Newcastle upon Tyne Central & West / data
Dame Chi Onwurah · Labour Party · sitting since 06 May 2010 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
5832days
from 06 May 2010
Divisions
375
of 504 possible
Attendance
74%
129 absent / paired
Whip alignment
97%
vs party majority
Speeches
223
86 debates
Written Qs
368
353 answered
Committees
3
1 chair
Expenses
£308k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 236 claims
Interests
14
4 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | 54 | |
| Taxation | 51 | |
| Crime & Policing | 43 | |
| Employment | 42 | |
| Education | 35 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 27 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 23 | |
| Schools | 21 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Jobs | 42 | 11,622 |
| Defence | 26 | 9,281 |
| Culture Community | 12 | 7,332 |
| Other | 10 | 6,311 |
| Health | 11 | 6,250 |
| Technology | 23 | 5,419 |
| Education | 6 | 2,438 |
| Crime | 8 | 2,411 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 77Vote on an amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that would prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under th… | Free vote | No |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Third ReadingMPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dyin… | Free vote | No |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Government Procurement StrategyI applaud the Government’s move to use the £400 billion of public procurement—almost one eighth of British GDP—in the interests of the British people and the British economy. The S… Economy JobsTechnologyDefence | 123 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Neuroscience and Digital ChildhoodsI pay tribute to the hon. Member for his work on the Committee. It is always incisive and rooted in a desire to get the evidence. I agree with him. I understand the big tech compan… TechnologyHealthEducation | 145 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Modernisation Committee Report: Access to the House of Commons On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. On Tuesday evening, in the midst of a succession of votes, the technology supporting the world’s oldest continuous Parliament failed. I t… Mp PerformanceCulture Community | 146 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Neuroscience and Digital ChildhoodsI thank my hon. Friend for her question and for her contribution to the Committee, which is always rooted in and driven by her profound understanding both of biological and chemica… TechnologyHealthEducation | 295 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Neuroscience and Digital ChildhoodsI thank the hon. Member for his question, as well as his valuable work and concerns in this area. I echo his concerns about mental wellbeing and eating disorders. The Committee hea… TechnologyHealthEducation | 148 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Neuroscience and Digital ChildhoodsI thank the hon. Member for her question and her contribution to the Committee, which is always driven by a desire to ensure that technology works for people in this country. Her q… TechnologyHealthEducation | 146 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Neuroscience and Digital ChildhoodsIt is a great pleasure to serve under your chairship for the very first time, Ms Butler. As you know very well, digital technology is no longer simply a tool or a luxury plaything;… TechnologyHealthEducation | 1,006 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Crime and Policing BillThe Science, Innovation and Technology Committee has heard extensive and at times horrific evidence of the harms that AI chatbots can do, such as encouragement to suicide. I welcom… CrimeTechnologyCulture Community | 138 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Homelessness Among WomenI thank the Minister for that response and welcome the increased investment in tackling homelessness in Newcastle, which is transforming lives. Homeless women are both more vulnera… HousingSocial Care | 99 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Homelessness Among Women3. What steps his Department is taking to help reduce levels of homelessness among women in the Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West constituency. HousingSocial Care | 24 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Middle EastFresh from a weekend knocking on doors, I can confirm to the Prime Minister that on the streets of my constituency there is no appetite for further involvement in this war. There a… DefenceEnergyCost Of Living | 120 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK PoliticsIn his excellent report, Sir Philip Rycroft specifically references the amplification of divisive content on social media. Yesterday my Committee heard from TikTok, Meta and X how … Fiscal PolicyDefenceTechnology | 130 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Liaison Committee (Commons) — Oral Evidence (HC 530)I was very impressed by that, but I am not sure that further US investment in the UK actually drives UK technology capability. I want to come to how we support new technology inves… | 134 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Liaison Committee (Commons) — Oral Evidence (HC 530)You are choosing to support AI through the growth zones. In terms of quantum, you have chosen quantum computing to focus on. I am not clear how you are making those choices. How do… | 48 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Liaison Committee (Commons) — Oral Evidence (HC 530)Just how are we making those decisions? When you say “move at pace”, do you have a strategy for identifying the sovereign capabilities that have been talked about specifically in t… | 31 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 121 | 32.9% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 34 | 9.2% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 33 | 9.0% |
| Home Office | 24 | 6.5% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 24 | 6.5% |
| Department for Transport | 24 | 6.5% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 22 | 6.0% |
