Maldon / data
Sir John Whittingdale · Conservative and Unionist Party · sitting since 09 Apr 1992 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
12434days
from 09 Apr 1992
Divisions
292
of 504 possible
Attendance
58%
212 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
414
101 debates
Written Qs
53
53 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£244k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 103 claims
Interests
10
6 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 69 | |
| Economy | 58 | |
| Employment | 42 | |
| Education | 30 | |
| Crime & Policing | 27 | |
| Schools | 18 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 17 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 16 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Defence | 30 | 10,595 |
| Culture Community | 17 | 10,334 |
| Economy Jobs | 31 | 9,003 |
| Fiscal Policy | 9 | 5,657 |
| Other | 7 | 4,104 |
| Mp Performance | 6 | 3,303 |
| Technology | 6 | 2,189 |
| Environment | 4 | 1,364 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)And when did you tell the Prime Minister? | 8 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)It is about the actual minute of the meeting at which the Prime Minister said, “Right, here’s the due diligence,” and he is advised about all the various other aspects, and he said… | 45 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)Could you just clarify the summary document and the template that has now been published by the Government, setting out the process? Can you just say what the two red boxes are, an… | 39 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)On 25 March. And when did you discuss it with the Cabinet Secretary? | 13 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)It took three weeks. | 4 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)Just as a quick follow-up to the questions that Fleur has been asking, you have said that all the documentation around the appointment itself has now been included in the first bat… | 72 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)Okay. Can I then come to the actual outcome of the DV process? I think you said that UKSV sent a 10-page document, essentially setting out their findings. One assumes that that mus… | 54 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)Isn’t that pretty fundamental to the exercise you are conducting? | 10 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)Before moving on to my final area, can I confirm that the Foreign Office has the 10-page summary, but Sir Olly Robbins did not see the 10-page summary? He was briefed on its conten… | 73 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)We will wait and see. Can I finally move on to one other part of this process? When exactly did the Cabinet Office and yourself discover that the UKSV recommendation had not been c… | 39 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)You weren’t involved, but you represent the Cabinet Office and that was the Cabinet Office view at the time. | 19 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)So why was there such a long gap between you and the Cabinet Secretary discovering this, and your going to tell the Prime Minister? | 24 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)But what I am talking about is before UKSV had made any recommendation. It is the fact that the Cabinet Office has said that the appointment should not be announced and made until … | 51 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)I want to look at three aspects. First, we now know that the then Cabinet Secretary sent a note saying that Peter Mandelson should complete his developed vetting procedure before a… | 91 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Foreign Affairs Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 385)And the former permanent secretary’s view. | 6 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 12 | 22.6% |
| Treasury | 11 | 20.8% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 7 | 13.2% |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 5 | 9.4% |
| Home Office | 4 | 7.5% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 4 | 7.5% |
| Department for Transport | 2 | 3.8% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 2 | 3.8% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding for covered tennis and padel facilities in Maldon constituency. | Answered |
| 03 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department will extend the discount under Loan Charge settlement plan to schemes used before December 2010. | Answered |
| 20 Jan 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage greater consistency in age ratings and content warnings across streaming services to help parents ensure age-appropriate viewing fo… | Answered |
| 20 Jan 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the findings in Ofcom's Review of Audience Protection Measures on On-Demand Programme Services regarding public demand for greater consistency in ag… | Answered |
| 08 Jan 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to increase public awareness of changes to the Highway Code made in the last 4 years. | Answered |
| 20 Nov 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will amend the Financial Promotions Order to remove the exemption for self-certified sophisticated investors. | Answered |
| 20 Nov 2025 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to meet the newly elected President of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. | Answered |
| 20 Nov 2025 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of whether the recent presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was conducted in a free an… | Answered |
| 05 Nov 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of reversing recent changes to agricultural property relief and business proper… | Answered |
| 22 Oct 2025 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 81396 on Artificial Intelligence: Copyright, if she will publish a list of the membership of all technical working g… | Answered |
| 10 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations her Department has received from receiving banks under the authorised push payment reimbursement arrangements in relation to (a) claims and (b) complaints by 79th Group investors;… | Answered |
| 10 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department has taken through the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Payment Systems Regulator to establish the reasons for which banks have not engaged directly with investors in r… | Answered |
