Bath / data
Wera Hobhouse · Liberal Democrats · sitting since 08 Jun 2017 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
3243days
from 08 Jun 2017
Divisions
310
of 504 possible
Attendance
62%
194 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
517
172 debates
Written Qs
188
186 answered
Committees
2
memberships
Expenses
£306k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 155 claims
Interests
5
3 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 71 | |
| Economy | 61 | |
| Employment | 37 | |
| Crime & Policing | 34 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 28 | |
| Education | 21 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 18 | |
| Defence and Foreign Affairs | 17 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 35 | 11,763 |
| Economy Jobs | 52 | 9,566 |
| Environment | 22 | 7,655 |
| Social Care | 29 | 7,606 |
| Local Government | 28 | 7,082 |
| Education | 27 | 6,256 |
| Culture Community | 17 | 5,331 |
| Crime | 19 | 5,314 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 2Vote on New Clause 2 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, debated alongside related amendments including provisions on guidance,… | Free vote | Aye |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Energy Security and Net Zero Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 735)I have a quick question because you keep repeating “low probability”. What do you call low probability? I am sorry that I was quite late, but you have been repeating that you are c… | 42 |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Energy Security and Net Zero Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 735)I have a quick question because you keep repeating “low probability”. What do you call low probability? I am sorry that I was quite late, but you have been repeating that you are c… | 42 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Endometriosis ServicesIt is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Ipswich (Jack Abbott) on bringing this important debate to this Chamber, and I thank al… HealthSocial Care | 850 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Endometriosis ServicesDoes my hon. Friend agree that for a lot of these conditions it is vital to have more research? For example, there could be a genetic link that is not explained yet, and it would m… HealthSocial Care | 62 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Non-consensual Filming: Legal Frameworks9. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing legal frameworks in relation to the non-consensual filming of women in public. CrimeTechnology | 23 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Non-consensual Filming: Legal FrameworksSecretly filmed videos of women on nights out have been viewed more than 3 billion times over the last three years, and the videos are often accompanied by vile, degrading comments… CrimeTechnology | 76 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Online HarmsI congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire (Ian Sollom) on securing this debate, and I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting it. The… TechnologyCrimeHealth | 659 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Online HarmsThe hon. Lady is making a very powerful speech about how young people, whose brains are still being formed, are being bombarded with online content. May I just let her know that my… TechnologyCrimeHealth | 57 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Community Mental Health ServicesSo many mental health problems could be cared for much better in the community. As the chair of the eating disorders all-party parliamentary group, I know that some years ago we ha… HealthSocial Care | 104 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Climate ChangeThe UK has a lot to be proud of in our record on climate change, such as halving our greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, being the first EU nation to phase out coal, and massively… EnergyEnvironmentEconomy Jobs | 1,223 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Business of the HouseAt a time of heightened global tension, we must be aware of how important it is that we look after our current and ex-service personnel. I have a constituent who served in the Army… EnergyEconomy JobsLocal Government | 145 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Climate ChangeDoes the hon. Lady not recognise that all that might make it cheaper for the oil and gas industry, but it will not make it cheaper for our constituents? Their bills will be the sam… EnergyEnvironmentEconomy Jobs | 55 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Online HarmsCan I quickly take the hon. Gentleman back to when he said he was proud of the action his Labour Government have taken? For a long time while they were in opposition, his colleague… TechnologyCrimeHealth | 86 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Climate ChangeIs the shadow Minister saying that because we cannot make a big enough impact globally, we should scrap our impact altogether? EnergyEnvironmentEconomy Jobs | 21 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | State Pension IncreaseNearly half a million pensioners living abroad will miss out on the state pension increase because we do not have reciprocal agreements with countries such as Canada and Australia.… Fiscal PolicyCost Of LivingSocial Care | 52 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 66 | 35.1% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 26 | 13.8% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 24 | 12.8% |
| Treasury | 16 | 8.5% |
| Department for Transport | 8 | 4.3% |
| Department for Education | 8 | 4.3% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 6 | 3.2% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 5 | 2.7% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with industry stakeholders on the potential impact of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on future investment in the UK market. | Answered |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the department has made of the net economic impact of removing the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant. | Answered |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how her Department intends to ensure consistency in support across different types of zero emission vehicles following the withdrawal of the incentives for motorcycles. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of Faroese cetacean hunting for (a) international marine conservation and (b) biodiversity agreements. | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal Welfare Strategy published on 22 December 2025, if she will extend the strategy to include the welfare of marine mammals hunted in the Faroe… | Pending |
