Harrogate & Knaresborough / data
Tom Gordon · Liberal Democrats · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
660days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
346
of 504 possible
Attendance
69%
158 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
220
126 debates
Written Qs
138
136 answered
Committees
0
memberships
Expenses
£217k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 127 claims
Interests
2
1 category
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 78 | |
| Economy | 60 | |
| Employment | 35 | |
| Crime & Policing | 35 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 27 | |
| Pensions | 22 | |
| Education | 21 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 20 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Social Care | 25 | 12,628 |
| Local Government | 38 | 11,702 |
| Economy Jobs | 40 | 9,031 |
| Transport | 17 | 8,739 |
| Health | 28 | 6,603 |
| Crime | 15 | 4,763 |
| Defence | 21 | 4,552 |
| Labour Market | 14 | 4,246 |
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.
No notable votes recorded for this MP yet.
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 2026 | English Devolution and Community Empowerment BillGiven that the new powers are being handed to local transport authorities, will there be funding to enforce the new measures and the obligations that councils are getting? Local GovernmentHousingEnvironment | 28 |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Antisemitic AttacksI recently had the pleasure of attending a Passover service at Harrogate synagogue. It saddens me that whenever I meet the Jewish community there, they always talk about their secu… CrimeDefenceCulture Community | 69 |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Community-owned Assets: Government SupportI just want to acknowledge the Government’s fantastic work, which the Minister is outlining, on this particular issue. Does she agree that one of the biggest worries people have in… Culture CommunityLocal GovernmentHousing | 81 |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Community-owned Assets: Government SupportThe right hon. Lady is outlining a really clear case for community-owned assets. Can she elaborate on that and tell us if the UPP is an asset of community value? We have recently h… Culture CommunityLocal GovernmentHousing | 120 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | NHS Dental ServicesI have been contacted by dentists from across my constituency who want to expand access but are constrained by the current funding model. One NHS practice tells me that it has the … Health | 88 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | NHS Dental Services6. How many urgent dental appointments have been provided since 1 April 2025. Health | 13 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Infected Blood Compensation SchemeI, too, acknowledge the work the Minister has done on this issue. Last year, I asked him about a constituent who fell under the special category mechanism, so it is welcome news th… HealthSocial CareFiscal Policy | 109 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Topical QuestionsThe Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire is tinkering with the Department for Transport’s highways funding ratio, reallocating about £4 million from North Yorkshire to the city… TransportLocal GovernmentEconomy Jobs | 50 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Proposed Visitor LevyI completely agree, and as Liberal Democrats we want to see devolution and the handing-down of powers. But, again, I come back to the question whether it is really meaningful devol… Economy JobsFiscal PolicyLocal Government | 83 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Proposed Visitor LevyIt is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I congratulate the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) on securing the debate. As Liberals, we strongly… Economy JobsFiscal PolicyLocal Government | 644 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Proposed Visitor LevyWill the Minister give way? Economy JobsFiscal PolicyLocal Government | 5 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Proposed Visitor LevyThey may well be focus articles too. The local community champions that we have on the ground are making the point that if money is raised locally, it should be shaped locally, spe… Economy JobsFiscal PolicyLocal Government | 930 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Student LoansWill the Minister give way? EducationEconomy JobsFiscal Policy | 5 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Heating Oil SupportIt is estimated that over 20,000 homes in North Yorkshire rely upon heating oil, including constituents in the rural part of my constituency in villages outside Occaney, Copgrove, … Cost Of LivingUtilitiesEconomy Jobs | 70 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | GP ContractI recently visited the Spa surgery in Harrogate and spent half a day with practice managers, GPs, partners, receptionists and nurses, and I am grateful to them for that opportunity… HealthEconomy Jobs | 112 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 64 | 46.4% |
| Department for Education | 18 | 13.0% |
| Department for Transport | 12 | 8.7% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 9 | 6.5% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 6 | 4.3% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 4 | 2.9% |
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 4 | 2.9% |
| Home Office | 4 | 2.9% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration his Department has given to the integration of recommendations from the Getting It Right First Time programme for gastroenterology into the national quality strate… | Pending |
| 22 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 merits of considering improvements in quality of care for people with long term chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel… | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with major supermarkets on the increasing price differential between loyalty and non-loyalty prices. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to introduce regulations to ensure that non-loyalty scheme prices for essential groceries are transparent. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of data privacy regulations governing supermarket loyalty schemes. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on supermarket pricing practices. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing bursaries or financial support for students training in creative therapies. | 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 he has made of the potential impact of cormorant predation on fish stocks and biodiversity. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of workforce shortages in creative therapies for children and young people. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria the NIHR use to make funding decisions in the event of a tiebreaker. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NIHR, in line with the Medical Research Council’s Place Framework, also uses the location of the host organisation as a tiebreaker in funding decisions to support a more… | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase participation in bowel cancer screening programmes in Harrogate and Knaresborough. | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the rate of Video Games Expenditure Credits for bigger budget games to 39% and removing the 80% expenditure cap. | Answered |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an impact assessment was made before the suspension of the York Area Capacity Scheme. | Answered |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered the potential merits of including the York Area Capacity Scheme works in the TransPennine Route Upgrade. | Answered |
E · Committees
No committee memberships recorded for this MP.
