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John Whittingdale

Conservative MP for Maldon

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John Whittingdale

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New votes added to voting summaries: October 2025

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Committees

In the UK Parliament, committees are groups of MPs or Peers who examine specific issues in more detail than can be done in debates.

Some committees focus on checking the government’s decisions and spending, while others investigate specific topics and proposed legislation.

John Whittingdale is currently a member of the following committees:

Member, Foreign Affairs Committee

The Foreign Affairs Committee examines the expenditure, administration and policy of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other bodies associated with the Foreign Office and within the Committee's remit, including the British Council.

Learn more about this committee

Committee memberships held in the past

  • Member, Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Bill Committee ( 1 May 2024 to 8 May 2024)
  • Member, Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill Committee (21 Feb 2024 to 28 Feb 2024)
  • Member, Media Bill Committee (29 Nov 2023 to 12 Dec 2023)
  • Member, Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill Committee ( 9 May 2023 to 23 May 2023)
  • Member, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (11 Sep 2017 to 6 Nov 2019)
  • Member, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (31 Oct 2016 to 3 May 2017)
  • Chair, Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee) ( 8 Sep 2011 to 12 Mar 2012)
  • Chair, Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee) ( 8 Sep 2011 to 12 Mar 2012)
  • Member, Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee) (14 Jul 2011 to 8 Sep 2011)
  • Member, Liaison Committee (Commons) (11 Jul 2005 to 30 Mar 2015)
  • Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (11 Jul 2005 to 30 Mar 2015)
  • Member, Trade & Industry Committee (16 Jul 2001 to 29 Oct 2001)
  • Member, Health and Social Care Committee ( 5 Jul 1993 to 21 Mar 1997)
  • Member, Consolidation etc. Bills (Joint Committee) (27 Apr 1992 to 21 Mar 1997)

All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)

All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal cross-party groups made up of MPs and Peers who share an interest in a particular country or subject.

They do not have formal powers or funding, but can book rooms on the parliamentary estate and may receive funding from outside organisations and companies.

We source information on APPG memberships from lists on APPG websites or asking APPGs for unpublished lists. Please report any incorrect or outdated information.

John Whittingdale is an officer of the following groups

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Armenia (Vice Chair)

More info

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Intellectual Property (Chair & Registered Contact)

More info
  • Purpose: To debate and highlight the value of intellectual property and the importance of its promotion and protection. The Group meets several times a year on topical issues relating to intellectual property.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: http://www.allpartyipgroup.org.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Lithuania (Chair & Registered Contact)

More info
  • Purpose: To promote and strengthen relations between the parliaments of Lithuania and the UK.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Media Freedom (Chair & Registered Contact)

More info
  • Purpose: To promote media freedom in countries around the world and to strengthen the protection of journalists.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine (Vice Chair)

More info
  • Purpose: To promote and strengthen relations between the UK and Ukrainian parliaments.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Writers (Vice Chair)

More info
  • Purpose: Representing the interests of all writers, enabling Parliamentarians from across the political spectrum to keep government and opposition parties informed on specific issues such as safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring writers receive a fair level of reward for their contribution to the economy and society.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://allpartywritersgroup.co.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

John Whittingdale is a member of the following groups

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs

More info
  • Purpose: The APPG focuses on the arbitrary detention of British citizens abroad, and the taking of British citizens as hostages for leverage in State to State relations. The APPG coordinates parliamentary support for specific cases and builds on advocacy to appoint a Director within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Arbitrary Detention.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://www.hostagesappg.co.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group

More info
  • Purpose: To promote understanding of the significant contribution of brewing and pubs to the UK economy and wider society, including their economic, social, cultural and historic importance, contribution to tourism, the social responsibility exercised by the sector, and also supporting the UK's brewing and pub sectors worldwide.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: https://www.appgbeer.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

Channel Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group

More info
  • Purpose: To promote a better understanding of the constitutional position of the Channel Islands, the issues facing the Channel Islands and to develop better relations between the UK and the Channel Islands.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Digital Creators

More info
  • Purpose: To champion the digital creator economy and advocate for content creators as a profession in recognition of their profound economic and cultural contributions across the UK. Working to remove barriers to growth, helping all UK creators reach their full potential.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://digitalcommunities.inparliament.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Explosive Weapons and their Impact

More info
  • Purpose: The APPG will keep Parliamentarians informed on all aspects of explosive ordnance disposal and humanitarian mine action, especially support for victims. The aim is to ensure suitable and sustainable government policy is developed. The APPG will explore issues through inquiries and briefings.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://www.appg-explosive-threats.co.uk/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freedom of Speech

More info
  • Purpose: To protect and promote freedom of speech in the UK and around the world.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Georgia

More info
  • Purpose: To foster good bilateral relations and understanding between the UK and Georgia.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group

More info

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Kosovo and Albania

More info
  • Purpose: To help bilateral relations between the UK and Kosovo and the UK and Albania, and to improve parliamentary relations between the three countries.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Lebanon

More info
  • Purpose: To strengthen political and economic relationships between the United Kingdom and Lebanon.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Listed Properties

More info
  • Purpose: To speak up for listed properties in the UK and raise awareness in parliament of the role played by their owners in protecting the nation's heritage; and to advocate policies that support owners in preserving listed properties, including tax and planning reform.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Nordic Countries

More info
  • Purpose: To develop, maintain, and promote relations between Britain and Nordic countries, their parliaments and people.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Publishing

More info

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Saudi Arabia

More info
  • Purpose: The APPG aims to strengthen bilateral relations, promote cultural exchange, and address key issues such as trade and regional stability. The group engages in discussions, visits, and events to deepen mutual cooperation.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Serbia

More info
  • Purpose: To foster the good relationship between Serbia and the UK and promote the Serbian contribution to the UK.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Small Modular Reactors

More info
  • Purpose: Support the roll-out of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to sites across the UK, to champion the SMR model, to encourage a diversity of design and providers and to engage UK nuclear industry in the development of SMRs including supporting engineering jobs in the UK and developing nuclear skills.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://www.smrappg.com/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

Tidy Britain All-Party Parliamentary Group

More info
  • Purpose: To highlight issues related to local environmental quality, including littering, pollution and fly­tipping, and their detrimental impact on communities; to raise these issues on the parliamentary agenda; to provide a forum for parliamentarians and advocates of local environmental quality; and to highlight the work of volunteer litter-picking groups and individuals.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/tidy-britain-appg
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Video Games and Esports

More info
  • Purpose: To work with the games and interactive entertainment industry, including with its trade body UK Interactive Entertainment, to supercharge the industry's economic, technological and cultural contributions within parliament.
  • Membership Source: E-mail correspondence with APPG
  • APPG Website: N/A
  • APPG register: Parliament website

All-Party Parliamentary Group for Wine of Great Britain

More info
  • Purpose: To identify how Whitehall departments, in conjunction with Members of the Commons and Lords, can support producers of wine from grapes grown across the UK, to ensure that relevant legislation and regulations, combined with innovative support and trade deals, can deliver a profitable sector for the domestic and export markets.
  • Membership Source: Source
  • APPG Website: https://winegb.co.uk/politics/appg-2/
  • APPG register: Parliament website

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