Jeff Smith
MP for Manchester Withington
Lab
7 May 2015 - Present
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
Why has the government's programme failed to recognise the impact on organisations across Bristol South? In the week of COP, what more can we do to ensure that new public buildings have green energy designed into them?
Context
The MP visited the new diagnostic centre at Withington community hospital, where he saw solar panels and heat pumps being designed into the building.
The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)
The UK is leading on tackling climate change, delivering energy security, getting bills down and generating hundreds of jobs across the country. We are investing over £250 million to put rooftop solar on schools, hospitals and military sites across the country, which will deliver £400 million of savings to renew our public services.
Session: PMQs 2025-11-12
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As Palestinians try to rebuild their lives amid the rubble of Gaza, last night once again dozens of innocent people were killed by Israeli airstrikes. What will the UK do, along with our international partners, to hold the Israeli—the Netanyahu—Government to account for their actions, and what more can we do to ensure that aid gets in as the Israel Defence Forces block aid in breach of both the peace agreement and international law?
Context
The situation in Gaza where Israeli airstrikes have caused significant civilian casualties and damage, leading to a humanitarian crisis. The conflict involves breaches of peace agreements and international law.
The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this point. I am deeply concerned by the strikes. This underlines the fragility of the ceasefire deal. All sides need to uphold President Trump’s peace plan. It is the only route to long-term peace for Israelis and Palestinians. We are of course in close touch with the US and regional allies pushing for de-escalation. The scale of destruction in Gaza is unimaginable. The immediate priority remains getting aid in at the speed and the volume needed.
Assessment
No specific steps or commitments were provided to hold Israel accountable for their actions or address the humanitarian crisis directly.
Session: PMQs 2025-10-29
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I have constituents affected by the infected blood scandal. Justice for them and other victims is long overdue, so I am pleased that the Government are making progress on this issue. May I ask how many interim £100,000 payments have been made to date to the estates of people who have sadly passed away?
Context
The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme is addressing a long-standing scandal affecting individuals who were infected with diseases through contaminated blood products. Constituents are seeking justice and compensation.
Nick Thomas-Symonds
I am more than happy to write to my hon. Friend with an up-to-date, precise figure for interim payments. I should also mention that, as was raised with me in the House on a number of occasions in the autumn, inheritance tax bit on secondary beneficiaries, and I was pleased that this Government dealt with that issue at the Budget.
Session: Infected Blood Compensation Scheme 2026-01-22
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It will be impossible to get the necessary aid into Gaza until the Rafah crossing is fully open. Will the Minister update us on progress in trying to persuade the Netanyahu Government to do the right thing and open the Rafah crossing?
Context
The Rafah crossing is critical for delivering aid to Gaza, which faces a humanitarian crisis.
Hamish Falconer
I thank my hon. Friend for his question and his continued advocacy on these issues. The 20-point plan clearly outlined the need to open the Rafah crossing, and indeed other crossings. There have been discussions between various partners, but we continue to press the Israelis to open all the crossings now.
Session: Topical Questions 2026-01-20
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My constituents in Manchester are left constantly frustrated by delays and cancellations, not just on the west coast main line, but on our east-west routes, and on services all around Manchester. What are the Government doing, alongside partners, to drive improvements in services to our Manchester stations?
Context
The MP expresses frustration about delays and cancellations on west coast main line services as well as east-west routes through Manchester.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)
My hon. Friend is championing the right of his constituents to use the train to get to where they need to. Alongside local stakeholders, the DFT created the Manchester taskforce in 2020 to identify solutions to performance problems throughout the city. The December 2023 timetable has delivered improvements in reliability of around 30%, and new infrastructure may enable more services to be introduced.
Session: Passenger Rail Performance Improvements 2025-11-20
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I warmly welcome the announcement of solar panels at Ladybarn primary school in Withington—it is great news for an excellent school in my patch and good news for the planet. I have also seen good investment in solar panels on hospital buildings in my patch, and we clearly need to scale that up. How can having Great British Energy as a publicly owned company help us to do that?
Context
Following up on the announcement of solar panels at public services, including schools and hospitals. The question highlights specific instances in Manchester Withington.
The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)
Great British Energy is our idea for a publicly owned energy company—the first in 70 years—that will drive forward investment in the clean power transition and in supply chains, creating jobs across the country and bringing down bills for the public sector, as in these examples in the NHS and at military sites and schools, so that we can invest more in frontline services.
Session: Great British Energy Public Services and Renewable Energy 2025-11-18
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Independent Football Regulator 2025-11-12
12 November 2025
Urgent Question
Contributed to this debate
Will the Secretary of State confirm that she has breached the governance code for public appointments three times in her involvement with the appointment process for the chair of the Independent Footb...
Manchester Terrorism Attack 2025-10-13
13 October 2025
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Attendance
59.1%
13 of 22 votes
Aye Votes
7
31.8% of votes
No Votes
6
27.3% of votes
Abstentions
9
40.9% of votes
03 Feb 2026
VOTED AYE
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: Second Reading
Ayes: 458
Noes: 104
Passed
28 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
Opposition Day: British Indian Ocean Territory
Ayes: 103
Noes: 284
Failed
28 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
Opposition Day: Youth unemployment
Ayes: 91
Noes: 287
Failed
27 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 9
Ayes: 91
Noes: 378
Failed
27 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 1
Ayes: 88
Noes: 310
Failed
27 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 2
Ayes: 61
Noes: 311
Failed
21 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill Commi...
Ayes: 195
Noes: 317
Failed
21 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial...
Ayes: 373
Noes: 106
Passed
21 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill: Thir...
Ayes: 316
Noes: 194
Passed
21 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill Commi...
Ayes: 191
Noes: 326
Failed
20 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill: motion to...
Ayes: 347
Noes: 184
Passed
20 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Sentencing Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 7
Ayes: 319
Noes: 127
Passed
20 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill: motion to...
Ayes: 344
Noes: 182
Passed
20 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill: motion to...
Ayes: 347
Noes: 185
Passed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: Clause 63 Stand part
Ayes: 348
Noes: 167
Passed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: New Clause 26
Ayes: 172
Noes: 334
Failed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: New Clause 9
Ayes: 181
Noes: 335
Failed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: Clause 86 stand part
Ayes: 344
Noes: 173
Passed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: New Clause 25
Ayes: 187
Noes: 351
Failed
13 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: New Clause 24
Ayes: 184
Noes: 331
Failed
12 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: New Clause 7
Ayes: 188
Noes: 341
Failed
12 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
Finance (No. 2) Bill Committee: Amendment 3
Ayes: 185
Noes: 344
Failed
2
PMQs Asked
4
Ministerial Questions Asked
2
House of Commons Debates Involved
0
Westminster Hall Debates Led
0
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
22
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 649 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
+3% above average
This MP:
2
Average:
1.9
Ministerial Questions
-50% below average
This MP:
4
Average:
7.9
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
1.5
Commons Chamber Debates
-15% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
2.4
Statements / Bills Proposed
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
5.1
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.2
Voting Attendance Rate (%)
-22% below average
This MP:
59.1
Average:
75.6
Important Context
- - Ministers answer questions rather than asking them, so have different activity patterns
- - Activity quantity doesn't measure quality or effectiveness of representation
- - Some MPs focus more on constituency work than parliamentary questions
- - Newly elected MPs will have less parliamentary history
About This Page
This page tracks Jeff Smith's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.