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 | 83 | 29,074 | 13.4% |
| Accommodation | 23 | 20,441 | 9.4% |
| Staffing | 3 | 155,802 | 71.7% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 4,362 | 2.0% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 7,678 | 3.5% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 4 | 14,251 |
| Rent | Accommodation | 5 | 10,706 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 14 | 9,075 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 6 | 7,258 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 4,900 |
| Utilities | Office Costs | 4 | 2,087 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 3 | 2,066 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 13 | 1,617 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 16 | 555 |
| Training - staff | Staffing | 2 | 443 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 9 | 420 |
| Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Office Costs | 8 | 387 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 Jul 2025 | Staffing Pooled staffing services | Parliamentary Support Team (Liberal Democrat) | 4,900 | Paid |
| 09 Jun 2025 | Office Costs Hospitality | Repayment of claim 60273287:2 | 0 | Repaid |
| 23 Apr 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Electricity | 133 | Paid |
| 03 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Electricity | 180 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | [200011782-121] | 72 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -126 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Water | 338 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 101 | Paid |
| 18 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | Cleaners | 22 | Paid |
| 12 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | Cleaners | 22 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Electricity | 1,332 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Undercoat and Paint | 109 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 51 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | Office Rent | 817 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Gas | 80 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Internet | 40 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 36 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | final invoices for office renovation works | 4,926 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | Rent | 2,708 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 27 | 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.
4. Visits outside the UK2 entries
21 Oct 2025
Name of donor: Armed Forces Parliamentary Trust
Address of donor: Houses of Parliament, London, SW1A 0AA
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights, value £799.82
Destination of visit: Brunei
Dates of visit: 25 May 2025 to 29 May 2025
Purpose of visit: To undertake a visit as part of my participation in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme.
(Registered 16 October 2025)
24 Mar 2026
Name of donor: UK Friends of Ukraine
Address of donor: 62 Lots Road, London SW10 0QD
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Internal transport including excursions (£270.09) and meals (£127.92), value £398.01
Destination of visit: Ukraine and Moldova
Dates of visit: 19 February 2026 to 25 February 2026
Purpose of visit: Parliamentary delegation to attend 4th anniversary of the full scale invasion, and build relationship with Ukrainian allies.
(Registered 19 March 2026)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 12 wards, 12 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilton Grange New Park | Monika Slater | Liberal Democrats | 968 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bilton Nidd Gorge | Paul Haslam | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,017 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coppice Valley Duchy | Peter Lacey | Liberal Democrats | 940 | 05 May 2022 |
| Fairfax Starbeck | Philip Anthony Broadbank | Liberal Democrats | 921 | 05 May 2022 |
| Harlow St Georges | Mike Schofield | Liberal Democrats | 1,245 | 05 May 2022 |
| High Harrogate Kingsley | Chris Aldred | Liberal Democrats | 1,019 | 05 May 2022 |
| Killinghall Hampsthwaite Saltergate | Michael Harrison | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,016 | 05 May 2022 |
| Knaresborough East | Hannah Gostlow | Liberal Democrats | 1,169 | 05 May 2022 |
| Knaresborough West | Matt Walker | Liberal Democrats | 1,316 | 05 May 2022 |
| Oatlands Pannal | John Mann | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,175 | 05 May 2022 |
| Stray Woodlands Hookstone | Andrew David Timothy | Liberal Democrats | 1,094 | 11 Apr 2024 |
| Valley Gardens Central Harrogate | Sam Gibbs | Conservative and Unionist Party | 871 | 05 May 2022 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 105,419 | Electorate 77,955 (2024) |
| Median age | 45 | years |
| Degree-educated | 41.2% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 94.9% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 70.7% | households |
| Private-rented | 19.3% | households |
| Social-rented | 9.9% | households |
| Employment rate | 59.0% | 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.