| Treasury | 20 | 5.4% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of General Practices are signed up to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD); and what steps his Department is taking to help address (a) technical and (b) co… | Pending |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to WPQ 126560, whether Nscale will still be investing in the North East AI growth zone. | Pending |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of patients in England have exercised their right to opt out of sharing their data for research purposes via the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). | Pending |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the potential merits of proposals in the ABPI report published in March 2026. | Pending |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how combined authorities are being supported to develop world-class industrial clusters as part of local growth plans. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the 2026–27 police funding settlement in enabling Northumbria Police to bring officer numbers remain back to pre-2010 levels; and how man… | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that national economic policy does not disproportionately impact the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor over regions with industrial, technology and energy capacity su… | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to encourage (a) UK and (b) international technology firms to invest in AI and digital innovation clusters in the North East of Englan… | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle content advising individuals to misrepresent health conditions for financial gain though the benefits system. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the electricity demand of large-scale data centres, in (1) the UK and (2) those located in the North East; and what plans exist to ensure adequat… | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that new offshore wind developments deliver long-term skilled jobs and supply-chain opportunities for communities in the North East. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how Green Book appraisal criteria are used to assess investments in energy infrastructure in regions with high industrial and renewable potential, including the North East. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support is being provided to regional creative-industry organisations in the North East, including writing and publishing bodies, as part of the Government’s Creative Industri… | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the total untapped offshore wind generating capacity in the North Sea; and what proportion of that capacity could be brought forward th… | Answered |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of industrial electricity prices on inward investment in AI data centres since OpenAI’s decision to pause… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liaison Committee (Commons)Select | Member | Commons | 04 Dec 2024 | present |
| Science, Innovation and Technology CommitteeSelect | Chair | Commons | 11 Sept 2024 | present |
| Science, Innovation and Technology CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 11 Sept 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 200 | 25,282 | 8.2% |
| Accommodation | 15 | 20,486 | 6.6% |
| Staffing | 1 | 239,632 | 77.8% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 10,661 | 3.5% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 8,688 | 2.8% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 3,391 | 1.1% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 58 | 2,737 |
| Utilities | Accommodation | 13 | 2,527 |
| Training - staff | Office Costs | 2 | 2,336 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 6 | 2,078 |
| Bought-in services | Staffing | 1 | 2,037 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 1,783 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 14 | 1,658 |
| Website hosting and design | Office Costs | 1 | 1,535 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 43 | 1,287 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 6 | 1,101 |
| Newspapers, journals, magazines | Office Costs | 31 | 746 |
| Cleaning services | Office Costs | 14 | 738 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 2025 | Accommodation MP Budget Overspend | 2024/25 ACC overspend | 0 | Repaid |
| 23 Apr 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Water | 153 | Paid |
| 23 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | ELECTED TECHNOLOGIES [200011781-307] | 34 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 223 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 223 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 223 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 164 | Paid |
| 07 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Parking | [200011782-92] | 3 | Paid |
| 03 Apr 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Dual Fuel | 231 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | Office Cleaning March 2025 [***] [200011782-58] | 50 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | WH SMITH NEWCASTLE NOR [200011725-8383] | 5 | Paid |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | LEBARA MOBILE LIMITED [200011725-8065] | 1 | Paid |
| 18 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | SHRED-IT LIMITED [200011725-9202] | 110 | Paid |
| 11 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | BUFFER PLAN [200011725-4675] [200011781-189] | 13 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | VODAFONE LTD [200011725-3065] | 174 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 99 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | VODAFONE VESTA TOPUP [200011725-2686] | 15 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | NEW STATESMAN LTD. [200011725-2002] | 10 | Paid |
| 01 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | TELEGRAPH SUBSCRIPTION | 25 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | Constituency Office Cleaning Feb 2025 [***] | 50 | 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.
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources6 entries
20 Jan 2026
Name of donor: Newcastle Eagles Basketball Ltd
Address of donor: Vertu Motors Arena, Scotswood Road, Newcastle NE4 7AF
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Tickets and hospitality to watch a Newcastle Eagles Basketball game. Attended by Chi her partner, her partner's son and his partner, value £336
Date received: 9 January 2026 to 9 January 2026
Date accepted: 9 January 2026
Donor status: company, registration 03041174
(Registered 13 January 2026)
02 Dec 2025
Name of donor: Cristina Caffarra
Address of donor: private
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Dinner - for speakers attending The Perfect Storm Conference in Brussels - meal was held at The Sky Avenue Louise 480, 1000 Brussels £406 aprox including VAT, value £406
Date received: 30 January 2025
Date accepted: 30 January 2025
Donor status: individual
(Registered 21 March 2025)
This is a late entry to which the rectification procedure was applied on 1 December 2025. Paragraph 51 of the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct refers.
