A selection of Mark Durkan's votes

See full list of topics voted on

• Generally voted for removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords Show votes 2 votes for, 1 vote against, 1 absence, between 2007–2016
• Generally voted against increasing the rate of VAT Show votes 5 votes for, 14 votes against, 7 absences, between 2008–2015
• Generally voted against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax") Show votes 0 votes for, 12 votes against, 5 absences, between 2012–2014
• Generally voted against encouraging occupational pensions Show votes 0 votes for, 2 votes against, 2 absences, between 2010–2011
• Consistently voted against university tuition fees Show votes 0 votes for, 4 votes against, between 2010–2016
• Almost always voted against a reduction in spending on welfare benefits Show votes 0 votes for, 47 votes against, 7 absences, between 2012–2016

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

Recent appearances

• Petition - Fairer Funding Formula for School Pupils in Macclesfield Constituency and the Cheshire East Local Authority Area: Contaminated Blood 25 Apr 2017

  The House should not forget that there was a tribunal of inquiry in Ireland. The Lindsay inquiry found that the state knew of the risks and continued nevertheless, because that is what other states such as the UK were doing. So is it credible that an inquiry in Ireland could find that the risks were known but carried on anyway, and that a further investigation through a panel such as that...

• Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill 24 Apr 2017

  I remind my hon. Friend that when it came to the Stormont House talks, it was the SDLP who submitted the papers on a whole community approach to tackling paramilitarism, it was the SDLP who put in a whole enforcement approach to tackling paramilitarism, and, in fact, it was the SDLP who wanted paramilitarism and criminality on the agenda of those all-party talks. It was the DUP who helped to...

• Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointments and Regional Rates) Bill 24 Apr 2017

  In following the hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson), I should say that I was struck by the number of times he condemned Sinn Féin for using a veto—that from the DUP, the most veto-holic of all the parties, not least in relation to the abuse of the petition of concern, which other hon. Members referred to earlier. Let me join others in referring to the grave attack at the...

More of Mark Durkan’s recent appearances

Profile

Former Social Democratic and Labour Party MP for Foyle, Former Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA for Foyle

Entered the House of Commons on 5 May 2005 — General election

Left the House of Commons on 3 May 2017 — Dissolved for election

Entered the Assembly on 25 June 1998 — General election

Left the Assembly on 9 November 2010 — Resigned

• Personal website
• Wikipedia page
• BBC News profile
• Early Day Motions signed by this MP

Social Media

• @markdurkan
• https://facebook.com/mark.durkan.18

Expenses

• Expenses from 2004 to 2009
• Expenses from 2010 onwards

Topics of interest

Mark Durkan campaigned to remain in the European Union Source: BBC

• Northern Ireland
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Home Department
• Department of Health
• International Development
• HIV/AIDS
• Pensioners
• Sudan
• Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme
• Civil Service

Other offices held in the past

• Member, Committee on Exiting the European Union (7 Nov 2016 to 3 May 2017)
• Member, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (31 Oct 2013 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (International Development) (1 Jun 2011 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (Work and Pensions) (1 Jun 2011 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) (1 Jun 2010 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (Home Affairs) (1 Jun 2010 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (Justice) (1 Jun 2010 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow SDLP Spokesperson (Treasury) (1 Jun 2010 to 30 Mar 2015)
• Shadow Minister (Treasury) (1 Jun 2010 to 30 Jun 2010)
• Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland (6 Nov 2001 to 14 Oct 2002)
• Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party (1 Oct 2001 to 6 May 2010)

Previous MPs in this constituency

• John Hume

Future MPs in this constituency

• Elisha McCallion
• Colum Eastwood

Public bill committees (Sittings attended)

• Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Bill Committee (3 out of 3)
• National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill Committee (7 out of 13)
• Modern Slavery Bill Committee (11 out of 11)
• Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
• Consumer Rights Bill Committee (11 out of 15)
• Small Charitable Donations Bill Committee (8 out of 10)
• Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill Committee (6 out of 6)
• Financial Services (Banking Reform)Bill Committee (2 out of 2)
• Education Bill Committee (20 out of 22)
• Financial Services Bill Committee (18 out of 18)
• Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Bill Committee (3 out of 4)
• Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill Committee (5 out of 6)
• National Insurance Contributions Bill Committee (2 out of 4)
• Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Committee (0 out of 2)

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 95 debates in the last year — well above average amongst MPs. See all Mark Durkan’s speeches
• Has received answers to 60 written questions in the last year — above average amongst MPs.
• Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a medium number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2015, according to constituents.
• Has voted in 78.59% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)
• This MP’s speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 19–20 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.
• 52 people are tracking this MP
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "she sells seashells") 700 times in debates — well above average amongst MPs. (Why is this here?)