Bishop Auckland / data
Sam Rushworth · Labour Party · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
659days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
366
of 504 possible
Attendance
73%
138 absent / paired
Whip alignment
96%
vs party majority
Speeches
439
95 debates
Written Qs
14
14 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£212k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 195 claims
Interests
3
2 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 79 | |
| Economy | 65 | |
| Employment | 38 | |
| Crime & Policing | 33 | |
| Education | 31 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 24 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 24 | |
| Energy | 21 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Jobs | 34 | 17,272 |
| Local Government | 20 | 7,242 |
| Education | 11 | 5,954 |
| Cost Of Living | 16 | 5,842 |
| Health | 14 | 5,138 |
| Defence | 14 | 4,730 |
| Culture Community | 13 | 4,707 |
| Social Care | 9 | 3,519 |
B · Notable divisions
Free votes, rebellions and high-salience whipped votes — the moments that distinguish this MP from the party machine. The full division-by-division record will follow once the per-MP archive is wired.
| Date | Division | Whip | MP voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 2025 | Crime and Policing Bill Report Stage: New Clause 1Vote on a package of government new clauses to the Crime and Policing Bill at Report Stage, covering measures including: criminalising organ… | Rebelled | No |
| 17 Jun 2025 | Crime and Policing Bill Report Stage: New Clause 106Vote on New Clause 106, which sought to require women to have an in-person medical consultation before receiving abortion medication, as a s… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 94Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily st… | Free vote | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Fifth sitting)The hon. Gentleman has quoted the official figures, but we heard from election volunteers that they believe that the official figures are not accurate, because that is only the peo… Local GovernmentOther | 56 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Fifth sitting)I understand the hon. Member’s point about the 0.08%, but does he accept the evidence that we heard about that figure most certainly being at the lower end? There are people who do… Local GovernmentOther | 184 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Fifth sitting)In one of our evidence sessions, we heard clearly from a KC who said there were almost no examples of personation prior to the introduction of mandatory ID. We also heard, quite al… Local GovernmentOther | 80 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Fifth sitting)The hon. Gentleman cited the example of his constituency, but I have looked at the data, and there have been only three convictions in a six-year period in all elections. Now, that… Local GovernmentOther | 95 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Public Baths and LidosI just want to extend the Minister’s invitation list: I invite him to see the lido that we want to reopen at Stanhope and to come to Crook, where the public baths closed 10 years a… HealthCulture CommunityLocal Government | 102 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Public Baths and LidosI want to thank my hon. Friend for his speech that he is making and for bringing this matter to the Chamber. I am greatly enthused by what he has achieved because every time I visi… HealthCulture CommunityLocal Government | 144 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)I feel that, particularly in the previous intervention, the Opposition are still tying themselves up in knots around the idea that the transition from childhood to adulthood has to… EducationLocal GovernmentOther | 146 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)I smile at the idea that it is convenient for us to pass the law; it is never convenient to pass a law. The hon. Gentleman has set out a number of ages at which people can do diffe… EducationLocal GovernmentOther | 129 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Fourth sitting)I am not trying to trip the hon. Gentleman up; I am just genuinely curious to understand this. Is his contention that having mandatory automatic enrolment will increase the number … Local GovernmentTechnologyOther | 83 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)I am happy to share my personal view on that point with the hon. Member. As was mentioned a moment ago, growing up is not a moment that happens between one night and the next. It i… EducationLocal GovernmentOther | 97 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)Is the hon. Gentleman suggesting that everything should happen at exactly the same age? For example, people have to be 21 to adopt or pilot a plane. Is he suggesting that we should… EducationLocal GovernmentOther | 68 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Third sitting)Every political party has equal opportunity to appeal to every voter. Why does the hon. Gentleman feel that Labour party politics is more attractive to younger voters? EducationLocal GovernmentOther | 27 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (First sitting)Q I want to go back and get your views on the use of bank cards. You have talked about the 16,000 people who showed up to vote but were unable to, and no one has ever canvassed wit… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentOther | 202 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (First sitting)Q One of the key arguments for lowering the voting age to 16 and allowing English 16 and 17-year-olds to have the same voting rights as their Scottish counterparts is that it incre… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentOther | 48 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Representation of the People Bill (Second sitting)Q What I am hearing in both of your answers is very little impact from personation, but a very high impact from people who want to vote not being able to. Richard Mawrey: Yes, that… Other | 61 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Defence | 4 | 28.6% |
| Treasury | 2 | 14.3% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 2 | 14.3% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 2 | 14.3% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 1 | 7.1% |
| Department for Education | 1 | 7.1% |
| Department for Transport | 1 | 7.1% |
| Northern Ireland Office | 1 | 7.1% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 2026 | Northern Ireland Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Defence Industrial Strategy 2025 on Northern Ireland. | Answered |
| 23 Feb 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of payments were made through the Child Maintenance Service collect and pay system in each of the last three years. | Answered |
| 23 Feb 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many paying parents were newly recorded as being in arrears by the Child Maintenance Service in each of the last 24 months. | Answered |
| 15 Jan 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Unitaid; and what steps she is taking to fulfil funding commitments to Unitaid. | Answered |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the interest accruing on the frozen £2.5 billion proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club is subject to UK taxation. | Answered |
| 17 Nov 2025 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the interest accrued on the frozen £2.5 billion proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club is intended to benefit the proposed foundation to suppo… | Answered |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Ministry of Defence | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of locating at least one of the proposed alw… | Answered |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Ministry of Defence | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Durham County Council, (b) the North East Mayor and (c) ind… | Answered |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Ministry of Defence | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 6 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, published on 2 June 2025, when he plans to announce the locations of the six new always-on munitions factories; and if he will publish… | Answered |
| 30 Oct 2025 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure schools provide mandatory (a) CPR training and (b) defibrillator use; and what systems are in place to monitor implementation across schools. | Answered |
| 29 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she has made with Cabinet colleagues on implementing the Pride in Place programme. | Answered |
| 15 Sept 2025 | Ministry of Defence | To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Norway’s decision to purchase Type 26 frigates from BAE Systems on levels of supply chain opportunities for businesses in the Nort… | Answered |
| 08 May 2025 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps UK Research and Innovation is taking to help increase technological capabilities in battery cell production. | Answered |
| 30 Aug 2024 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the decision was taken not to grant Restore Your Railway funding to the Weardale Line; and for what reason that decision was taken. | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Development CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 21 Oct 2024 | present |
F · Expenses
Every business-cost claim reimbursed by IPSA in the current financial year, grouped by category. “Aggregated” rows are IPSA’s own year-end totals for cost types like payroll and rent that aren’t itemised claim-by-claim.
