield Communities Group
Member, Trade Union Group
Member, GMB Group

Police Federation
Between January and October 1999, she was the Labour Parliamentary Adviser to the Police Federation. (Each of the major parties appoints one adviser)

Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme
In 2003, she joined the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, committing 29 days of work with the army. As part of the scheme, she visited Iraq in June 2003, to see the security and reconstruction work of HM Forces.