Neath & Swansea East / data
Carolyn Harris · Labour Party · sitting since 07 May 2015 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
4006days
from 07 May 2015
Divisions
407
of 504 possible
Attendance
81%
97 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
87
43 debates
Written Qs
44
44 answered
Committees
2
memberships
Expenses
£307k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 191 claims
Interests
15
2 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 76 | |
| Economy | 62 | |
| Employment | 46 | |
| Crime & Policing | 40 | |
| Education | 40 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 29 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 28 | |
| Pensions | 23 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Mp Performance | 1 | — |
| Health | 9 | 2,978 |
| Social Care | 6 | 2,735 |
| Labour Market | 6 | 2,336 |
| Economy Jobs | 30 | 1,732 |
| Local Government | 11 | 845 |
| Culture Community | 10 | 603 |
| Fiscal Policy | 6 | 466 |
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 | Gambling AdvertisingIf we are to allow Front-Bench speakers to have ample time, we should bear that in mind with any interventions. HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 20 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingOrder. These are very long interventions. Some Members have given a speech and others will have an opportunity to speak later and will be able to make their points. We need to make… HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 34 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingThank you. Mr Ballinger, if you want to intervene, can you do it appropriately? HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 14 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Business of the HouseIn May 2025, the all-party parliamentary group on beauty and wellbeing, which I chair, launched an inquiry into ultraviolet safety in the UK. Over nine months, we have taken eviden… Local GovernmentEconomy JobsEnergy | 97 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingOrder. No talking across the Chamber. HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 6 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingOrder. Mr Ballinger, please sit down. Shadow Minister, please speak through the Chair. HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 13 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingI call Alex Ballinger to wind up briefly. HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 8 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingOrder. Can we not have debate across the Chamber, please? Can you finish your wind-up, Mr Ballinger? HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 17 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Gambling AdvertisingOrder. Dr Beccy Cooper, you will be making a speech. There will be an appropriate time for you to make your points. HealthCulture CommunityEconomy Jobs | 22 |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Cost of LivingWith almost 170,000 workers in Wales benefiting from Labour’s successive increases to the national minimum wage and the living wage, families across the country—including many of m… Cost Of LivingEconomy JobsLabour Market | 81 |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Cost of Living12. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of living in Wales. Cost Of LivingEconomy JobsLabour Market | 18 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Peter Mandelson: Government AppointmentI will be very brief, as I am not attempting to audition for a BAFTA, unlike some colleagues. Neither am I trying to attempt any factional point scoring, as some colleagues have do… Mp PerformanceDefenceEconomy Jobs | 90 |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Access to Work SchemeI remind hon. Members that they may only make a speech with the prior permission of the Member in charge of the debate and the Minister. As is the convention for 30-minute debates,… Economy JobsLabour MarketSocial Care | 54 |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Access to Work SchemeOrder. I am very keen to call the Minister by 5.30 pm, so may I ask Members to keep their comments short? Economy JobsLabour MarketSocial Care | 22 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Courts and Tribunals BillIt should be a fundamental right to be safe at home. The Courts and Tribunals Bill delivers that for children in this country by removing the presumption of parental contact. Will … CrimeEconomy Jobs | 73 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 12 | 27.3% |
| Home Office | 11 | 25.0% |
| Treasury | 5 | 11.4% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 4 | 9.1% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 4 | 9.1% |
| Ministry of Justice | 3 | 6.8% |
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 2 | 4.5% |
| Wales Office | 1 | 2.3% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 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 whether the current resourcing level in the Criminal Enforcement Unit of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is suffici… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many reports submitted by members of the public through the Yellow Card scheme resulted in enforcement action by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, in each… | Answered |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many reports were submitted by members of the public through the Yellow Card scheme, in each of the past five years, in relation to the sale of (a) counterfeit medicines, (b) una… | Answered |
| 16 Mar 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 improve support and services for patients with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care regarding the potential merits of incorporating (a) evidence on the maternal and neon… | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his department plans to update NHS antenatal and maternity guidance, in the context of emerging evidence that extreme heat exposure can elevate risks to pregnant people and u… | Answered |
