Lara Bird
MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry
SNP
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Prime Minister's Questions
No PMQs questions found for this MP.
Monifieth in my constituency is home to over 9,000 people and is the central connection point for a vast rural community across Angus. Despite an application in 2023, a banking hub was denied because the regulations are not fit for rural communities. Will the Minister commit to meet me to discuss how those regulations impact rural communities and see if we can finally get Monifieth the banking hub that it needs?
Context
Monifieth in the constituency faces challenges in obtaining a banking hub due to unsuitable regulations, despite an application in 2023.
Lucy Rigby
I will indeed meet the hon. Member. The issues she identifies are exactly why we had a commitment in our manifesto to work with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs over the course of the Parliament. We are well on track, with 282 banking hubs having already been announced, so we are running way ahead of schedule.
Session: Topical Questions 2026-09-08
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Devolution is all the rage at the moment. The Secretary of State will know fine well that the Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland. Can I ask the Secretary of State when the UK Government will respect the vote of the Scottish Parliament and devolve energy powers back to Scotland?
Context
The Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland.
Douglas Alexander
The SNP respects every vote apart from the constitutional referendum. The hon. Member says that devolution is all the rage but some of us were early adopters, campaigning for a two-Parliament solution under the Scotland Act 1998. Centralisation of powers in Holyrood needs to be reversed.
Session: Devolved Powers 2026-07-15
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Devolution appears to be all the rage at the moment. The Secretary of State will know fine well that the Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland. Can I ask the Secretary of State when the UK Government will respect the vote of the Scottish Parliament and devolve energy powers back to Scotland?
Context
The Scottish Parliament recently voted to devolve energy powers back to Scotland, indicating a new spirit of co-operation and trust.
Douglas Alexander
The SNP seems to respect every vote, apart from the constitutional referendum in which 84% of the Scottish people exercised their democratic choice. The hon. Member says that devolution is all the rage but some of us were early adopters. I campaigned for and supported the Scotland Act 1998 arguing for a two-Parliament solution to governance. Energy policy is one of the areas held here at Westminster, albeit there are important planning considerations in Westminster.
Session: Devolved Powers 2026-07-15
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What is being done to support farmers impacted by barriers caused by Brexit?
Context
Ten years post-Brexit, businesses report trade difficulties, particularly in sectors like farming due to labour shortages, long-term uncertainty over subsidies.
Chris Bryant
Campaigning for better EU deal to ensure easy export of UK farming products into the EU. This is crucial across sectors, like arts, as explained by Tracy Emin regarding issues since Brexit.
Session: Trade with Europe 2026-07-02
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Direction of Government
01 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
UK-Switzerland Enhanced Free Trade Agreement
14 July 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
State of Climate and Nature
13 July 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Department for Work and Pensions
30 June 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Department for Work and Pensions supports nearly 23 million people and spends around £300 billion each year. The central question is not just about cost, but whether the system is fair, timely and...
Attendance
25.8%
8 of 31 votes
Aye Votes
6
19.4% of votes
No Votes
2
6.5% of votes
Abstentions
23
74.2% of votes
11 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Closure motion
Ayes: 293
Noes: 218
Passed
11 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading
Ayes: 270
Noes: 286
Failed
10 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Social Housing Bill [Lords]: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
Ayes: 77
Noes: 292
Failed
09 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Ame...
Ayes: 371
Noes: 100
Passed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 140
Ayes: 79
Noes: 300
Failed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 142
Ayes: 108
Noes: 357
Failed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 143
Ayes: 106
Noes: 302
Failed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: Amendment 1
Ayes: 162
Noes: 297
Failed
07 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 6
Ayes: 77
Noes: 317
Failed
07 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 145
Ayes: 170
Noes: 316
Failed
04 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Motion to sit in private
Ayes: 1
Noes: 79
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 65
Ayes: 166
Noes: 346
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 67
Ayes: 105
Noes: 410
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 88
Ayes: 85
Noes: 427
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Third Reading
Ayes: 411
Noes: 102
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and...
Ayes: 322
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) (Amendment...
Ayes: 318
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
Ayes: 80
Noes: 281
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 4
Ayes: 173
Noes: 282
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 5
Ayes: 177
Noes: 308
Failed
24 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2026
Ayes: 323
Noes: 160
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Draft Carbon Budget Order 2026
Ayes: 332
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipp...
Ayes: 329
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (Credit Limit) Order 2026
Ayes: 330
Noes: 93
Passed
23 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Opposition day: Defence spending and readiness
Ayes: 108
Noes: 307
Failed
23 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Opposition Day Motion: Defence spending and readiness - Prime Minister's Amen...
Ayes: 294
Noes: 110
Passed
23 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Opposition Day: Puberty blockers
Ayes: 112
Noes: 283
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 4
Ayes: 164
Noes: 311
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 11
Ayes: 104
Noes: 391
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 22
Ayes: 74
Noes: 323
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: Amendment 11
Ayes: 171
Noes: 322
Failed
0
PMQs Asked
4
Ministerial Questions Asked
4
House of Commons Debates Involved
0
Westminster Hall Debates Led
0
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
31
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 1370 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
-70% below average
This MP:
4
Average:
13.4
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
-18% below average
This MP:
4
Average:
4.9
Statements / Bills Proposed
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
9.5
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.5
Voting Attendance Rate (%)
-63% below average
This MP:
25.8
Average:
69.2
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 Lara Bird's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.