| 10 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions her Department has had with UK Finance on proposed changes to the (a) role and (b) remit of the Financial Ombudsman Service; and what assessment her Department has made of the… | Answered |
| 10 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations her Department has received from sending banks under the authorised push payment reimbursement arrangements in relation to (a) claims and (b) complaints by 79th Group investors; a… | Answered |
| 10 Oct 2025 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with UK Finance on reforming of the role of the Financial Ombudsman Service. | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Affairs 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 12 | 29,290 | 12.0% |
| Office Costs | 76 | 9,586 | 3.9% |
| Staffing | 2 | 200,835 | 82.3% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 3,434 | 1.4% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 981 | 0.4% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Accommodation | 12 | 29,290 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 2 | 5,263 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 16 | 2,607 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 16 | 1,962 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 13 | 1,140 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 12 | 1,102 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 12 | 867 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 5 | 858 |
| Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Office Costs | 1 | 40 |
| Parking | Office Costs | 1 | 10 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 176 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 18 | Paid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 1 month ent on [***][***][***] | 2,457 | Paid |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | Caseworker Software subscription | 1,476 | Paid |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Vodafone Bill March/April | 79 | Paid |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Advertising and contact cards | Surgery Advertisement in Burnham Business Guide | 114 | Paid |
| 17 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 1 month rent on [***][***][***] | 2,460 | Paid |
| 14 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Vodafone Bill Feb/Mar | 64 | Paid |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 105 | Paid |
| 06 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Advertising and contact cards | Surgery Advertisements in Danbury Focus and S Woodham Ferrers Focus | 119 | Paid |
| 06 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | iCloud Storage | 3 | Paid |
| 31 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Internet | 22 | Paid |
| 17 Jan 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 1 month rent on [***][***][***] | 2,460 | Paid |
| 14 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Vodafone Bill Jan/Feb | 56 | Paid |
| 06 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | iCloud storage | 3 | Paid |
| 31 Dec 2024 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Internet | 22 | Paid |
| 29 Dec 2024 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Internet | 214 | Paid |
| 26 Dec 2024 | Office Costs Software & applications | Microsoft 365 Subscription | 60 | Paid |
| 17 Dec 2024 | Accommodation Rent | 1 month rent on [***][***][***] | 2,460 | Paid |
| 15 Dec 2024 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Vodafone Bill Dec-Jan | 56 | 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.
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources4 entries
10 Mar 2026
Name of donor: BPI (British Recorded Music) Ltd
Address of donor: Unit 4/4a, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, London N7 9AH
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Two tickets with hospitality to the BRIT Awards at Manchester Co-Op Live, value £3,430
Date received: 28 February 2026 to 28 February 2026
Date accepted: 28 February 2026
Donor status: company, registration 01132389
(Registered 4 March 2026)
10 Mar 2026
Name of donor: NBC Universal International
Address of donor: Central Saint Giles, St Giles High Street, London WC2H 8NU
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Two tickets with hospitality to the EE BAFTA Film Awards, value £4,400
Date received: 22 February 2026 to 22 February 2026
Date accepted: 22 February 2026
Donor status: company, registration 04415234
(Registered 3 March 2026)
01 Jul 2025
Name of donor: Betting & Gaming Council
Address of donor: Kings Building, 16 Smith Square, London SW1P 3HQ
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Two tickets and hospitality at Ascot Races, value £3,600
Date received: 19 June 2025
Date accepted: 19 June 2025
Donor status: company, registration 12213577
(Registered 26 June 2025)
29 Apr 2025
Name of donor: Google UK Ltd
Address of donor: Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9QT
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Travel, overnight stay and hospitality at Ditchley Park as part of the AI Parliamentary Scheme by Demos in partnership with Google, value £499.94
Date received: 3 April 2025
Date accepted: 3 April 2025
Donor status: company, registration 03977902
(Registered 24 April 2025)
4. Visits outside the UK1 entry
06 Jan 2026
Name of donor: Doha Forum
Address of donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Almirqab Tower, West Bay, Doha Qatar
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights (£5,555), accommodation and hospitality (£600), value £6,155
Destination of visit: Qatar (Doha)
Dates of visit: 5 December 2025 to 8 December 2025
Purpose of visit: To participate in the Doha Forum 2025 on diplomacy and dialogue including meetings with Qatari Ministers, and Ministers and Parliamentarians of other participating countries, in my capacity as a Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
(Registered 18 December 2025)
5. Gifts and benefits from sources outside the UK1 entry
02 Sept 2025
Name of donor: Embassy of the State of Qatar
Address of donor: 1 South Audley Street London W1K 1NB
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Two tickets to the Qatar Goodwood Festival 2025 and to the Goodwood Regency Ball including hospitality and accommodation for one night, value £1,200
Date received: 31 July 2025
Date accepted: 31 July 2025
Donor status: other
(Registered 5 August 2025)
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 (flat)
Number of properties: 1
Location: London
Rental income: Yes
(Registered 8 October 2012)
8. Miscellaneous2 entries
02 Dec 2025
Member of the Board of the Conservative Party. This is an unpaid position.
