MPs have shared their praise and admiration for a former women’s rights advocate and Conservative peer.

Baroness Doreen Miller of Hendon, who was appointed to the House of Lords in 1993, died on Saturday.

The mother-of-three founded an international mail order and marketing company before moving into politics as a Conservative.

She served as a government whip from 1994 to 1997, and held numerous portfolios including education and skills, employment, environment and transport.

Baroness Miller was also an active women’s rights campaigner and served as executive director of The 300 Group, an all-party group aimed at getting more women into Parliament, and as a campaign and human rights advisor to international women’s organisation Soroptimist International.

In 1989, she was made an MBE for her contribution to promoting the advancement of women in public and political life.

Paying tribute to Baroness Miller, Hendon MP Matthew Offord, said: “I worked closely with Doreen when I was employed at the Local Government Association. She was part of the education opposition front bench in the Lords and spoke a lot of common sense.

“She was always motivated, hard working and passionate about helping others. Doreen was always pleasant to be around and I was pleased when she arrived at a lunch I spoke at last year.

“She will be a great loss for our area in the House of Lords and I am saddened to have lost a decent friend, colleague and namesake of Hendon.”

Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, said she was "very sad" to hear of Baroness Miller's passing and said without her, she might never have been elected.

Ms Villiers said: "Doreen worked tirelessly for the Conservative Party in London for so many years as well as supporting many other good causes. She was a hugely influential figure in Barnet and London politics, providing outstanding leadership for the Conservatives over many years. She will be much missed.

"Doreen was also highly effective in encouraging women to get involved in politics and supporting their careers. I always received wise advice and brilliant support from her.

"Without her help and encouragement, I doubt I would ever have been elected as an MEP or MP. Doreen chaired the MEP selection meeting which gave me my first lucky break in politics in 1998 and she did so with great common sense and fairness. I owe her a huge debt of gratitude.

"I wish her family my sincerest sympathy and condolences at this very difficult time."

And the MP for Finchley and Golders Green, Mike Freer, said Parliament will be "worse off" without Baroness Miller's contribution.

Paying tribute, he said: “Doreen was a stalwart, a doughty parliamentarian who never lost sight of the local issues that brought her into Parliament. She was respected and valued as a colleague and Parliament is worse off without her.”