• Liberal Democrat MP for Bath
• Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Culture, Media & Sport (since 26 Jan 2004)
• Majority: 4,638 votes. — 456th out of 630 MPs.
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• Voting record
• Committees and topics of interest
• Recent appearances
• Numerology
• Register of Members’ Interests
• Expenses
• Early Day Motions signed by this MP (From edmi.parliament.uk)

How Don Foster voted on key issues since 2001:

• Voted for a transparent Parliament. votes, speeches
• Voted moderately for introducing a smoking ban. votes, speeches
• Voted strongly against introducing ID cards. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly against introducing foundation hospitals. votes, speeches
• Voted strongly against introducing student top-up fees. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly against Labour's anti-terrorism laws. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly against the Iraq war. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly for an investigation into the Iraq war. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly against replacing Trident. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly for the hunting ban. votes, speeches
• Voted moderately for equal gay rights. votes, speeches
• Voted very strongly for laws to stop climate change. votes, speeches

Read about how the voting record is decided.

More on well-known issues (from the Guardian) & their full record

• Hardly ever rebels against their party in this parliament.

Asks most questions about

• Departments: Culture Media and Sport, Transport, Transport, Local Government and the Regions, Home Department, Health

• Subjects (based on headings added by Hansard): Railways, Olympic Games, Rail Safety, Strategic Rail Authority, Gambling

(based on written questions asked by Don Foster and answered by departments)

[Robert Key in the Chair] (18 Nov 2008)

“Although I remain, as I said earlier, agnostic as to the final decision that will be made on Friday, I fail to understand this point and I would be grateful if the hon. Gentleman explained it. Given that, as he said earlier, a lot of younger people are getting their news online and the BBC has a charter requirement to reach out to all age groups and all sectors of the community, how do he and...”

Regional Broadcasting (18 Nov 2008)

“I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) on securing this debate and giving an excellent introduction to the complex issues with which many people are struggling. I think that he and all Members would agree that public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom is the envy of the world, but for a variety of reasons, we are in danger of losing that reputation. My...”

Regional Broadcasting (18 Nov 2008)

“If my hon. Friend will allow me, instead of giving a quick, glib answer, I would prefer to develop my thoughts about that in more detail in a moment, because it is critical. Before we move forward, having begun to put together thoughts about what we want—national programming, regional programming and the addition of high-quality local programming—we must be aware of the context in...”

More of Don Foster's recent appearances

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Please note that numbers do not measure quality. Also, representatives may do other things not currently covered by this site. (More about this)

• Has spoken in 27 debates in the last year — average amongst MPs.
• Has received answers to 387 written questions in the last year — well above average amongst MPs.
• Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a low number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2007, according to constituents.
• Has voted in 74% of votes in parliament — average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)
• People have made 4 comments on this MP's speeches — below average amongst MPs.
• This MP's speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 17–18 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• 86 people are tracking whenever this MP speaks — email me whenever Don Foster speaks.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 328 times in debates — well above average amongst MPs. (Why is this here?)

Register last updated: 5 Nov 2008. More about the Register

View the history of this MP's entries in the Register

Figures in brackets are ranks. Parliament's explanatory notes.

^* Car £3,696 (264th). Rail £2,404 (304th).