City of Durham / data
Mary Kelly Foy · Labour Party · sitting since 12 Dec 2019 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
2325days
from 12 Dec 2019
Divisions
351
of 504 possible
Attendance
70%
153 absent / paired
Whip alignment
93%
vs party majority
Speeches
83
54 debates
Written Qs
187
186 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£298k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 136 claims
Interests
0
Register
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 75 | |
| Economy | 67 | |
| Education | 36 | |
| Employment | 32 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 28 | |
| Crime & Policing | 27 | |
| Pensions | 23 | |
| Housing | 19 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Local Government | 18 | 5,731 |
| Health | 9 | 3,536 |
| Education | 7 | 2,988 |
| Culture Community | 6 | 2,722 |
| Economy Jobs | 14 | 2,456 |
| Social Care | 7 | 2,280 |
| Crime | 10 | 1,753 |
| Housing | 6 | 1,335 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2026 | Crime and Policing Bill: motion to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments MPs voted on whether to accept the remaining Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, a wide-ranging policing and criminal justice b… | Rebelled | No |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Draft Higher Education (Fee Limits and Fee Limit Condition) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026Vote on regulations to raise university tuition fees in England by 2.71% for 2026-27. The Labour government backed the increase, while oppos… | Rebelled | No |
| 14 Jan 2026 | Draft Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025MPs voted on new regulations expanding the Public Order Act 2023 to criminalise interference with key national infrastructure, such as energ… | Rebelled | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Procedure Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1526)Would the action that you would take be to ask further questions or raise a point of order? | 18 |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Procedure Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1526)How satisfied are you with the quality of Government responses to written questions? If you feel that the responses are unsatisfactory for any reason, what action would you take? | 29 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Topical QuestionsOn 1 January, Israel revoked the licences of 37 international non-governmental organisations working in the occupied west bank and Gaza. The United Nations human rights chief calle… DefenceEconomy JobsImmigration | 79 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Disclosure and Safeguarding: At-risk ChildrenIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland Central (Lewis Atkinson) for securing this debate. I am extremely gr… CrimeSocial CareEducation | 569 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Social Housing Standards4. What steps his Department is taking to help tackle damp and mould in social housing. HousingLocal Government | 16 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Social Housing StandardsIn October 2022, a constituent of mine moved into a social housing property and immediately faced issues with extreme cold and damp. The issues went unresolved for so long that he … HousingLocal Government | 100 |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Disclosure and Safeguarding: At-risk ChildrenI wholeheartedly agree; that was about to be my next point. Of course, the information must be shared with the relevant agencies, and whenever concerns are brought to those agencie… CrimeSocial CareEducation | 212 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Topical QuestionsI congratulate Maya’s law campaigners, particularly Maya’s great-aunts Gemma and Rachael, on their passion and tenacity in lobbying MPs to support their campaign to improve child p… CrimeImmigrationCulture Community | 86 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Tobacco and Vapes BillI totally agree with my hon. Friend. We must keep in mind the fact that it is smoking that causes harm and death, not vaping, which can be a very successful cessation tool. I hope … HealthLocal GovernmentEconomy Jobs | 399 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Antisocial Behaviour20. What plans her Department has to help tackle antisocial behaviour. CrimeLocal Government | 11 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Antisocial BehaviourResidents in Langley Moor, Belmont, Esh Winning, North Road, Pity Me and the Sunderland Road estate are seeing growing levels of antisocial behaviour. From yobs on e-bikes to intim… CrimeLocal Government | 108 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Tobacco and Vapes BillI declare an interest: I am proud to be the co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on smoking and health. I am pleased that the Bill has returned from the Lords with minimal… HealthLocal GovernmentEconomy Jobs | 771 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Topical QuestionsT1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities. CrimeImmigrationCulture Community | 11 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Heating Oil SupportIn villages like Waterhouses and Quebec in Durham, many people use heating oil to heat their homes and their water. I have been contacted by very distressed constituents who tried … Cost Of LivingUtilitiesEconomy Jobs | 92 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Grenfell Tower Memorial (Expenditure) BillThe creation of a permanent memorial to the people who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire is deeply important and necessary, and I welcome the Bill before the House today.… HousingCulture CommunityLocal Government | 465 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 50 | 26.7% |
| Department for Education | 27 | 14.4% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 17 | 9.1% |
| Treasury | 16 | 8.6% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 11 | 5.9% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 9 | 4.8% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 9 | 4.8% |
| Department for Transport | 9 | 4.8% |
