Blaenau Gwent & Rhymney / data
Nick Smith · Labour Party · sitting since 06 May 2010 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
5832days
from 06 May 2010
Divisions
390
of 504 possible
Attendance
77%
114 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
101
61 debates
Written Qs
5
4 answered
Committees
4
1 chair
Expenses
£254k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 139 claims
Interests
0
Register
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 86 | |
| Economy | 75 | |
| Employment | 51 | |
| Education | 41 | |
| Crime & Policing | 34 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 26 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 23 | |
| Housing | 22 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 1 | — |
| Economy Jobs | 25 | 1,781 |
| Culture Community | 13 | 1,358 |
| Defence | 17 | 945 |
| Fiscal Policy | 9 | 779 |
| Social Care | 11 | 687 |
| Mp Performance | 5 | 672 |
| Health | 10 | 634 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Dec 2024 | Elections (proportional representation): Ten Minute Rule Motion A vote on whether to allow a Bill to be introduced that would replace the current first-past-the-post voting system with proportional repres… | Free vote | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 2026 | Middle East: Economic UpdateI thank the Chancellor for her statement. I agree that the best economic policy today is diplomatic policy. Given the situation in Iran, will she tell us more about her plans for p… EnergyEconomy JobsCost Of Living | 44 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Topical QuestionsConstituents involved in my local Rotary club have contacted me about the global polio eradication programme. I am reliably advised that Ministers want to concentrate resources for… DefenceEconomy JobsImmigration | 53 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Grassroots SportI declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on parkrun. As the Minister knows, parkrun is a global phenomenon, and it has just celebrated its 21st birth… HealthCulture Community | 90 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Client Board: ProgressI, too, read the waterside options. The issue is that there is a preferred option, which is that the Commons moves to the northern estate and the House of Lords moves to the QEII c… Culture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 44 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Grassroots Sport11. What funding her Department is providing to help improve participation in grassroots sport. HealthCulture Community | 14 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Business of the HouseLast week, I visited our youth hub in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, and heard at first hand some fantastic success stories of young people being supported into work through this Labou… DefenceLocal GovernmentHealth | 64 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Client Board: ProgressThe Church Commissioner gets another rest. In February, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board reported costed proposals for the programme and a recommended way forward. The key … Culture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 136 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Queen Elizabeth II CentreMy hon. Friend is right to emphasise the QEII centre’s value to the UK events sector. However, I am advised that the evidence indicates that any displaced events could be accommoda… Economy JobsCulture Community | 104 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Queen Elizabeth II CentreI am delighted to give the Second Church Estates Commissioner, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Marsha De Cordova), a short rest this morning. The possibility of the House … Economy JobsCulture Community | 122 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | National Savings & InvestmentsI thank the Minister for his statement. I am glad to see that he is stepping in, and I am pleased to hear that National Savings & Investments will focus on reuniting bereaved f… Fiscal PolicyUtilitiesCost Of Living | 78 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Business and Trade Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1796)Mr Cochrane, it is good to hear about your NHS-specific barcode approach. How many NHS organisations have signed up across the UK and what percentage is that of UK households? We g… | 62 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Business and Trade Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1796)Does Mr Křetínský want to talk about it? We are trying to pull out important information about data affecting our constituents. | 21 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Business and Trade Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1796)Can we please have agreed and accurate facts so that everybody can understand what is going on for the future? | 20 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Business and Trade Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1796)Many of the letters that our constituents depend on are not covered by the USO because they use the Royal Mail access service. What is Ofcom doing to ensure that the Royal Mail del… | 37 |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Business and Trade Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1796)I am trying to work out what is going on here. I received a letter from the Wales operations director of Royal Mail about the Ebbw Vale office, and they told me that the yearly abs… | 65 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 3 | 60.0% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 1 | 20.0% |
| Wales Office | 1 | 20.0% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help eradicate polio overseas. | Pending |
| 21 Oct 2025 | Wales Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased defence spending on Wales. | Answered |
| 16 Jul 2025 | Department of Health and Social Care | What assessment he has made of the potential impact of NHS practitioners prescribing parkrun on public health. | Answered |
| 05 Feb 2025 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) Newington Road Surgery limited, (b) Lockwood Surgery prime health ltd, (c) Fieldhead health limited, (d) Mid Dorset primary healthcare limited, (e) Fieldhead property ltd… | Answered |
| 05 Feb 2025 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) companies and (b) subsidiaries trading under (i) E-Harley Healthcare Services Ltd and (ii) Harley Street Health Online Ltd been subject to rulings by the Care Quality Com… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liaison Committee (Commons)Select | Member | Commons | 04 Dec 2024 | present |
| Administration CommitteeSelect | Chair | Commons | 26 Nov 2024 | present |
| Administration CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 28 Oct 2024 | present |
| Members Estimate CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 117 | 24,793 | 9.8% |
| Accommodation | 4 | 5,013 | 2.0% |
| Staffing | 1 | 217,356 | 85.7% |
| Miscellaneous | 1 | 24 | 0.0% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 5,072 | 2.0% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 1,460 | 0.6% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 4,600 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 12 | 4,230 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 31 | 4,164 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 3,351 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 7 | 2,223 |
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 9 | 1,534 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 2 | 1,134 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 14 | 1,031 |
| Utilities | Accommodation | 2 | 992 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 3 | 940 |
| Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | Office Costs | 11 | 862 |
| Insurance - buildings | Accommodation | 1 | 670 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | office cleaning [200011798-235] | 75 | Paid |
| 07 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | office cleaning [200011797-159] | 45 | Paid |
| 24 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | VODAFONE MOTO RECURRIN [200011725-7576] | 75 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 458 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 458 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 458 | Paid |
| 16 Mar 2025 | Office Costs TV licence | TVLICENSING.CO.UK [200011725-5343] | 170 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 325 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | cleaner | 30 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | stationery | 20 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | cleaning products | 10 | Paid |
| 24 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | VODAFONE MOTO RECURRIN | 74 | Paid |
| 10 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | office cleaning | 60 | Paid |
| 10 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | BLAENAU GWENT CBC | 30 | Paid |
| 07 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | cleaning | 75 | Paid |
| 07 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | cleaning | 30 | Paid |
| 07 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 15 | Paid |
| 27 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 689 | Paid |
| 25 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | VEED.IO BASIC | 120 | Paid |
| 24 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | VODAFONE MOTO RECURRIN | 74 | Paid |
G · Register of interests
No financial interests declared by this MP.
