Christine Chapman

Christine Chapman (born 7 April 1956) is a Welsh Labour Co-operative politician who was a Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Cynon Valley from 1999 to 2016.

Chapman has not held senior government posts and has been described in the Assembly Handbook as "one of the quietest women AMs ... [whose] effectiveness lies in her quiet willingness to discuss".

Early life and career Christine Price She was educated at Porth County School for Girls in Rhondda. She later studied part-time at South Bank Polytechnic, where she obtained a diploma in careers guidance, the University of Wales, Cardiff, where she obtained a master of science in economics, and also the University of Wales, Swansea, where she obtained a postgraduate certificate in education. From 1979 to 1980, she was a supervisor at the Mid Glamorgan Community Services Agency. From 1980, she worked as a supervisor at the Mid Glamorgan Careers Service, where she remained until 1993. She was seconded to the Mid Glamorgan Education Business Partnership from 1993 to 1994 before working as a consultant and secondary school teacher from 1995 to 1996. From 1996 to 1999, she was a co-ordinator at the Torfaen Education Business Partnership. She also became the director of Mid Glamorgan Careers Ltd following the completion of her postgraduate studies. From 1992 to 1994, she was the political education officer of the Cynon Valley Labour Party. At the same time, she was also elected to serve on Ynysybwyl Community Council. On her selection, she said her priorities if elected to the assembly would be to improve local communities by addressing the causes of deprivation and poverty, which she said had been "fostered" by the 18 years of UK governance under the Conservative Party from 1979 to 1997.

At the assembly election in May 1999, Chapman was elected as the new assembly member (AM) for Cynon Valley with 9,883 votes, a majority of 677 over the second-place candidate, Phil Richards of Plaid Cymru. She was re-elected in the 2003 assembly election with 10,841 votes, on an increased majority of 7,117 over Plaid's candidate David Walters. She was re-elected again in the 2007 assembly election with 11,058 votes, this time on a decreased majority of 5,623 over Plaid Cymru candidate Liz Walters, and again in the 2011 assembly election with 11,626 votes, this time on an increased majority of 6,515 over the Plaid Cymru candidate Dafydd Trystan Davies.

In the National Assembly for Wales, Chapman took an interest in the policy areas of education, training, social exclusion and equal opportunities. In its first term, she was a member of the Audit Committee, the Equality of Opportunity Committee, and the Post-16 Education and Training Committee. From 2000 to 2004, she chaired the Objective One Programme Monitoring Committee, She supported the "Children Are Unbeatable Alliance" which seeks prohibit all corporal or physical punishment of children.

Chapman stood down in 2016 and was succeeded at the 2016 Welsh Assembly elections by Vikki Howells.

She is a committee member for Women's Archive Wales.

Personal life Chapman married her husband Michael Chapman, a general practitioner, on 5 September 1981. They have two children, a son named Stephen and a daughter named Rhiannon.

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