Category breakdown
| Category | Claims | Paid (£) | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 11 | 28,061 | 13.2% |
| Office Costs | 163 | 23,596 | 11.1% |
| Staffing | 3 | 149,077 | 70.3% |
| Miscellaneous | 1 | 175 | 0.1% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 1,098 | 0.5% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 4,053 | 1.9% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 6,110 | 2.9% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Accommodation | 9 | 26,371 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 54 | 7,767 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 15 | 5,667 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 64 | 4,710 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 3,000 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 3 | 2,058 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 2 | 1,690 |
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 3 | 1,322 |
| Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Office Costs | 1 | 999 |
| Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Office Costs | 18 | 838 |
| Training - staff | Staffing | 2 | 500 |
| Removals | Miscellaneous | 1 | 175 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 334 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 205 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 167 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 167 | Paid |
| 01 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Rent | Rent | 985 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -829 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -985 | Paid |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 59 | Paid |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | AMAZON [***] [200011725-7847] | 9 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 203 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Office furniture | 180 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 144 | Paid |
G · Register of interests
Every financial interest declared by the MP, grouped under the Register’s official categories. Retracted entries are hidden but counted above.
7. (i) Shareholdings: over 15% of issued share capital2 entries
16 Aug 2024
Name of company or organisation: Our World Research and Consultancy Ltd
(Registered 1 August 2024)
16 Aug 2024
Name of company or organisation: African Dreams Ltd
(Registered 1 August 2024)
8. Miscellaneous1 entry
16 Aug 2024
Trustee of Bishop Auckland Community Partnership (Four Clocks Centre). This is an unpaid role.
(Registered 30 July 2024)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 11 wards, 21 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnard Castle East | George Morland Richardson | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,689 | 06 May 2021 |
| Barnard Castle East | James Michael Rowlandson | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,619 | 06 May 2021 |
| Barnard Castle West | Richard Andrew Bell | Conservative and Unionist Party | 2,123 | 06 May 2021 |
| Barnard Castle West | Ted Henderson | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,764 | 06 May 2021 |
| Bishop Auckland Town | Andrew Jackson | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,323 | 06 May 2021 |
| Bishop Auckland Town | Sam Zair | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,149 | 06 May 2021 |
| Coundon | Charlie Kay | Labour Party | 512 | 06 May 2021 |
| Crook | Anne Reed | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,259 | 06 May 2021 |
| Crook | James Michael Currah | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,323 | 06 May 2021 |
| Crook | Patricia Ann Jopling | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,317 | 06 May 2021 |
| Evenwood | James Langford Cosslett | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,316 | 06 May 2021 |
| Evenwood | Robert Potts | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,019 | 06 May 2021 |
| Shildon Dene Valley | Matt Johnson | Labour Party | 1,001 | 06 May 2021 |
| Shildon Dene Valley | Samantha Townsend | Labour Party | 1,103 | 06 May 2021 |
| Shildon Dene Valley | Shirley Quinn | Labour Party | 1,159 | 06 May 2021 |
| Tow Law | Richard Manchester | Labour Party | 583 | 06 May 2021 |
| Weardale | John Shuttleworth | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,627 | 06 May 2021 |
| Weardale | Mary Anita Savory | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,394 | 06 May 2021 |
| West Auckland | George Smith | Labour Party | 956 | 14 Apr 2022 |
| Woodhouse Close | Cathy Hunt | Conservative and Unionist Party | 621 | 06 May 2021 |
| Woodhouse Close | Joanne Howey | Conservative and Unionist Party | 645 | 06 May 2021 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 93,622 | Electorate 70,745 (2024) |
| Median age | 47 | years |
| Degree-educated | 26.1% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 98.0% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 64.3% | households |
| Private-rented | 18.8% | households |
| Social-rented | 16.9% | households |
| Employment rate | 51.4% | 16-64 in work |
J · Public spending
HMT publishes headline spending identifiable by region in PESA. Constituency-level capital allocations (Levelling-Up Fund, Towns Fund, UKSPF, transport capital, BEIS R&D) are published as separate departmental datasets. We are evaluating the cleanest reconciliation for a per-constituency view.