About your Member of Parliament

Your MP (Hilary Benn) represents you, and all of the people who live in Leeds South, at the UK Parliament in Westminster.

MPs split their time between Parliament and their constituency. In Parliament, they debate and vote on new laws, review existing laws, and question the Government. In the constituency, their focus is on supporting local people and championing local issues. They have a small staff team who help with casework, maintain their diaries, and monitor their inbox.

What you can do

• Find out more about your MP, including their voting summary, register of interests and recent speeches.
• Write to your MP, or find out about your other local representatives on WriteToThem.com.
• Find out more about Leeds South on the Local Intelligence Hub.

Profile

Labour MP for Leeds South

Entered the House of Commons on 10 June 1999 — Byelection

Also represented Leeds Central

• Personal website
• Wikipedia page
• BBC News profile

Social Media

• @hilarybennmp
• Facebook
• UK Parliament Profile

Expenses

• Expenses from 2004 to 2009
• Expenses from 2010 onwards

Topics of interest

Hilary Benn campaigned to remain in the European Union Source: BBC

• Communities and Local Government
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Home Office
• Department of Health and Social Care
• Foreign
• Commonwealth and Development Office
• Written Questions: Government Responses
• Written Questions
• Building Safety Fund
• Immigration: EU Nationals
• Yemen: Military Intervention

Currently held offices

• The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (since 5 Jul 2024)

Other offices held in the past

• Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland ( 4 Sep 2023 to 30 May 2024)
• Member, Energy Security and Net Zero Committee (12 Jun 2023 to 20 Nov 2023)
• Member, Liaison Committee (Commons) (20 May 2020 to 15 Jan 2021)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (27 Jan 2020 to 16 Jan 2021)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (27 Jan 2020 to 16 Jan 2021)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (27 Jan 2020 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (27 Jan 2020 to 3 May 2017)
• Member, Liaison Committee Sub-committee on the effectiveness and influence of the select committee system (13 Feb 2019 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Member, Liaison Committee (Commons) ( 6 Nov 2017 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (12 Jul 2017 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (12 Jul 2017 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (12 Jul 2017 to 6 Nov 2019)
• Member, Liaison Committee (Commons) (19 Oct 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (19 Oct 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (19 Oct 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union (19 Oct 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Shadow Foreign Secretary ( 8 May 2015 to 26 Jun 2016)
• Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government ( 7 Oct 2011 to 8 May 2015)
• Member, Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (26 Jan 2011 to 7 Dec 2011)
• Shadow Leader of the House of Commons ( 8 Oct 2010 to 7 Oct 2011)
• Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (12 May 2010 to 8 Oct 2010)
• The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (28 Jun 2007 to 6 May 2010)
• The Secretary of State for International Development ( 6 Oct 2003 to 28 Jun 2007)
• The Minister of State, Department for International Development (13 May 2003 to 6 Oct 2003)
• Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Minister for Prisons and Probation) (29 May 2002 to 13 May 2003)
• The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (11 Jun 2001 to 28 May 2002)
• Member, Environment, Transport & Regional Affairs Committee ( 6 Dec 1999 to 1 Jun 2001)
• Member, Environment Sub-committee ( 6 Dec 1999 to 1 Jun 2001)

Previous MPs in this constituency

• Merlyn Rees
• Hugh Gaitskell
• Henry Charleton
• Borras Whiteside
• Henry Charleton
• William Middlebrook
• John Walton
• Lyon Playfair

Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

• Criminal Justice Bill Committee (29 out of 32)
• International Development Bill Committee (4 out of 4)
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Bill Committee (5 out of 7)

Recent appearances

• Written Answers — Northern Ireland Office: Community Relations: Northern Ireland 3 Jul 2025

  I speak regularly with Northern Ireland’s Ministers and Party Leaders on a variety of issues. The attendance of Northern Ireland’s political representatives at commemorative events is a matter for the political parties to decide themselves.

• Written Answers — Northern Ireland Office: Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 2 Jul 2025

  Last December, I laid a proposal for a draft remedial order in Parliament, representing the first step in fulfilling the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act. I am continuing to speak to all interested parties about our forthcoming primary legislation, which will ensure we have legacy mechanisms in place that are lawful and in which people can have confidence in.

• Northern Ireland: A75 and A77 Roads: Economic Impact 2 Jul 2025

  The Union connectivity review recognised the importance of the A75 and A77 roads for passengers and freight between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Government have therefore allocated up to £5 million to support a feasibility study into bypass options for the A75 and have also encouraged the Scottish Government to improve the A77.

More of Hilary Benn’s recent appearances

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