Stroud / data
Dr Simon Opher · Labour Party · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
660days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
399
of 504 possible
Attendance
79%
105 absent / paired
Whip alignment
98%
vs party majority
Speeches
85
40 debates
Written Qs
319
318 answered
Committees
0
memberships
Expenses
£204k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 176 claims
Interests
13
4 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 89 | |
| Economy | 73 | |
| Crime & Policing | 43 | |
| Education | 34 | |
| Employment | 33 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 26 | |
| Housing | 21 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 21 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Health | 23 | 11,650 |
| Social Care | 14 | 6,917 |
| Education | 4 | 3,170 |
| Economy Jobs | 15 | 2,700 |
| Defence | 4 | 2,421 |
| Crime | 4 | 2,265 |
| Culture Community | 7 | 2,038 |
| Housing | 5 | 1,876 |
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.
| Date | Division | Whip | MP voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2026 | Draft Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 2025MPs voted on new regulations expanding the Public Order Act 2023 to criminalise interference with key national infrastructure, such as energ… | Rebelled | No |
| 24 Nov 2025 | English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill Report Stage: New Clause 29Vote on New Clause 29, which would have imposed a climate duty on local authorities and combined authorities as part of the English Devoluti… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 09 Jul 2025 | Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Committee: Amendment 38Vote on Amendment 38 to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which would have provided greater certainty and protect… | Rebelled | Aye |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Apr 2026 | Sudden Unexpected Death in EpilepsyI thank the hon. Gentleman for bringing this really essential debate to the House. My constituent Emma Taylor tragically lost her daughter at the age of 19 and she now campaigns ti… HealthSocial Care | 59 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Public Baths and LidosI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes) for securing this debate. Lidos are important to us all—particularly to me, because I learned to swim in Grange-ov… HealthCulture CommunityLocal Government | 543 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipThe new community right-to-buy model has been transformative, and community ownership is at the heart of what we do in Stroud. What I have noticed, and other Members have already p… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 325 |
| 16 Mar 2026 | GP ContractI declare an interest as a working GP in the NHS. I probably would not be standing here if general practice had not been decimated over the last 14 years. I welcome the £485 millio… HealthEconomy Jobs | 113 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI absolutely agree. We must get to the bottom of those things because they must not be allowed to happen again. I propose that the Minister talks to Ministers in the Department of … HealthDefence | 110 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI thank my hon. Friend for a point well made. It is even more basic than that: we need to allow medicines into Gaza, which are not currently being transported. Other items such as … HealthDefence | 812 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for the healthcare system in Gaza. It is a privilege to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Jeremy, and I thank the … HealthDefence | 809 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemIndeed, and many of us have campaigned on the medical evacuation of young people. The Minister has delivered on that, although there have been some problems recently, which he may … HealthDefence | 81 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI thank my hon. Friend for that timely intervention—I know she uses her professional skills in Parliament. It is important that we support the healthcare system in Gaza, and I know… HealthDefence | 39 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI absolutely agree. War is traumatic on so many different levels, and mental health is a key part of holistic care and must be covered in any rebuilding of the healthcare system. W… HealthDefence | 61 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemI thank all the speakers who have contributed to what has been a very passionate debate. I have spoken to many British doctors who have worked in Gaza, and what we are presenting h… HealthDefence | 61 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemMy hon. Friend is spot on. Rather than evacuating children to the NHS, which was the right thing to do while war was raging, it is better to build up facilities in the area and sta… HealthDefence | 70 |
| 24 Feb 2026 | Gaza Healthcare SystemThe hon. Gentleman is spot on. The most important thing is peace, so that we can build a healthcare system. Although there has been a ceasefire, a lot of Palestinians are still dyi… HealthDefence | 112 |
| 02 Feb 2026 | Support for Defence SMEsImpcross, a company in my constituency of Stroud, is the sole supplier of flight-critical parts to the Typhoon aircraft and a key supplier for the Vanguard submarine fleet. It is o… DefenceEconomy Jobs | 96 |
| 02 Feb 2026 | Support for Defence SMEs1. What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in the defence sector. DefenceEconomy Jobs | 16 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 78 | 24.5% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 42 | 13.2% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 38 | 11.9% |
| Home Office | 25 | 7.8% |
