New Forest West / data
Sir Desmond Swayne · Conservative and Unionist Party · sitting since 01 May 1997 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
10585days
from 01 May 1997
Divisions
379
of 504 possible
Attendance
75%
125 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
162
111 debates
Written Qs
85
83 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£130k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 42 claims
Interests
3
2 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 83 | |
| Economy | 71 | |
| Employment | 44 | |
| Crime & Policing | 41 | |
| Education | 33 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 24 | |
| Housing | 21 | |
| Defence and Foreign Affairs | 20 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Economy Jobs | 50 | 2,937 |
| Defence | 36 | 2,068 |
| Social Care | 21 | 1,945 |
| Cost Of Living | 13 | 1,366 |
| Culture Community | 13 | 1,147 |
| Fiscal Policy | 18 | 1,009 |
| Crime | 18 | 911 |
| Local Government | 16 | 758 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2026 | Project Spire3. What recent discussions the Church has had with the Charity Commission on Project Spire. Culture CommunityOther | 15 |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Project SpireIs the Church going to launch a new charity? If so, when, and why the delay? Culture CommunityOther | 16 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Local Government ReorganisationThere was only one voice demanding the sacrifice of part of the rural New Forest district—it was Labour in Southampton, wasn’t it? Local GovernmentHousingEconomy Jobs | 22 |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Pothole Repairs: Government FundingCan I declare my interest, having lost three tyres to potholes this year? What assessment has the Department made of the efficiency with which potholes are being filled? What on ea… TransportLocal GovernmentFiscal Policy | 49 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Middle EastDoes the Secretary of State have contacts at US Central Command that can give reassurance that there is a plan? The President’s social media feed gives the opposite impression. Is … DefenceEnergyEconomy Jobs | 33 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Courts and Tribunals Bill2. Whether the Attorney General has advised the Lord Chancellor on the potential impact of the Courts and Tribunals Bill on the rule of law. CrimeEconomy Jobs | 25 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Courts and Tribunals BillOn 3 February, the Lord Chancellor undertook to model his proposals for jury trials and to publish the results. Has the modelling been done and when will the results be published? CrimeEconomy Jobs | 31 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Statutory Right to FoodIs this a wind-up, Mr Speaker? They will be asking for collective farms in this socialist paradise next. Has the Minister made any assessment of the impact that a right to food wou… HealthCost Of LivingSocial Care | 46 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Student LoansI’ve got a short one! EducationEconomy JobsFiscal Policy | 5 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Student LoansThe Minister’s hon. Friend, the hon. Member for Leeds Central and Headingley (Alex Sobel), asked a perfectly reasonable question about looking at the thing in the round, and her an… EducationEconomy JobsFiscal Policy | 45 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble AddressDid the Prime Minister’s chief of staff communicate with Mandelson via a private email address? Mp PerformanceFiscal PolicyCrime | 15 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | Strait of HormuzWhat is the Minister’s latest assessment of the threat of transnational oppression carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps? DefenceEnergyCost Of Living | 20 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Digital ID: Public ConsultationI am almost speechless! This House is the properly accountable people’s panel, not some collection of stooges and trustees selected by the Minister. In any event, it is no good him… Economy JobsOther | 56 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Topical QuestionsT8. The Chancellor said that she will meet representatives of the North sea oil industry to see how it can help. The proper question is how she can help it, is it not? Cost Of LivingEconomy JobsUtilities | 33 |
| 09 Mar 2026 | UnemploymentThe Government loaded costs on to employers while the benefits bill let rip. What on earth did they think would happen? Economy JobsLabour Market | 21 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 22 | 25.9% |
| Department for Education | 9 | 10.6% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 9 | 10.6% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 8 | 9.4% |
| Treasury | 6 | 7.1% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 6 | 7.1% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 5 | 5.9% |
| Northern Ireland Office | 4 | 4.7% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will instruct the Rural Payments Agency to implement a manual system to process applications for ELM schemes on Common land. | Answered |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will review the adequacy of her Department's travel advice for Hong Kong, in the context of recent reports of enforcement actions, under the National Se… | Answered |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to ensure that children and young people will have a right to be educated in a specialist placement if their complex needs cannot be met in a mainstream educational s… | Pending |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using the specialist sector to complement the inclusive mainstream sector; and what steps she is taking to (a) support and (b) invest in sp… | Pending |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is taking diplomatic steps to hold the recently inaugurated President of Myanmar, Min Aung Hlaing, accountable for war crimes, crimes against human… | Answered |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will increase humanitarian support to Myanmar’s refugees, internally displaced people and civil society in 2026. | Answered |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to include refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism at a future date; and if she will take measures to support the fuels sector whilst it is excluded from a Carbon… | Answered |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the exclusion of refined products from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism from January 2028; and what estimate she has made of the potential i… | Answered |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for the National Inclusion Standards to include (a) speech and language therapists, (b) any other experts on speech, language and communication challenges. | Answered |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for SEND practitioners to be provided with training on how to support children with speech, language and communication challenges. | Answered |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Northern Ireland Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support the resumption of inquests that were discontinued by previous legislation. | Answered |
