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: Sovereignty: Northern Ireland 25 Apr 2025

  The responsibility for a referendum sits solely with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. In accordance with that Agreement and the principle of consent, Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish for it to be. In 2020, the Northern Ireland High Court ruled that there is no legal requirement or...

• Written Answers — Northern Ireland Office: Infrastructure: Northern Ireland 24 Apr 2025

  Responsibility for infrastructure policy is devolved to Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure. The UK Government is working closely with the devolved governments to ensure that the UK’s nations and regions have the infrastructure they need to boost economic growth and serve their communities. The Northern Ireland Executive received £18.2 billion from the UK Government for...

• EU Tariffs: United States and Northern Ireland Economy 8 Apr 2025

  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. As the Prime Minister has said, tariffs are not good news for anyone and no one wants a trade war. The Government are doing everything possible to keep Britain secure during this new era of global instability, and we will always act in the best interests of businesses in Northern Ireland. As part of our customs territory and internal...

More of Hilary Benn’s recent appearances

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