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 20 wards, 40 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberbargoed Bargoed | Chris Bissex-Foster | Labour Party | 354 | 15 Aug 2024 |
| Abertillery Six Bells | Julie Holt | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 737 | 05 May 2022 |
| Abertillery Six Bells | Keith Gerald Chaplin | Labour Party | 867 | 05 May 2022 |
| Abertillery Six Bells | Ross Thomas Leadbeater | Labour Party | 835 | 05 May 2022 |
| Beaufort | Chris Smith | Labour Party | 842 | 05 May 2022 |
| Beaufort | Dean Woods | Labour Party | 906 | 05 May 2022 |
| Beaufort | Godfrey Rhys Thomas | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 845 | 05 May 2022 |
| Blaina | John Patrick Morgan | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 722 | 05 May 2022 |
| Blaina | Lisa Catherine Winnett | Labour Party | 770 | 05 May 2022 |
| Brynmawr | John Hill | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 504 | 05 May 2022 |
| Brynmawr | Jules Gardner | Labour Party | 600 | 05 May 2022 |
| Brynmawr | Wayne Kevin Hodgins | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,207 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cwm | Derrick Bevan | Labour Party | 521 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cwm | George Humpreys | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 544 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cwmtillery | Joanna Wilkins | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 525 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cwmtillery | Malcolm Day | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 537 | 05 May 2022 |
| Darran Valley | Robert Edward Chapman | Labour Party | 512 | 05 May 2022 |
| Ebbw Vale North | Dai Davies | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 441 | 05 May 2022 |
| Ebbw Vale North | Jen Morgan | Labour Party | 488 | 05 May 2022 |
| Ebbw Vale South | Jonathan David Millard | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 239 | 08 Feb 2024 |
| Georgetown | Jacqueline Thomas | Labour Party | 645 | 05 May 2022 |
| Georgetown | John Morgan | Labour Party | 765 | 05 May 2022 |
| Gilfach | Carol Julia Andrews | Labour Party | 343 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llanhilleth | Helen Cunningham | Labour Party | 472 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llanhilleth | Lee Parsons | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 425 | 05 May 2022 |
| Moriah Pontlottyn | Dai Harse | Labour Party | 781 | 05 May 2022 |
| Moriah Pontlottyn | Mansel Powell | Labour Party | 907 | 05 May 2022 |
| Nantyglo | Peter John Baldwin | Labour Party | 639 | 05 May 2022 |
| Nantyglo | Sonia Behr | Labour Party | 547 | 05 May 2022 |
| New Tredegar | Eluned Stenner | Labour Party | 675 | 05 May 2022 |
| New Tredegar | Mark Anthony Evans | Labour Party | 617 | 05 May 2022 |
| Rassau Garnlydan | David Hendry Wilkshire | Labour Party | 597 | 05 May 2022 |
| Rassau Garnlydan | Gareth Alban Davies | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 578 | 05 May 2022 |
| Sirhowy | Diane Rowberry | Labour Party | 879 | 05 May 2022 |
| Sirhowy | Malcolm Cross | Labour Party | 904 | 05 May 2022 |
| Sirhowy | Tommy Smith | Labour Party | 1,001 | 05 May 2022 |
| Tredegar | Ellen Louise Jones | Labour Party | 608 | 05 May 2022 |
| Tredegar | Haydn Leslie Trollope | Labour Party | 661 | 05 May 2022 |
| Tredegar | Steve Thomas | Labour Party | 691 | 05 May 2022 |
| Twyn Carno | Carl John Cuss | Labour Party | 652 | 05 May 2022 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 94,392 | Electorate 70,153 (2024) |
| Median age | 42 | years |
| Degree-educated | 20.9% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 98.0% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 60.1% | households |
| Private-rented | 16.0% | households |
| Social-rented | 23.8% | 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.