20 Jan 2026
Name of donor: Newcastle College
Address of donor: Rye Hill Campus, Scotswood Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7SA
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: A suit made by a student to be worn for my Damehood ceremony, value £500
Date received: 8 December 2025 to 13 January 2026
Date accepted: 8 December 2025
Donor status: other (Further Education College)
(Registered 13 January 2026)
18 Nov 2025
Name of donor: Cristina Caffarra
Address of donor: private
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Speaker's dinner at a conference in Brussels (value is approximate), value £169
Date received: 30 January 2025
Date accepted: 30 January 2025
Donor status: individual
(Registered 11 November 2025)
This is a late entry to which the rectification procedure was applied on 1 December 2025. Paragraph 51 of the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct refers.
18 Nov 2025
Name of donor: Newcastle City Council
Address of donor: Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Ticket and hospitality for the Mercury Prize held in Newcastle (exact cost provided), value £275
Date received: 16 October 2025 to 16 October 2025
Date accepted: 16 October 2025
Donor status: other (Newcastle City Council)
(Registered 7 November 2025)
17 Jun 2025
Name of donor: Newcastle United Limited
Address of donor: St James' Park, Newcatle upon Tyne NE1 4ST
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Invitation for me and a staff member to attend Sam Fender Concert at St James' Park, ticket included hospitality (£250 per person), value £500
Date received: 12 June 2025
Date accepted: 12 June 2025
Donor status: company, registration 2529667
(Registered 8 July 2025)
4. Visits outside the UK2 entries
20 Jan 2026
Name of donor: Wilton Park
Address of donor: Wilton Park, Wiston House Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3DZ
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights (£3971.21)- Chi Onwurah only Hotel accommodation and hospitality (£520)-Chi Onwurah and partner, value £4,491.21
Destination of visit: South Korea (Seoul)
Dates of visit: 13 December 2025 to 17 December 2025
Purpose of visit: ROK-UK Forum in capacity as Chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
(Registered 8 January 2026)
18 Nov 2025
Name of donor: Armed Forces Parliamentary Trust
Address of donor: Parliament
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights London-Brunei, value £799.82
Destination of visit: Brunei
Dates of visit: 25 May 2025 to 30 May 2025
Purpose of visit: Experience the work of the British Army stationed in the Brunei
(Registered 7 November 2025)
This is a late entry to which the rectification procedure was applied on 1 December 2025. Paragraph 51 of the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct refers.
6. Land and property portfolio with a value over £100,000 and where indicated, the portfolio provides a rental income of over £10,000 a year2 entries
18 Apr 2024
Type of land/property: Residential property (holiday apartment)
Number of properties: 1
Location: Unspecified, Portugal
Interest held: from 2 September 2016
(Registered 7 November 2016)
18 Apr 2024
Type of land/property: Residential property (house)
Number of properties: 1
Location: Northumberland
Interest held: from 2 September 2016
(Registered 2 November 2016)
8. Miscellaneous4 entries
18 Apr 2024
Chartered engineer (non-practising).
18 Apr 2024
Member of the Board of the Hamilton Commission, a standalone piece of research in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, that will work to improve the representation of black people in UK motorsport.
Date interest arose: 4 August 2020
(Registered 23 November 2020)
18 Apr 2024
Director of the Foundation for Science & Technology.
Date interest arose: 6 July 2016
(Registered 12 August 2016)
18 Apr 2024
Honorary Vice President of ACTSA (Action for South Africa).
Date interest arose: 15 December 2015
(Registered 17 December 2015)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 10 wards, 10 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthurs Hill | Stephen Powers | Labour Party | 819 | 02 May 2024 |
| Benwell Scotswood | Rob Higgins | Labour Party | 1,659 | 02 May 2024 |
| Blakelaw | Marion Williams | Labour Party | 1,215 | 02 May 2024 |
| Chapel | Lawrence Hunter | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 2,401 | 02 May 2024 |
| Denton Westerhope | Tracey Ann Mitchell | Newcastle Independents | 1,232 | 02 May 2024 |
| Elswick | Khaled Musharraf | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,190 | 02 May 2024 |
| Lemington | Stephen John Barry-Stanners | Labour Party | 1,018 | 02 May 2024 |
| Monument | Nabeela Ali | Labour Party | 804 | 02 May 2024 |
| West Fenham | Mark Mitchell | Liberal Democrats | 1,250 | 02 May 2024 |
| Wingrove | Irim Ali | Labour Party | 1,211 | 02 May 2024 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 124,370 | Electorate 76,822 (2024) |
| Median age | 34 | years |
| Degree-educated | 28.1% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 72.4% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 46.5% | households |
| Private-rented | 22.6% | households |
| Social-rented | 30.6% | households |
| Employment rate | 47.8% | 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.