South Devon / data
Caroline Voaden · Liberal Democrats · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
659days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
350
of 504 possible
Attendance
69%
154 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
454
170 debates
Written Qs
140
136 answered
Committees
1
memberships
Expenses
£193k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 151 claims
Interests
3
1 category
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 76 | |
| Economy | 67 | |
| Employment | 39 | |
| Crime & Policing | 34 | |
| Education | 27 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 26 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 23 | |
| Pensions | 21 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 34 | 18,574 |
| Social Care | 40 | 16,432 |
| Local Government | 30 | 12,358 |
| Health | 22 | 11,565 |
| Economy Jobs | 47 | 10,755 |
| Cost Of Living | 23 | 9,457 |
| Environment | 17 | 7,091 |
| Culture Community | 13 | 6,645 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Children’s Wellbeing and Schools BillWill the hon. Member give way? EducationTechnologySocial Care | 6 |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Children’s Wellbeing and Schools BillWill the right hon. Gentleman give way? EducationTechnologySocial Care | 7 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)You are confident that a bad actor could not ever contact somebody who was under 16 through your platform? | 19 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)Would you say that TikTok is guilty of messaging children under 16 to get them to age assure, and letting them try repeatedly if they fail? Alistair Law: From my understanding, wha… | 92 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)If a ban were to be based on features and functionality, rather than a platform, which is the way Australia chose to do it, then it could well include Roblox—for example, banning a… | 47 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)I would like to move on to talk about a ban. Obviously, that conversation has been led by Australia going first, but Governments across the world are now waking up to the dangers o… | 317 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)But you settled that case out of court, so you did not actually go into the courtroom. Alistair Law: It was a US litigation process, and my understanding is that it is going to app… | 74 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)What are you doing to reduce addiction? | 7 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)Do you think ban is the right word? It is an interesting word, isn’t it, because we don’t allow children to go into nightclubs because they would be exposed to alcohol and other ha… | 167 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)I think the evidence argument is on very shaky ground now. The evidence of most parents in the country, who would say that their children are spending too much time online, suggest… | 434 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)An expert recently advised parents that they should be with their children at all times while they were on Roblox, because it is not a safe platform for young people, in the opinio… | 41 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)But you could access it if you were pretending to be over 16. Alistair Law: Similar to the answer that Rebecca gave earlier, we start from the perspective that if you are set in th… | 321 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)I was going to ask you about the benefits of having a legislative ban on phones in schools. The Government moved on that yesterday. Do you think a statutory ban in legislation will… | 42 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)Laura, I would like to turn briefly to Roblox, because I know that you have not been covered by the ban in Australia. There has been criticism that the Australian ban does not go f… | 126 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Education Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1839)Can you tell the Committee whether any of your engineering or product teams are rewarded, either financially or professionally, for increasing time spent or session length among us… | 30 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 34 | 24.3% |
| Department for Education | 18 | 12.9% |
| Ministry of Justice | 15 | 10.7% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 13 | 9.3% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 10 | 7.1% |
| Treasury | 8 | 5.7% |
| Department for Transport | 8 | 5.7% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 7 | 5.0% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether children with Developmental Language Disorder were considered when writing the policy paper entitled SEND reform: putting children and young people first. | Pending |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she will take to ensure children with Developmental Language Disorder are adequately supported following upcoming reforms to the SEND system. | Pending |
| 22 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the criminal liability framework applicable in cases where (a) autonomous and (b) connected vehicles cause (i) death and (ii) serious injury. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support the haulage industry with increases in fuel prices. | Answered |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the level of funding required to improve school food standards. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help support small independent lifeboat organisations. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure the timely completion of payments for Countryside Stewardship agreements. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made on the national roll-out of the Youth Jobs Guarantee. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 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 potential impact of removing the formula for flood defence and coastal protection in the Local Government Finance Settlement on… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration he has made of the potential merits of extending the Adjustment Support Grant in 2027/28. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of defunding the Level 5 Outdoor Learning Specialist Apprenticeship on the outdoor education sector. | Answered |
| 09 Mar 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proportion of fertiliser that is imported on food security. | Answered |
| 04 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. | Answered |
| 20 Feb 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, a) in what way her Department plans to measure the impact of the Enrichment Expansion Programme, b) what indicators of success her Department will use, and c) what support the 400… | Answered |
| 20 Feb 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 ensure the long-term sustainability of the Enrichment Expansion Programme; and how will selected schools be supported to continue their enric… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 113 | 24,752 | 12.8% |
| Accommodation | 19 | 18,221 | 9.4% |
