Bridgwater / data
Sir Ashley Fox · Conservative and Unionist Party · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
659days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
398
of 504 possible
Attendance
79%
106 absent / paired
Whip alignment
97%
vs party majority
Speeches
336
131 debates
Written Qs
295
294 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£159k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 180 claims
Interests
3
3 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 93 | |
| Economy | 84 | |
| Employment | 48 | |
| Crime & Policing | 42 | |
| Education | 29 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 26 | |
| Housing | 21 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 18 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Jobs | 64 | 20,411 |
| Fiscal Policy | 30 | 9,512 |
| Local Government | 32 | 8,181 |
| Crime | 32 | 7,306 |
| Labour Market | 19 | 5,439 |
| Cost Of Living | 14 | 4,793 |
| Agriculture | 9 | 4,738 |
| Utilities | 3 | 3,525 |
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: Amendment (b) to New Clause 14Vote on whether to strengthen the advertising ban in the Assisted Dying Bill by requiring that any advertising restrictions also cover situa… | Rebelled | No |
| 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,… | Rebelled | No |
| 20 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 12Vote on whether to add a provision to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ensuring that if an independent doctor dies or becomes to… | Free vote | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Government Procurement StrategyThe Minister is right to try to support small businesses by cutting red tape, but will he explain why, while he is saying this at the Dispatch Box, another part of Government is re… Economy JobsTechnologyDefence | 78 |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Falling School RollsThank you, Mr Speaker. One reason for improved academic standards in our schools under the last Government was the ability for good schools to expand and for failing schools to be … EducationLocal GovernmentHousing | 66 |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Victims and Courts BillThe Minister might remember that, in a debate on these amendments on 25 March, she and I had an exchange in which I described the very long explanation that she had given as a “loa… Crime | 119 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Grassroots SportSydenham amateur boxing club does an incredible job, working with young people in and around Bridgwater. It helps teach not just boxing, but discipline and control. In order to hel… HealthCulture Community | 69 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Business of the HouseMy constituency has two railway stations, one in Highbridge and one in Bridgwater. Sadly, neither station is accessible. There is no step-free access to enable wheelchair users and… DefenceLocal GovernmentHealth | 78 |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Children’s Wellbeing and Schools BillWill the Minister give way? EducationTechnologyHealth | 5 |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Children’s Wellbeing and Schools BillThe Minister has said that she wishes to take swift action. Surely the swiftest action she could take is to use this Bill to ban smartphones from schools, and to ban children under… EducationTechnologyHealth | 48 |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Strategic Defence Review: FundingLord Robertson, the former Labour Defence Secretary, said that we cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget, so will the Minister explain to my constituents why t… DefenceFiscal PolicyEconomy Jobs | 47 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)I am Ashley Fox, the Member for Bridgwater, and my interests are as declared on the register. | 17 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)You have described this as a complex situation, and I find it quite baffling. We have the SRA to regulate solicitors, you regulate the regulators, and presumably the Ministry and P… | 65 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)But would it not be more efficient if the Ministry of Justice kept an eye on the SRA? What do you add? | 22 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Draft Buckinghamshire Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026
Draft Surrey County Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026
Draft Warwickshire County Council (Adult Education Functions) Regulations 2026It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir John. These three sets of draft regulations transfer responsibility for adult education and skills funding from the Secretary… EducationLocal GovernmentEconomy Jobs | 327 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)That is nothing that the Ministry could not do, is it? | 11 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)But would it not be more efficient if the Ministry of Justice kept an eye on the SRA? What do you add? | 22 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Justice Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1247)I am Ashley Fox, the Member for Bridgwater, and my interests are as declared on the register. | 17 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Justice | 31 | 10.5% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 30 | 10.2% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 21 | 7.1% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 20 | 6.8% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 20 | 6.8% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 19 | 6.4% |
| Department for Education | 19 | 6.4% |
| Home Office | 17 | 5.8% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to ensure the guaranteed hours provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 support access to (a) seasonal workers, (b) agency workers and (c) people seeking flex… | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what conversations she or officials in her Department have had with Ofcom about any enforcement action under the Online Safety Act against X because of content generated… | Answered |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Justice | To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of trends in SEND Tribunal outcomes since December 2024; and whether any changes in guidance or instructions have been issued to Tribunal judges regard… | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle illegal traveller encampments where the same group repeatedly relocates within a local area, requiring the local authority to obtain a new posses… | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Home Office | To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require that, once an eviction notice has been served to a traveller encampment, the… | Answered |
