Baroness Keeley Portrait

Baroness Keeley

Labour - Worsley and Eccles South

Joined House of Lords: 13th August 2024

Barbara Keeley was elected as an MP between 2005 and 2024. She served as Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons between 2009 and 2010 and as Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport) between 2022 and 2024.


Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Mar 2022 - 30th May 2024
Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art
20th May 2020 - 30th May 2024
Health and Social Care Committee
11th May 2020 - 4th Jul 2022
Online Safety Bill
18th May 2022 - 28th Jun 2022
Shadow Minister (Mental Health and Social Care)
9th Jan 2018 - 6th Apr 2020
Shadow Minister (Mental Health and Social Care)
7th Oct 2016 - 9th Jan 2018
Shadow Minister (Health)
18th Sep 2015 - 28th Jun 2016
Shadow Minister (Treasury)
8th May 2015 - 18th Sep 2015
Health and Social Care Committee
24th Oct 2011 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government)
8th Oct 2010 - 7th Oct 2011
Shadow Minister (Health)
12th May 2010 - 8th Oct 2010
Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
12th May 2010 - 8th Oct 2010
Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy Leader of the House of Commons
9th Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Finance and Services Committee
23rd Jan 2006 - 6th May 2010
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
5th Oct 2008 - 9th Jun 2009
Constitutional Affairs
12th Jul 2005 - 17th Jul 2006


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Keeley has voted in 305 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

19 May 2025 - Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] - View Vote Context
Baroness Keeley voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 18 Labour Aye votes vs 114 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 289 Noes - 118
View All Baroness Keeley Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Twycross (Labour)
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
(17 debate interactions)
Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour)
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
(12 debate interactions)
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Labour)
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(10 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(18 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(11 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(5 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Mental Health Act 2025
(4,351 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Baroness Keeley's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Keeley, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


3 Bills introduced by Baroness Keeley


A Bill to provide that people in receipt of Universal Credit and Housing Benefit and accommodated in the social housing sector be entitled to an additional bedroom related to caring responsibilities or overnight care; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 14th October 2014

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 20th June 2012

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require health bodies and general medical practitioners, and certain other organisations, to identify patients who are carers or who have a carer; to require identified carers to be referred to sources of help and support and to make further provision in relation to such arrangements; to make provision in relation to the responsibilities of local authorities and schools for the needs of young carers and their families; and for connected purposes;

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 14th July 2010

Latest 5 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
15th Oct 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government how many state primary school teachers in each region of England had a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Oct 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of state primary schools had or have at least one teacher on their staff with a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
15th Oct 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government how many state primary school teachers had a degree-level qualification in music, drama, dance or art between 2012 and 2026, broken down by degree subject and by academic year.

Information on the state-funded school workforce in England is published annually in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical release, available on GOV.UK. The release includes published statistics on teachers’ qualifications.

The tables below provide the additional breakdowns requested in these questions for the 2012/13 to 2025/26 academic years, covering the number of teachers, the regional breakdown and the proportion of state-funded primary schools with at least one such teacher. Figures are provided separately for music, drama and art. Qualifications in dance cannot be separately identified in the School Workforce Census qualifications data. Data for the 2026/27 academic year will be collected later this term and published next summer.

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

15,659

15,727

15,915

15,869

15,785

15,356

14,894

14,528

14,304

13,946

13,636

13,174

12,712

12,204

Drama

6,694

7,067

7,454

7,710

7,958

7,904

7,821

7,809

7,814

7,818

7,840

7,567

7,347

7,125

Music

7,551

7,666

7,833

7,868

7,852

7,608

7,380

7,176

7,067

6,927

6,686

6,345

6,033

5,707

Proportion of state primary schools with at least one teacher with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

56.8

56.6

56.9

56.6

56.1

55.4

54.3

53.5

53.2

52.4

51.8

50.6

49.6

48.3

Drama

30.6

31.9

33.0

33.8

34.7

34.8

34.2

34.1

34.1

34.2

34.2

33.5

32.8

32.2

Music

34.9

35.2

35.8

35.9

35.7

34.9

34.0

33.1

32.6

32.1

31.1

29.8

28.8

27.6

Headcount number of state primary school teachers with a degree-level (or higher) qualification in music, drama or art by region between 2012/13 and 2025/26