| Staffing | 1 | 140,061 | 72.5% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 5,614 | 2.9% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 4,402 | 2.3% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 166 | 0.1% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Accommodation | 8 | 15,000 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 27 | 6,739 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 5 | 5,687 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 4,900 |
| Service charge & ground Rent | Office Costs | 4 | 4,550 |
| Bought-in services | Office Costs | 2 | 2,468 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 4 | 1,961 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 5 | 1,759 |
| Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Office Costs | 7 | 1,343 |
| Utilities | Accommodation | 6 | 640 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 620 |
| Recruitment Services &Costs | Office Costs | 1 | 610 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | [***] [***] [***] 60279906:2 is a duplicate of 60278508:1 | 0 | Repaid |
| 01 Apr 2025 | Accommodation Rent | Rent | 2,500 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -2,500 | Paid |
| 24 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 120 | Paid |
| 24 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | Monthly subscription to Canva [200011797-275] | 3 | Paid |
| 21 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | THE INDEPENDENT [200011725-6775] [200011799-239] | 3 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 372 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 229 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 229 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 229 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 220 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 141 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Banner March 2025 | 35 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | Herald Express newspaper 19/3/25 | 3 | Paid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Utilities | Electricity | 60 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | Herald Express | 3 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | Torbay Weekly | 2 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | Rent | 2,500 | Paid |
| 01 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Newspapers, journals, magazines | PAYPAL LE NEWSPAPR | 6 | Paid |
| 26 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 25 | 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 sources3 entries
17 Nov 2025
Name of donor: National Liberal Club
Address of donor: 1 Whitehall Place London SW1A 2HE
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Complimentary membership, value £1,552.86
Date received: 8 July 2024 to 31 December 2025
Date accepted: 4 August 2024
Donor status: unincorporated association
(Registered 4 August 2024)
01 Jul 2025
Name of donor: Shellfish Association of Great Britain
Address of donor: Fishmongers' Hall, London Bridge, London EC4R 9EL
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: One ticket for the Shellfish Association Conference, plus dinner for myself and my husband, value £440
Date received: 10 June 2025
Date accepted: 10 June 2025
Donor status: company, registration 08804994
(Registered 26 June 2025)
03 Jun 2025
Name of donor: Anthropy Ltd
Address of donor: 41 Moreton Crescent, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7BY
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: A three day ticket was provided for Caroline to attend a conference on the 27 March 2025 . Caroline only attended one day where she was a speaker. The cost of a three day ticket was £1000, value £1,000
Date received: 27 March 2025
Date accepted: 27 March 2025
Donor status: company, registration Registration no: 12486710
(Registered 13 May 2025)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 18 wards, 30 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allington Strete | Laurel Lawford | Liberal Democrats | 628 | 04 May 2023 |
| Blackawton Stoke Fleming | Simon Rake | Liberal Democrats | 527 | 04 May 2023 |
| Charterlands | Bernard Taylor | Conservative and Unionist Party | 523 | 04 May 2023 |
| Churston With Galmpton | Adam Simon Billings | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,155 | 04 May 2023 |
| Churston With Galmpton | Alan John Tyerman | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,039 | 04 May 2023 |
| Collaton St Mary | Martin Brook | Conservative and Unionist Party | 325 | 04 May 2023 |
| Dartington Staverton | Jacqi Hodgson | Green Party of England and Wales | 740 | 04 May 2023 |
| Dartmouth East Dart | Ben Cooper | Labour Party | 1,235 | 04 May 2023 |
| Dartmouth East Dart | Ged Yardy | Liberal Democrats | 1,121 | 04 May 2023 |
| Dartmouth East Dart | Jonathan Denis Hawkins | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,135 | 04 May 2023 |
| Furzeham With Summercombe | Andrew Paul Strang | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,148 | 04 May 2023 |
| Furzeham With Summercombe | Hannah Emily Stevens | Conservative and Unionist Party | 960 | 04 May 2023 |
| Furzeham With Summercombe | Jason Richard Hutchings | Conservative and Unionist Party | 898 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kings Ash | Jackie Thomas | Conservative and Unionist Party | 621 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kings Ash | Yvonne Marie Twelves | Conservative and Unionist Party | 555 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kingsbridge | Denise O'Callaghan | Liberal Democrats | 1,011 | 04 May 2023 |
| Kingsbridge | Susie Jackson | Liberal Democrats | 907 | 04 May 2023 |
| Loddiswell Aveton Gifford | Lee Bonham | Liberal Democrats | 487 | 04 May 2023 |
| Marldon Littlehempston | Samantha Penfold | Conservative and Unionist Party | 355 | 04 May 2023 |
| Salcombe Thurlestone | Mark Leonard Christopher Long | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | 1,160 | 04 May 2023 |
| Salcombe Thurlestone | Samantha Dennis | Conservative and Unionist Party | 618 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Brent | David Christopher Hancock | Liberal Democrats | 1,013 | 04 May 2023 |
| South Brent | Guy Pannell | Liberal Democrats | 1,168 | 04 May 2023 |
| St Peters With St Marys | Anna Joan Tolchard | Conservative and Unionist Party | 746 | 04 May 2023 |
| St Peters With St Marys | Steve Bryant | Conservative and Unionist Party | 744 | 04 May 2023 |
| Stokenham | Julian Brazil | Liberal Democrats | 712 | 04 May 2023 |
| Totnes | Anna Presswell | Green Party of England and Wales | 971 | 04 May 2023 |
| Totnes | Georgina Mary Allen | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,433 | 04 May 2023 |
| Totnes | John Birch | Liberal Democrats | 1,490 | 04 May 2023 |
| West Dart | John McKay | Liberal Democrats | 699 | 04 May 2023 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 99,759 | Electorate 72,261 (2024) |
| Median age | 52 | years |
| Degree-educated | 35.4% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 97.4% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 71.1% | households |
| Private-rented | 16.9% | households |
| Social-rented | 12.0% | households |
| Employment rate | 50.8% | 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.