| 12 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to give powers to councils to reject applications for new betting shops, vapes stores and fake barbers. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that workforce training provision aligns with the needs of major industrial investments, including the battery gigafactory by Agratas under construction… | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on ensuring sufficient skilled labour supply for the UK nuclear new-build programme. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Education on aligning skills funding with workforce requirements for the UK nuclear programm… | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the development of regional nuclear skills pipelines in areas hosting nuclear new-build projects. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department holds on progression from Skills Bootcamps into employment in the (a) nuclear and (b) energy sectors. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to prioritise Skills Bootcamp funding for areas with demand for engineering and technical skills. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed reduction in Skills Bootcamp funding on the supply of skilled workers required for major infrastructure projects, inclu… | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the role of Skills Bootcamps in enabling workers from construction trades to retrain into mechanical, electrical and HVAC roles. | Answered |
| 06 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people expected to enrol in Skills Bootcamps in Somerset in 2025–26. | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justice 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 128 | 20,634 | 13.0% |
| Accommodation | 28 | 11,925 | 7.5% |
| Staffing | 1 | 116,740 | 73.4% |
| Miscellaneous | 4 | 1,123 | 0.7% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 327 | 0.2% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 1,642 | 1.0% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 6,567 | 4.1% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 28 | 11,925 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 75 | 6,447 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 5,265 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 4 | 3,132 |
| Landline phone & internet - installation & equipment purchase | Office Costs | 1 | 2,060 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 2 | 2,040 |
| Service charge & ground Rent | Office Costs | 3 | 1,881 |
| Postage & couriers | Office Costs | 10 | 1,416 |
| Moving Fees | Office Costs | 1 | 1,140 |
| Removals | Miscellaneous | 4 | 1,123 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 3 | 662 |
| Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Office Costs | 11 | 530 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Service charge & ground Rent | Service Charges 25/03/25 - 23/06/25 [200011797-326] | 69 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] [200011725-10088] [200011799-127] | 199 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -1,378 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Crime Survey Printing Costs | 367 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | ROYAL MAIL ONLINE SHOP [200011725-8584] | 170 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | Broadband Survey - Freepost Response | 73 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 48 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | TIMES NEWSPAPERS LTD [200011725-8583] | 30 | Paid |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | Rent | 1,493 | Paid |
| 24 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] [200011725-6921] | 398 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 294 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 158 | Paid |
| 18 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] [200011726-9219] | 398 | Paid |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 20 | Paid |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Insurance - contents | Office Contents Insurance [200011799-126] | 10 | Paid |
| 11 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] [200011726-7239] | 398 | Paid |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | Freepost Survey Response costs relating to Broadband Survey | 244 | Paid |
| 07 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 86 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | [***][***][***] [200011725-2039] | 796 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Freepost Envelopes Printing | 234 | 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.
2. (b) Any other support not included in Category 2(a)1 entry
01 Jul 2025
Name of donor: Persimmon Homes Ltd
Address of donor: Persimmon House, Fulford, York YO19 4FE
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: £2,000 to support the Read2Succeed Campaign 2025 - this is to purchase books for year 4 children.
Date received: 16 June 2025
Date accepted: 16 June 2025
Donor status: company, registration 04108747
(Registered 17 June 2025)
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources1 entry
02 Dec 2025
Name of donor: Agratas Limited
Address of donor: 18 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HS
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Ticket to the SMMT annual dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, as a guest of Agratas, value £430
Date received: 25 November 2025
Date accepted: 25 November 2025
Donor status: company, registration 15069959
(Registered 27 November 2025)
7. (i) Shareholdings: over 15% of issued share capital1 entry
16 Aug 2024
Name of company or organisation: Ashley Fox Consulting Ltd
(Registered 19 July 2024)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 8 wards, 15 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgwater East Bawdrip | Andy Dingwall | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,099 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater East Bawdrip | Diogo Rodrigues | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,188 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater North Central | Hilary Bruce | Labour Party | 511 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater North Central | Leigh Redman | Labour Party | 589 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater South | Brian Smedley | Labour Party | 768 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater South | Kathy Pearce | Labour Party | 804 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater West | Gill Slocombe | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,040 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bridgwater West | Lance John Duddridge | Conservative and Unionist Party | 956 | 05 May 2022 |
| Burnham On Sea North | Peter Burridge-Clayton | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,561 | 04 Jun 2009 |
| Cannington | Brian Bolt | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,234 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cannington | Mike Caswell | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,271 | 05 May 2022 |
| Highbridge Burnham South | Alistair Hendry | Conservative and Unionist Party | 804 | 05 May 2022 |
| Highbridge Burnham South | John Charles Woodman | Conservative and Unionist Party | 857 | 05 May 2022 |
| North Petherton | Alan Sydney Ernest Bradford | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,121 | 05 May 2022 |
| North Petherton | Bill Revans | Liberal Democrats | 1,548 | 05 May 2022 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 99,660 | Electorate 71,571 (2024) |
| Median age | 44 | years |
| Degree-educated | 23.5% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 96.2% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 66.2% | households |
| Private-rented | 19.4% | households |
| Social-rented | 14.3% | households |
| Employment rate | 57.4% | 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.