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

2025/26

Art and Design

East Midlands

1,409

1,400

1,431

1,439

1,399

1,381

1,343

1,313

1,297

1,273

1,268

1,216

1,171

1,137

East of England

1,721

1,756

1,801

1,785

1,783

1,754

1,743

1,699

1,665

1,631

1,608

1,595

1,535

1,476

Inner London

909

971

1,007

1,017

1,037

1,011

950

960

924

869

819

777

730

665

North East

630

619

637

636

619

588

575

575

573

577

550

530

503

479

North West

1,935

1,938

1,985

1,943

1,912

1,869

1,794

1,756

1,736

1,722

1,696

1,664

1,607

1,534

Outer London

1,434

1,499

1,510

1,499

1,489

1,438

1,399

1,338

1,290

1,210

1,182

1,134

1,069

1,054

South East

2,585

2,568

2,568

2,616

2,620

2,543

2,513

2,421

2,420

2,370

2,326

2,257

2,163

2,079

South West

1,686

1,669

1,677

1,682

1,717

1,622

1,579

1,537

1,553

1,501

1,475

1,434

1,386

1,330

West Midlands

1,930

1,918

1,901

1,864

1,847

1,820

1,745

1,695

1,646

1,642

1,586

1,481

1,471

1,414

Yorkshire and The Humber

1,420

1,389

1,398

1,388

1,362

1,330

1,253

1,234

1,200

1,151

1,126

1,086

1,077

1,036

Drama

East Midlands

606

618

665

690

715

716

734

712

733

723

721

696

681

651

East of England

741

781

815

854

879

890

895

915

903

885

895

870

840

825

Inner London

448

519

582

584

612

602

585

567

558

545

538

500

476

429

North East

173

179

197

220

231

223

219

216

221

217

217

210

206

187

North West

803

842

880

918

943

946

935

954

925

953

978

968

927

945

Outer London

762

822

853

862

877

845

818

826

806

799

784

764

728

692

South East

1,278

1,334

1,392

1,469

1,512

1,503

1,467

1,486

1,521

1,511

1,499

1,432

1,392

1,338

South West

696

741

769

786

815

816

814

795

810

838

851

822

794

776

West Midlands

556

575

609

638

659

668

671

666

654

670

683

655

660

651

Yorkshire and The Humber

631

656

692

689

715

695

683

672

683

677

674

650

643

631

Music

East Midlands

664

659

662

669

659

654

650

625

623

615

573

541

513

479

East of England

901

925

948

957

968

936

902

875

857

826

805

746

717

687

Inner London

355

384

419

417

438

416

413

410

385

361

332

329

303

278

North East

259

256

260

255

268

259

260

245

242

241

221

223

209

215

North West

974

986

993

1,008

1,008

951

930

903

895

866

857

821

780

746

Outer London

624

645

680

671

641

624

569

582

578

565

544

505

498

454

South East

1,343

1,344

1,366

1,390

1,400

1,361

1,308

1,275

1,275

1,257

1,225

1,171

1,115

1,065

South West

882

923

930

937

923

901

880

861

854

854

830

787

737

700

West Midlands

777

787

799

788

781

762

744

709

680

688

660

628

602

565

Yorkshire and The Humber

772

757

776

776

766

744

724

691

678

654

639

594

559

518

Source: School Workforce Census

Note: state primary schools includes states nursery schools

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
29th Jun 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the T Level-model for creative subjects; and what consideration they have given to making changes to improve the applicability of T Levels for creative subjects and the creative industries.

Almost all T Level learners (92-93%) who completed their T Level in the first three cohorts were studying and/or working when surveyed after their course, with at least two thirds of students going on to work or study in the same field as their course. The department is expanding T Levels in subject areas including creative, so that more students can benefit from these strong progression opportunities.

We have already announced reforms to the delivery of industry placements, allowing greater scope for providers to determine appropriate delivery methods to facilitate placements for their students, including in creative sector settings.

We will continue to work with employers and providers to understand sector needs and to ensure that the T Level model supports this, ahead of new qualifications being introduced.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
22nd Jun 2026
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the creative talent pipeline of expanding post-16 creative provision within T-levels; and whether the current T-level model is suitable for the nature of creative subjects.

T Levels are demonstrating excellent outcomes. Almost all learners (92-93%) who completed their T Level in the first three cohorts were studying and/or working when surveyed after their course, with at least two thirds of students going on to work or study in the same field as their course. We are expanding T Levels in subject areas including creative, so that more students can benefit from these strong progression opportunities.

We have already announced reforms to the delivery of industry placements, allowing greater scope for providers to determine appropriate delivery methods to facilitate placements for their students, including in creative sector settings.

The department will continue to work with employers and providers to understand sector needs and to ensure that the T Level model supports this, ahead of new qualifications being introduced.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)