| 13 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to work with UKHSA to issue specific guidance for (a) health professionals and (b) the public, regarding the health risks to pregnant people during peri… | Answered |
| 30 Jan 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will include the British Standard Institution's health and safety document entitled BS 30416 on Menstruation, Menstrual Health and Menopause in the Workplace, published on 31 May 2… | Answered |
| 09 Jan 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential impact of granting the Welsh Government’s proposed UK Internal Market Act exemption to run its own Deposit Return Scheme on… | Answered |
| 09 Jan 2026 | Wales Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has undertaken with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of granting the Welsh Government’s proposed UK Internal Market Act exemption on the Deposit Return Scheme on (a) bus… | Answered |
| 09 Jan 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of granting the Welsh Government’s proposed UK Internal Market Act exemption on the Deposit Return Scheme on (a) businesses and… | Answered |
| 09 Jan 2026 | Department for Business and Trade | To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact the Welsh Government’s proposed UK Internal Market Act exemption to run its own Deposit Return Scheme would have on (a) existing and (… | Answered |
| 24 Nov 2025 | 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 effectiveness of potential new treatments for glioblastoma. | Answered |
| 10 Nov 2025 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to recognise obesity as a disease. | Answered |
| 10 Nov 2025 | 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 merits of delivering weight management services as part of the neighbourhood health model. | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 28 Oct 2024 | present |
| Panel of ChairsSelect | Member | Commons | 30 Jul 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 | 166 | 27,542 | 9.0% |
| Staffing | 3 | 243,490 | 79.3% |
| Accommodation | 13 | 28,458 | 9.3% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 4,361 | 1.4% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 3,392 | 1.1% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pooled staffing services | Office Costs | 1 | 4,600 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 48 | 3,501 |
| Training - staff | Staffing | 3 | 2,563 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 24 | 2,505 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 15 | 2,053 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 28 | 1,751 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 10 | 1,234 |
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 2 | 1,187 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 730 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 4 | 581 |
| Utilities | Office Costs | 12 | 296 |
| Utilities | Accommodation | 12 | 278 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Electricity | 27 | Paid |
| 23 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | ZOOM.COM 888-799-9666 [200011725-7348] | 16 | Paid |
| 22 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 229 | Paid |
| 21 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Water | 14 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | Monthly Use of Adobe Software for march 2025 | 57 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | PARLI-TRAINING [200011725-5481] | 563 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Toner for Lexmark MC3326 Printer | 334 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Toner for HP Laserjet Pro MFP4302FDW Printer | 209 | Paid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | PARLI-TRAINING [200011725-4743] | 1,000 | Paid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | PARLI-TRAINING [200011725-4742] | 1,000 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Members Monthly Mobile Phone Charges for March 2025 | 114 | Paid |
| 26 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | Secure Disposal of Constituency Office Paperwork on 26-02-2025 | 13 | Paid |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 200 | Paid |
| 25 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 136 | Paid |
| 23 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | ZOOM.COM 888-799-9666 | 16 | Paid |
| 22 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 177 | Paid |
| 20 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | Monthly Use of Adobe Software for February 2025 | 57 | Paid |
| 17 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Electricity | 28 | Paid |
| 13 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Members Mobile Phone Charges for February 2025 | 114 | Paid |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Water | 7 | 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.
1. Employment and earnings11 entries
14 Apr 2026
Payment: £270
Received on: 10 April 2026. Hours: 6.5 hrs.
(Registered 11 April 2026)
24 Mar 2026
Payment: £300
Received on: 20 March 2026. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 20 March 2026)
24 Mar 2026
Payment: £300
Received on: 6 February 2026. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 20 March 2026)
16 Dec 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 5 December 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 8 December 2025)
18 Nov 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 7 November 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 10 November 2025)
08 Oct 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 19 September 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 23 September 2025)
05 Aug 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 1 August 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 1 August 2025)
05 Aug 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 17 July 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 18 July 2025)
17 Jun 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 5 June 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 5 June 2025)
29 Apr 2025
Payment: £300
Received on: 17 April 2025. Hours: 7 hrs.