| 25 Feb 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Government of China on the potential merits of the release of Pastor Ezra Jim Mingri. | Answered |
| 12 Feb 2026 | Scotland Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the proposed application of electric vehicle pay-per-mile taxation on people living in rural communities in Scotland. | Answered |
| 10 Feb 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the risk of carbon leakage for refineries before and after January 2028, compared to other industrial sectors. | Answered |
| 10 Feb 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK carbon pricing on the refinery sector; and whether her has made an assessment of the potential merits of carbon price… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panel of ChairsSelect | Member | Commons | 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 22 | 9,181 | 7.1% |
| Accommodation | 14 | 3,658 | 2.8% |
| Staffing | 1 | 115,190 | 88.7% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 1,752 | 1.3% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 44 | 0.0% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pooled staffing services | Office Costs | 3 | 7,263 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 14 | 3,658 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 2,000 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 1 | 720 |
| Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Office Costs | 11 | 403 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 1 | 334 |
| Website hosting and design | Office Costs | 1 | 332 |
| Advertising and contact cards | Office Costs | 3 | 86 |
| Postage & couriers | Office Costs | 2 | 43 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 334 | Paid |
| 09 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | , New Contract | 22 | Paid |
| 09 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Cellhire, Previous Contract | 20 | Paid |
| 27 Feb 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliamentary Sitting | 280 | Paid |
| 15 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | Caseworker Licence& annual support | 720 | Paid |
| 06 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Cellhire contract | 41 | Paid |
| 30 Jan 2025 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliamentary Sittings | 360 | Paid |
| 08 Jan 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Cellire usage | 41 | Paid |
| 18 Dec 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliamentary sittings | 240 | Paid |
| 07 Dec 2024 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Cellhire -contract hire only =£34.45 +20% =41.35 | 41 | Paid |
| 30 Nov 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliament Sitting : [***][***][***] | 360 | Paid |
| 25 Nov 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliament Sitting [***] | 159 | Paid |
| 29 Oct 2024 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Cellhire Contract (34.45 +20%VAT=£41.34) | 41 | Paid |
| 28 Oct 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliamentary Sittings. [***][***][***] | 440 | Paid |
| 09 Sept 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliament Sitting [***][***][***] | 120 | Paid |
| 06 Sept 2024 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - contract & usage | Celhire Contract july less 1-4 July (( 41.34/31)*27)= | 36 | Paid |
| 02 Sept 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliament sitting [***] [***] | 156 | Paid |
| 16 Aug 2024 | Office Costs Pooled staffing services | Policy Research Unit (Conservative) | 1,715 | Paid |
| 14 Aug 2024 | Office Costs Postage & couriers | Repayment- unused stamps-60239438:3 | 0 | Repaid |
| 29 Jul 2024 | Accommodation Hotel - London | Parliament sittings: [***][***][***] | 280 | 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.
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 year2 entries
18 Apr 2024
Type of land/property: Residential property (house)
Number of properties: 1
Location: London
Ownership details: owned jointly with my wife
Rental income: Yes
(Updated 20 May 2015)
18 Apr 2024
Type of land/property: Residential property (flat)
Number of properties: 1
Location: London
Ownership details: owned jointly with my wife
Rental income: Yes
(Updated 20 May 2015)
9. Family members employed and paid from parliamentary expenses1 entry
18 Apr 2024
Name: Moira Swayne
Relationship: Spouse
Role: Principal Secretary
Working pattern: Full time
(Updated 20 May 2015)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 12 wards, 23 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Bashley Fernhill | Geoff Blunden | Conservative and Unionist Party | 981 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ashley Bashley Fernhill | Jill Cleary | Conservative and Unionist Party | 972 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ballard | Neil Tungate | Conservative and Unionist Party | 348 | 04 May 2023 |
| Barton Becton | Alan Dennis O'Sullivan | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,087 | 04 May 2023 |
| Barton Becton | Keith Edward Craze | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,147 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bransgore Burley Sopley Ringwood East | Neil Millington | Green Party of England and Wales | 725 | 04 May 2023 |
| Bransgore Burley Sopley Ringwood East | Nigel Victor Linford | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 805 | 04 May 2023 |
| Downlands Forest North | Janet Richards | Green Party of England and Wales | 562 | 04 May 2023 |
| Fordingbridge Godshill Hyde | David Jonathan Millar | Liberal Democrats | 1,118 | 04 May 2023 |
| Fordingbridge Godshill Hyde | Phil Woods | Liberal Democrats | 1,085 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lymington | Barry Frank Dunning | Conservative and Unionist Party | 962 | 04 May 2023 |
| Lymington | Jacqui England | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 880 | 04 May 2023 |
| Milford Hordle | Alvin Reid | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,317 | 04 May 2023 |
| Milford Hordle | Christine Vivenne Ward | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,339 | 04 May 2023 |
| Milford Hordle | David Edmund Hawkins | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,418 | 04 May 2023 |
| Milton | Steve Clarke | Conservative and Unionist Party | 810 | 04 May 2023 |
| Milton | Steve Davies | Conservative and Unionist Party | 822 | 04 May 2023 |
| Pennington | Colm McCarthy | Liberal Democrats | 785 | 04 May 2023 |
| Pennington | Jack Davies | Liberal Democrats | 1,007 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ringwood North Ellingham | John Haywood | Labour Party | 754 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ringwood North Ellingham | Michael Hamilton Thierry | Conservative and Unionist Party | 788 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ringwood South | Jeremy David Heron | Conservative and Unionist Party | 534 | 04 May 2023 |
| Ringwood South | Steve Rippon-Swaine | Conservative and Unionist Party | 517 | 04 May 2023 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 88,603 | Electorate 68,644 (2024) |
| Median age | 54 | years |
| Degree-educated | 33.1% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 96.9% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 74.7% | households |
| Private-rented | 15.4% | households |
| Social-rented | 9.9% | households |
| Employment rate | 49.9% | 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.