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 improve the humanitarian situation in Palestine. | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure NHS England meets its target of 80 per cent breast screening uptake across all regions and eligible groups. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of modern service frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for Science and Technology on the potential impact of a respiratory modern service framework on the life sciences… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce disparities in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a respiratory modern Service Framework on winter pressures on the NHS. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in City of Durham… | Answered |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to question 120636 a) what information her Department holds on the investigations and interventions; and b) is this information publicly available. | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance is provided to police forces on the enforcement of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 in relation to the harassment of elderly or vulnerable residents by par… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will review the enforcement powers available to local authorities in cases where a site owner refuses to formally (a) recognise and (b) consult with a Qualif… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Fit and Proper Person test in protecting park home residents from unsuitable landowners. | Answered |
| 19 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 adequacy of the Child Maintenance Service’s (a) call-back performance and (b) adherence to its own service level agreements regarding teleph… | Answered |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service is taking to rectify technical errors in its automated billing system that result in paying parents receiving multiple, conflicting requests for d… | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his department has made on improving support for patients with bulimia. | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her department has made to a) strengthen the Environment Agency and b) support the EAs work to improve the condition of the River Wear. | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procedure CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 04 Nov 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 3 | 226,610 | 76.1% |
| Office Costs | 95 | 27,468 | 9.2% |
| Accommodation | 24 | 30,341 | 10.2% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 4,351 | 1.5% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 9,129 | 3.1% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 2 | 9,600 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 6 | 2,796 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 5 | 1,458 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 23 | 1,266 |
| Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Office Costs | 17 | 1,096 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 3 | 918 |
| Equipment - hire | Office Costs | 5 | 894 |
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 2 | 825 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 25 | 779 |
| Utilities | Accommodation | 8 | 736 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 4 | 542 |
| Training - MP | Office Costs | 1 | 540 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | GIFFGAFF [200011725-9096] | 269 | Paid |
| 29 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | GIFFGAFF [200011725-9098] | 10 | Paid |
| 29 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | GIFFGAFF [200011725-9097] | 10 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | GIFFGAFF [200011725-10386] | 469 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - hire | Printer, photocopier & scanner | 215 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Mobile costs Mar 2025 [200011781-530] | 24 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Mobile monthly purchase cost [200011781-532] | 15 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Mobile costs Mar 2025 - cover [200011781-531] | 5 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 96 | Paid |
| 25 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Print costs for constituency office | 53 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 96 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Print costs for constituency office | 131 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Mobile costs Feb 2025 [200011781-527] | 42 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Mobile monthly purchase cost [200011781-529] | 26 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Mobile costs Feb 2025 - cover [200011781-528] | 9 | Paid |
| 26 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 96 | Paid |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Staffing Pooled staffing services | Parliamentary Research Service (Labour) | 4,600 | Paid |
| 17 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | ELECTED TECHNOLOGIES | 720 | Paid |
| 13 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 96 | Paid |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | CANVA [***] | 382 | Paid |
G · Register of interests
No financial interests declared by this MP.
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 6 wards, 12 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham South | David Stoker | Liberal Democrats | 392 | 06 May 2021 |
| Elvet Gilesgate | David Robert Freeman | Liberal Democrats | 870 | 06 May 2021 |
| Elvet Gilesgate | Richard Daniel Ormerod | Liberal Democrats | 864 | 06 May 2021 |
| Esh Witton Gilbert | Arnie Simpson | Liberal Democrats | 1,247 | 06 May 2021 |
| Esh Witton Gilbert | Bev Coult | Liberal Democrats | 1,406 | 06 May 2021 |
| Framwellgate Newton Hall | Amanda Jayne Hopgood | Liberal Democrats | 2,591 | 06 May 2021 |
| Framwellgate Newton Hall | Frances Mamie Simmons | Liberal Democrats | 2,096 | 06 May 2021 |
| Framwellgate Newton Hall | Mark Wilkes | Liberal Democrats | 2,249 | 06 May 2021 |
| Sherburn | Bill Kellett | Labour Party | 1,218 | 06 May 2021 |
| Sherburn | David Marshall Hall | Labour Party | 1,312 | 06 May 2021 |
| Willington Hunwick | Fraser Tinsley | Labour Party | 1,218 | 06 May 2021 |
| Willington Hunwick | Olwyn Gunn | Labour Party | 1,239 | 06 May 2021 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 98,493 | Electorate 70,583 (2024) |
| Median age | 38 | years |
| Degree-educated | 32.1% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 92.2% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 61.6% | households |
| Private-rented | 18.3% | households |
| Social-rented | 20.0% | households |
| Employment rate | 45.6% | 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.