| 10 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 potential merits of designating areas with high conservation status, such as Bath, as priority areas for early zoning. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the recommendations on the use of long-term revenue support mechanisms such as Regulated Asset Base models and Contracts for Difference within the of the ADE:… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government consultation response of 12 June 2025 on fairer food labelling, whether she has assessed the potential merits of mandating country-of-or… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps with the Coal Authority to use mine water heat for heat networks. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has conducted diplomatic discussions with (a) the Government of the Faroe Islands, (b) the Government of Denmark and (c) other international partne… | Answered |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NHS England will be able to provide robust breast screening data on all protected characteristics. | Answered |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether future breast screening service specifications will include details and standards outlining the on-site support, equipment, and reasonable adjustments screening units must be… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 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 potential impact of the revised Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round timetable on large solar projects that are unable to bid int… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 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 potential impact of the alignment between the new timings for Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round and statutory planning decisio… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the revised timeline for the Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round, what steps his Department is taking to support large solar projects that have b… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panel of ChairsSelect | Member | Commons | 29 Jan 2025 | present |
| Energy Security and Net Zero CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 28 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 | 13 | 29,290 | 9.6% |
| Office Costs | 126 | 26,156 | 8.5% |
| Staffing | 1 | 246,867 | 80.6% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 3,279 | 1.1% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 649 | 0.2% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Accommodation | 12 | 26,181 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 4 | 9,850 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 6,530 |
| Service charge & ground Rent | Office Costs | 5 | 5,915 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 12 | 3,645 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 3,109 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 30 | 2,842 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 6 | 1,541 |
| Cleaning services | Office Costs | 15 | 1,354 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 23 | 764 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 14 | 364 |
| Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Office Costs | 12 | 277 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1184 [200011797-289] | 60 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Other | Equipment sale - Riso 7050 | -250 | Paid |
| 27 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | 1181 | 120 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Banner March 2025 | 7 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Banner March 2025 | 6 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | Postage of ID docs to BPSS | 8 | Paid |
| 12 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 35 | Paid |
| 09 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 59 | Paid |
| 07 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | Postage to BPSS of original ID documents [***][***][***] | 9 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1172 | 23 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 308 | Paid |
| 02 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | 1168 | 29 | Paid |
| 02 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | 1168 | 23 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1166 | 60 | Paid |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | 1164 | 120 | Paid |
| 21 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 1162 | 61 | Paid |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1160 | 17 | Paid |
| 07 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1158 | 156 | Paid |
| 05 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | 1156 | 25 | Paid |
| 03 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 308 | 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.
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 year1 entry
18 Apr 2024
Type of land/property: Residential property (house)
Number of properties: 1
Location: Rochdale Metropolitan Borough
Ownership details: Owned jointly with my husband
Rental income: Yes
(Registered 5 July 2017)
7. (i) Shareholdings: over 15% of issued share capital1 entry
18 Apr 2024
Name of company or organisation: Compotex GmbH
Nature of business: Technical textile finishing
(Registered 5 July 2017)
8. Miscellaneous3 entries
03 Feb 2026
BGIPU (British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union) Executive Committee. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 20 January 2026
(Registered 24 January 2026)
13 Nov 2024
Director, Industry and Parliament Trust. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 26 October 2024
(Registered 31 October 2024)
18 Apr 2024
Patron, Bath Festivals.
(Registered 5 July 2017)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 16 wards, 30 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathavon North | Kevin Ronald Guy | Liberal Democrats | 1,350 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bathavon North | Sarah Warren | Liberal Democrats | 1,460 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bathwick | Manda Rigby | Liberal Democrats | 1,304 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bathwick | Toby Simon | Liberal Democrats | 1,023 | 04 May 2023 |
| Combe Down | Bharat Pankhania | Liberal Democrats | 1,254 | 04 May 2023 |
| Combe Down | Onkar Saini | Liberal Democrats | 1,154 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kingsmead | George Oliver Tomlin | Liberal Democrats | 591 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kingsmead | Paul Roper | Liberal Democrats | 599 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lambridge | Joanna Wright | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,120 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lambridge | Saskia Heijltjes | Green Party of England and Wales | 921 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lansdown | Lucy Hodge | Liberal Democrats | 1,023 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lansdown | Mark Elliott | Liberal Democrats | 917 | 04 May 2023 |
| Moorlands | Jess David | Liberal Democrats | 547 | 04 May 2023 |
| Newbridge | Michelle O'Doherty | Liberal Democrats | 1,048 | 04 May 2023 |
| Newbridge | Samantha Jane Kelly | Liberal Democrats | 895 | 04 May 2023 |
| Odd Down | Joel Hirst | Liberal Democrats | 989 | 04 May 2023 |
| Odd Down | Steve Hedges | Liberal Democrats | 1,000 | 04 May 2023 |
| Oldfield Park | Ian Halsall | Liberal Democrats | 438 | 04 May 2023 |
| Southdown | Dine Romero | Liberal Democrats | 682 | 04 May 2023 |
| Southdown | Paul Crossley | Liberal Democrats | 649 | 04 May 2023 |
| Twerton | Sarah Moore | Liberal Democrats | 560 | 04 May 2023 |
| Twerton | Tim Ball | Liberal Democrats | 583 | 04 May 2023 |
| Walcot | John Leach | Liberal Democrats | 571 | 04 May 2023 |
| Walcot | Oli Henman | Liberal Democrats | 699 | 04 May 2023 |
| Westmoreland | Colin David Blackburn | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 539 | 04 May 2023 |
| Westmoreland | June Player | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 839 | 04 May 2023 |
| Weston | Malcolm John Treby | Liberal Democrats | 959 | 04 May 2023 |
| Weston | Ruth Malloy | Liberal Democrats | 1,127 | 04 May 2023 |
| Widcombe Lyncombe | Alison Born | Liberal Democrats | 1,463 | 04 May 2023 |
| Widcombe Lyncombe | Deborah Joan Collins | Liberal Democrats | 1,288 | 04 May 2023 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 105,610 | Electorate 69,662 (2024) |
| Median age | 36 | years |
| Degree-educated | 45.5% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 88.7% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 58.6% | households |
| Private-rented | 25.2% | households |
| Social-rented | 16.0% | households |
| Employment rate | 52.4% | 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.