| Department for Education | 25 | 7.8% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 20 | 6.3% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 13 | 4.1% |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 12 | 3.8% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of GPs have left each ICB in the last 12 months. | Pending |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps is she taking to improve food security. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Written Statement HCWS1273, made on 27 January 2026, whether she plans to allocate some of the £400m grassroots sports funding to lidos. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Cabinet Office | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to identify, review and publish departmental records relevant to Government policy in Palestine. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Cabinet Office | To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making a formal public response to the petition dated September 2025 on the United Kingdom’s historical role in Palestine. | Answered |
| 24 Mar 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has issued guidance to local authorities undergoing Local Government Reorganisation on the transfer or sale of assets to community groups. | Answered |
| 03 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to make comedy venues eligible for the 15% business rates relief. | Answered |
| 26 Feb 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he plans to (a) embed climate adaptation and (b) integrate steps to mitigate and adapt within the seventh carbon budget. | Answered |
| 26 Feb 2026 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support climate adaptation by Government. | Answered |
| 25 Feb 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve Endometriosis care. | Answered |
| 23 Feb 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the December 2025 medicines agreement with the US on costs to the NHS in England. | Answered |
| 20 Feb 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support young people with the cost of living. | Answered |
| 20 Feb 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he plans to extend the Brownfield Land Release Fund. | Answered |
| 09 Feb 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 58971 on Historic Environment Records, how he plans to commence section 230 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration… | Answered |
| 05 Feb 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support networks of (a) clinicians and (b) health professionals who wish to share best practice on responding to domestic abuse. | 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 | 150 | 28,232 | 13.9% |
| Staffing | 14 | 147,336 | 72.3% |
| Accommodation | 1 | 18,979 | 9.3% |
| Miscellaneous | 1 | 365 | 0.2% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 206 | 0.1% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 5,725 | 2.8% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 2,946 | 1.4% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 92 | 10,210 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 3 | 5,497 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 9 | 4,825 |
| Training - staff | Staffing | 14 | 3,522 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 5 | 1,669 |
| Cleaning services | Office Costs | 8 | 1,644 |
| Utilities | Office Costs | 1 | 1,052 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 6 | 919 |
| Council tax | Accommodation | 1 | 886 |
| Landline phone & internet - installation & equipment purchase | Office Costs | 2 | 641 |
| Website hosting and design | Office Costs | 5 | 633 |
| Recruitment Services &Costs | Office Costs | 1 | 395 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 668 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | XMA March 2025 | 410 | Paid |
| 02 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | Monthyl Office Cleaning [200011797-530] | 240 | Paid |
| 02 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | SMITH S GLOUCESTER LTD [200011798-178] | 26 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -128 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 147 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Staffing Training - staff | Team Building x2 days | 110 | Paid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 147 | Paid |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | QUADIENT UK LTD [200011726-5069] [200011799-51] | 32 | Paid |
| 07 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | Venue hire, meetings & surgeries | 30 | Paid |
| 07 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Waste disposal, confidential waste & rubbish collection | SMITH S GLOUCESTER LTD [200011725-2741] | 26 | Paid |
| 07 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | MAILCHIMP [200011725-2742] [200011799-54] | 16 | 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 earnings7 entries
14 Apr 2026
Payment: £1,550
Received on: 23 March 2026. Hours: 15.5 hrs five GP surgeries.
(Registered 23 March 2026)
07 Feb 2025
Role, work or services: Locum Doctor
Payer: NHS, May Lane Surgery, Dursley, Glos GL11 4JN
(Registered 17 July 2024; updated 12 May 2025)
21 Oct 2025
Payment: £1,500 Payment for work as a locum at three GP surgeries
Received on: 16 October 2025. Hours: 20 hrs 3 GP surgeries.
(Registered 17 October 2025)
13 May 2025
Payment: £400 Payment for work as a locum for two GP surgeries
Received on: 10 February 2025. Hours: 6 hrs.
(Registered 12 May 2025)
13 May 2025
Payment: £1,050 Payment for work as a locum for three full GP surgeries
Received on: 30 April 2025. Hours: 12 hrs Shifts at GP surgery to cover Dr absences.
(Registered 12 May 2025)
13 May 2025
Payment: £500
Work or services: wrote an article for newspaper
Received on: 20 March 2025. Hours: 6 hrs Estimated.