Date interest arose: 18 July 2024
(Registered 29 November 2025)
02 Dec 2025
A Member of the Executive Committee of the British Group of the Inter Parliamentary Union. This is an unpaid position.
Date interest arose: 27 November 2025
(Registered 29 November 2025)
10. Family members engaged in lobbying the public sector on behalf of a third party or client1 entry
18 Apr 2024
Name: Alice Whittingdale
Relationship: Daughter
Role: Senior Consultant
Name of employer: Hanover Communications
(Registered 7 August 2023)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 20 wards, 41 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Althorne | Mark Geoffrey Bassenger | The Maldon District Independent Group | 512 | 04 May 2023 |
| Althorne | Tony Fittock | The Maldon District Independent Group | 675 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bicknacre East West Hanningfield | Mark Taylor | Conservative and Unionist Party | 740 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bicknacre East West Hanningfield | Sue Dobson | Conservative and Unionist Party | 777 | 04 May 2023 |
| Burnham On Crouch North | Una Geraldine Courtenay Siddall-Norman | Labour Party | 391 | 04 May 2023 |
| Burnham On Crouch North | Wendy Stamp | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 927 | 04 May 2023 |
| Burnham On Crouch South | Doug Bown | Conservative and Unionist Party | 358 | 04 May 2023 |
| Burnham On Crouch South | Vanessa Jane Bell | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 531 | 04 May 2023 |
| Galleywood | Janette Potter | Conservative and Unionist Party | 740 | 04 May 2023 |
| Galleywood | Richard Hyland | Independent Network | 552 | 04 May 2023 |
| Heybridge East | Nick Spenceley | Liberal Democrats | 504 | 04 May 2023 |
| Heybridge East | Nikki Swindle | Liberal Democrats | 441 | 04 May 2023 |
| Heybridge West | Paula Lorraine Spenceley | Liberal Democrats | 539 | 04 May 2023 |
| Heybridge West | Simon Burwood | Liberal Democrats | 475 | 04 May 2023 |
| Little Baddow Danbury Sandon | Jacob Peter Armstrong | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,466 | 04 May 2023 |
| Little Baddow Danbury Sandon | Julia Jeapes | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,432 | 04 May 2023 |
| Little Baddow Danbury Sandon | Steph Scott | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,499 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon East | Andrew Mark Lay | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 153 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon North | Kevin Jennings | Liberal Democrats | 736 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon North | Nigel Ronald Miller | Conservative and Unionist Party | 401 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon South | Jeanette Catherine Stilts | The Maldon District Independent Group | 424 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon South | Kevin Micheal Henry Lagan | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 528 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon West | Flo Shaughnessy | The Maldon District Independent Group | 550 | 04 May 2023 |
| Maldon West | John Driver | Liberal Democrats | 552 | 04 May 2023 |
| Mayland | Linda Joan Haywood | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 617 | 04 May 2023 |
| Mayland | Wendy Jean Laybourn | Conservative and Unionist Party | 390 | 04 May 2023 |
| Purleigh | Lisa Louisa Wiffen | Conservative and Unionist Party | 481 | 04 May 2023 |
| Purleigh | Sue White | Conservative and Unionist Party | 558 | 04 May 2023 |
| Rettendon Runwell | Paul Clark | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 800 | 04 May 2023 |
| Rettendon Runwell | Steve Davis | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 729 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Hanningfield Stock Margaretting | Ian Grundy | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,000 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Hanningfield Stock Margaretting | Roy Thomas Whitehead | Conservative and Unionist Party | 938 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Chetwood Collingwood | Ashley Michael John | Conservative and Unionist Party | 534 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Chetwood Collingwood | Bob Massey | Conservative and Unionist Party | 708 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Chetwood Collingwood | Malcolm Sismey | Conservative and Unionist Party | 656 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Elmwood Woodville | Donna Eley | Liberal Democrats | 618 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Elmwood Woodville | Murrough Francis Henry O'Brien | Conservative and Unionist Party | 527 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Woodham Elmwood Woodville | Terry Sherlock | Liberal Democrats | 582 | 04 May 2023 |
| Southminster | Adrian Stow Fluker | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 533 | 04 May 2023 |
| Southminster | Ron Pratt | Conservative and Unionist Party | 339 | 04 May 2023 |
| Tillingham | Richard Paul Forster Dewick | Conservative and Unionist Party | 283 | 02 May 2019 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 98,230 | Electorate 78,282 (2024) |
| Median age | 47 | years |
| Degree-educated | 26.2% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 96.0% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 77.7% | households |
| Private-rented | 11.8% | households |
| Social-rented | 10.4% | households |
| Employment rate | 56.8% | 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.