Robert Syms’s voting in Parliament

Robert Syms is a Conservative MP, and on the vast majority of issues votes the same way as other Conservative MPs.

However, Robert Syms sometimes differs from their party colleagues, such as:

• Robert Syms generally voted for a wholly elected House of Lords, while most Conservative MPs generally voted against. Show votes

We have lots more plain English analysis of Robert Syms’s voting record on issues like health, welfare, taxation and more. Visit Robert Syms’s full vote analysis page for more.

Robert Syms has hardly ever rebelled against their party in the current parliament. Find out more.

Last updated: 5 Sep 2018

Recent appearances

• High Speed 2 — [Mr George Howarth in the Chair] 12 Sep 2018

  I fully understand the concerns of constituency Members. The worst thing to happen to a Member of Parliament for a rural constituency is to have a railway go through it. A nuclear power station would bring several thousand jobs, an airport expansion would bring jobs, but if a railway goes through a constituency, particularly above ground, it is bound to affect the local people but bring them...

• High Speed 2 — [Mr George Howarth in the Chair] 12 Sep 2018

  At this stage in the project, apart from drawing up plans, the biggest cost is the compensation schemes. The reason why billions of pounds are being spent at the moment is because the project is buying homes up and down the line because of MPs agitating for decent compensation schemes. Some of the money will come back in due course, because after 20 years the homes will be sold at a profit.

• Foreign Fighters and the Death Penalty: Pairing 23 Jul 2018

  We know that the system actually works pretty well. The Minister has given the figures that show that occasionally, for a variety of reasons, pairs get broken. In those cases, an apology is required, very quickly, and we had an apology from the two individuals in question that should settle the matter. The reality, though, is that this is the worst system except for all the alternatives.

More of Robert Syms’s recent appearances

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Profile

Conservative MP for Poole

Entered the House of Commons on 1 May 1997 — General election

• Wikipedia page
• BBC News profile

Social Media

• @robertsymsMP

Expenses

• Expenses from 2004 to 2009
• Expenses from 2010 onwards

Topics of interest

Robert Syms campaigned to leave the European Union Source: BBC

• Health
• Transport
• Local Government and the Regions
• Deputy Prime Minister
• Home Department
• Environment Food and Rural Affairs
• Trade Unions
• Departmental Marketing
• Illegal Immigrants
• Building Regulations
• Fluoride

Currently held offices

• Member, Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee) (since 30 Oct 2017)
• Member, Statutory Instruments (Select Committee) (since 30 Oct 2017)
• Member, Finance Committee (Commons) (since 30 Oct 2017)

Other offices held in the past

• Member, Administration Committee (28 Nov 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Government Whip (17 Jul 2016 to 15 Jun 2017)
• Chair, High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill (Commons) Committee (8 Jun 2015 to 22 Feb 2016)
• Member, High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill (Commons) Committee (30 Mar 2015 to 8 Jun 2015)
• Chair, High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill (Commons) Committee (6 May 2014 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Member, High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Bill (Commons) Committee (29 Apr 2014 to 6 May 2014)
• Member, Finance and Services Committee (10 Dec 2013 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Member, Administration Committee (28 Oct 2013 to 8 Dec 2014)
• Assistant Whip (HM Treasury) (6 Sep 2012 to 7 Oct 2013)
• Member, Draft Detention of Terrorist Suspects (Temporary Extension) Bills (Joint Committee) (15 Mar 2011 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Member, Liaison Committee (Commons) (27 Jul 2010 to 10 Dec 2012)
• Chair, Regulatory Reform Committee (27 Jul 2010 to 3 Dec 2012)
• Member, Regulatory Reform Committee (26 Jul 2010 to 27 Jul 2010)
• Member, Draft Marine Bill (Joint Committee) (8 May 2008 to 22 Jul 2008)
• Member, Health and Social Care Committee (22 Oct 2007 to 6 May 2010)
• Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government) (10 May 2005 to 3 Jul 2007)
• Shadow Minister (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) (1 Jun 2003 to 5 May 2005)
• Opposition Whip (Commons) (28 Feb 2003 to 1 Jun 2003)
• Member, Transport Committee (22 Jul 2002 to 25 Mar 2003)
• Vice-Chair, Conservative Party (1 Jul 2001 to 1 Jul 2002)
• Shadow Spokesperson (Environment, Transport and the Regions) (1 Jun 1999 to 1 Jun 2001)
• Member, Procedure Committee (5 Nov 1998 to 26 Nov 1999)
• Member, Health and Social Care Committee (14 Jul 1997 to 13 Nov 2000)

Previous MPs in this constituency

• John Ward
• Oscar Murton
• Richard Pilkington
• Mervyn Wheatley
• William Harris
• Charles Schreiber
• Anthony Ashley
• Charles Waring
• Arthur Guest
• Charles Waring
• Henry Seymour
• George Franklyn
• Henry Seymour
• George Franklyn
• Henry Seymour
• Charles Ponsonby
• George Philips
• George Robinson
• George Philips
• Charles Ponsonby
• George Philips
• George Byng
• Charles Tulk
• John Byng
• Benjamin Lester
• John Byng
• William Ponsonby
• John Dent
• Michael Taylor
• Richard Bickerton
• George Garland
• John Jeffery
• George Garland
• John Jeffery

Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

• Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
• Nuclear Safeguards Bill Committee (6 out of 6)
• Children and Social Work Bill Committee (7 out of 7)
• Immigration Bill Committee (10 out of 11)
• Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill Committee (15 out of 15)
• Finance Bill Committee (4 out of 4)
• Crime and Courts Bill Committee (13 out of 13)
• Estates of Deceased Persons (Forfeiture Rule and Law Of Succession) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Finance (No. 4) Bill Committee (12 out of 14)
• Sustainable Communities Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill Committee (2 out of 1)
• Local Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Bribery Bill Committee (5 out of 5)
• Finance Bill Committee (15 out of 18)
• Housing and Regeneration Bill Committee (17 out of 17)
• Health and Safety (Offences) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill Committee (17 out of 18)
• Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
• Civil Aviation Bill Committee (2 out of 3)
• Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill Committee (1 out of 1)
• Housing Bill Committee (15 out of 19)
• Local Government Bill Committee (13 out of 14)
• Crime (International Co-operation) Bill Committee (8 out of 8)

Numerology

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 18 debates in the last year — well below average amongst MPs. See all Robert Syms’s speeches
• Has received answers to 0 written questions in the last year — well below average amongst MPs.
• Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a high number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2015, according to constituents.
• Has voted in 92.89% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — well above average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)
• People have made 3 annotations on this MP’s speeches — average amongst MPs.
• This MP’s speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 16–17 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• 135 people are tracking this MP — email me updates on Robert Syms’s activity
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 449 times in debates — above average amongst MPs. (Why is this here?)