Donated to: All Party Parliamentary Group secretariat Beyond Pills
(Registered 12 May 2025)
13 May 2025
Role, work or services: Writing Article
Payer: Mail on Sunday (newspaper), Northcliffe House, 2, Derry St, London W85TT
(Registered 12 May 2025)
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources1 entry
15 Jul 2025
Name of donor: SXSW London
Address of donor: Second Floor, 67-71 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: I received a complementary platinum pass for SXSW London conference where I was a speaker, value £1,300
Date received: 12 June 2025
Date accepted: 19 June 2025
Donor status: company, registration 16034054
(Registered 2 July 2025)
4. Visits outside the UK1 entry
08 Oct 2025
Name of donor: Caabu (Council for Arab-British Understanding)
Address of donor: 1 Gough Square, London EC4A 3DE
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Flights, accommodation and food, value £1,050
Destination of visit: Palestine and Jordan
Dates of visit: 14 September 2025 to 16 September 2025
Purpose of visit: Fact finding visit organised by the Council for Arab-British Understanding
(Registered 18 September 2025)
8. Miscellaneous4 entries
10 Mar 2026
Political Patron for CRAFT (the new body for the UK comedy industry). This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 6 March 2026
(Registered 6 March 2026)
16 Dec 2025
Vice President of Cotswold Canal Trust. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 29 November 2025
(Registered 2 December 2025)
05 Aug 2025
Vice Chair of the Climate and Nature Crisis Caucus. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 15 July 2025
(Registered 22 July 2025)
16 Aug 2024
Director of Prema Arts Centre, Uley. This is an unpaid role.
(Registered 17 July 2024)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 21 wards, 39 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amberley Woodchester | Sarah Canning | Green Party of England and Wales | 420 | 02 May 2024 |
| Berkeley Vale | Charles James Tuffin | Conservative and Unionist Party | 881 | 02 May 2024 |
| Berkeley Vale | Lindsey Jane Green | Conservative and Unionist Party | 1,094 | 02 May 2024 |
| Berkeley Vale | Paul Turner | Conservative and Unionist Party | 935 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cainscross | Dave Mathews | Labour Party | 971 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cainscross | Elizabeth Ross Stanley | Labour Party | 989 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cainscross | Fraser Dahdouh | Labour Party | 954 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cam East | Ian Hamilton | Labour Party | 662 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cam East | Milly Hill | Labour Party | 583 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cam West | Chris Haynes | Labour Party | 590 | 02 May 2024 |
| Cam West | Terri Kinnison | Labour Party | 528 | 02 May 2024 |
| Chalford | Helen Fenton | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,279 | 02 May 2024 |
| Chalford | James Boyle | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,192 | 02 May 2024 |
| Chalford | Trica Watson | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,323 | 02 May 2024 |
| Coaley Uley | Martin Richard Pearcy | Green Party of England and Wales | 584 | 02 May 2024 |
| Dursley | Bob Hughes | Labour Party | 802 | 02 May 2024 |
| Dursley | Helen Rose Caton Hughes | Labour Party | 915 | 02 May 2024 |
| Dursley | Terry Cook | Labour Party | 840 | 02 May 2024 |
| Nailsworth | Kate Kay | Green Party of England and Wales | 985 | 02 May 2024 |
| Nailsworth | Maggie Dutton | Labour Party | 942 | 02 May 2024 |
| Nailsworth | Steve Robinson | Labour Party | 1,599 | 02 May 2024 |
| Randwick Whiteshill Ruscombe | Jon Edmunds | Green Party of England and Wales | 613 | 02 May 2024 |
| Rodborough | Katy Hofmann | Labour Party | 576 | 02 May 2024 |
| Rodborough | Nigel Andrew Prenter | Labour Party | 602 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stonehouse | Carol Kambites | Green Party of England and Wales | 661 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stonehouse | John Charles Parker | Labour Party | 723 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stonehouse | John Michael Callinan | Labour Party | 749 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Central | David Drew | Labour Party | 408 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Farmhill Paganhill | Shyama Ananthan | Labour Party | 388 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Slade | Natalie Rothwell-Warn | Green Party of England and Wales | 387 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Trinity | Lucas Schoemaker | Green Party of England and Wales | 485 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Uplands | Cath Moore | Labour Party | 246 | 02 May 2024 |
| Stroud Valley | Martin Joseph Baxendale | Green Party of England and Wales | 559 | 02 May 2024 |
| The Stanleys | Marisa Godfrey | Green Party of England and Wales | 741 | 02 May 2024 |
| The Stanleys | Steve Hynd | Green Party of England and Wales | 907 | 02 May 2024 |
| Thrupp | Beki Aldam | Green Party of England and Wales | 635 | 02 May 2024 |
| Wotton Under Edge | Catherine Braun | Green Party of England and Wales | 1,090 | 02 May 2024 |
| Wotton Under Edge | Gareth Kitchen | Green Party of England and Wales | 743 | 02 May 2024 |
| Wotton Under Edge | Linda Cohen | Liberal Democrats | 1,185 | 02 May 2024 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 96,620 | Electorate 77,905 (2024) |
| Median age | 47 | years |
| Degree-educated | 37.3% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 96.6% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 72.9% | households |
| Private-rented | 13.8% | households |
| Social-rented | 13.2% | households |
| Employment rate | 60.0% | 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.