(Registered 22 April 2025)
13 Nov 2024
Role, work or services: Political panellist - TV
Payer: ITN (TV Channel), 200 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8XZ
(Registered 11 November 2024)
8. Miscellaneous4 entries
18 Apr 2024
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Trustee for Swansea City AFC Foundation. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 26 August 2022
(Registered 26 September 2022)
13 Nov 2024
Director and Trustee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (UK Branch). This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 16 October 2024
(Registered 11 November 2024)
13 Nov 2024
Non-executive director, Centre for Social Justice. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 15 October 2024
(Registered 11 November 2024)
18 Apr 2024
Vice President of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Date interest arose: 1 May 2017
(Registered 7 July 2017)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 19 wards, 33 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdulais | Caroline Challinor Lewis | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 373 | 05 May 2022 |
| Blaengwrach Glynneath West | Hayley Davies | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 498 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bonymaen | Mandy Evans | Labour Party | 1,056 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bonymaen | Paul Lloyd | Labour Party | 1,072 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bryn Coch North | Wyndham Fryer Griffiths | Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales | 528 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bryn Coch South | Chris Williams | Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales | 992 | 05 May 2022 |
| Bryn Coch South | Jo Hale | Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales | 930 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cadoxton | Phil Rogers | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 388 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cimla Pelenna | Jeremy Hurley | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,100 | 05 May 2022 |
| Cimla Pelenna | Tim Bowen | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 845 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coedffranc Central | Angharad Rebecca Aubrey | Labour Party | 516 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coedffranc Central | Nathan William Goldup-John | Green Party of England and Wales | 552 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coedffranc North | Mike Harvey | Labour Party | 455 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coedffranc West | Cen Phillips | Liberal Democrats | 548 | 05 May 2022 |
| Coedffranc West | Helen Ceri Clarke | Liberal Democrats | 803 | 05 May 2022 |
| Crynant Onllwyn Seven Sisters | Sian Harris | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,195 | 05 May 2022 |
| Crynant Onllwyn Seven Sisters | Steve Hunt | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,316 | 05 May 2022 |
| Dyffryn | James Marshall Henton | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 427 | 05 May 2022 |
| Dyffryn | Martyn Peters | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 862 | 05 May 2022 |
| Glynneath Central East | Simon Anthony Knoyle | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 547 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llansamlet | Alyson Pugh | Labour Party | 1,862 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llansamlet | Christopher Ryland Doyle | Labour Party | 2,233 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llansamlet | Matthew Jones | Labour Party | 1,924 | 05 May 2022 |
| Llansamlet | Penny Matthews | Labour Party | 2,110 | 05 May 2022 |
| Neath East | Lauren Heard | Labour Party | 409 | 28 Mar 2024 |
| Neath North | Alan Lockyer | Labour Party | 518 | 05 May 2022 |
| Neath North | Andy Lodwig | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 474 | 05 May 2022 |
| Neath South | Carl Jordan | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 557 | 05 May 2022 |
| Neath South | Peter Rees | Labour Party | 520 | 05 May 2022 |
| Resolven Tonna | Dean Lewis | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 842 | 05 May 2022 |
| Resolven Tonna | Leanne Claire Jones | Labour Party | 914 | 05 May 2022 |
| St Thomas | Hayley Joanne Gwilliam | Labour Party | 1,043 | 05 May 2022 |
| St Thomas | Joe Hale | Labour Party | 1,013 | 05 May 2022 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 104,148 | Electorate 76,291 (2024) |
| Median age | 41 | years |
| Degree-educated | 27.1% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 95.7% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 66.3% | households |
| Private-rented | 15.0% | households |
| Social-rented | 18.5% | households |
| Employment rate | 51.9% | 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.