Member of Parliament
Andrew Western
Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
At a glanceAndrew Western is a Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston, and has represented the seat for 3 years, 7 months. They currently serve as Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions). They have cast 437 votes in Commons divisions (76% attendance), tabled 94 written questions and registered 8 financial interests.
Attendance is votes cast as a share of the 575 Commons divisions since the 2024 election; Andrew Western did not vote in 138. A rebellion is a vote against the way most of their own party voted; free votes, where no party line applies, are left out.
Party-loyalty figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.
Biography
He currently holds the Government post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions).
Current roles
- Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) Government post · Department for Work and Pensions since 9 Jul 2024
- Stretford and Urmston Representation · Elected 1 time since 4 Jul 2024
- Labour Party since 15 Dec 2022
Voting record
Voting alignment
Votes most like
-
Rachel Hopkins
Labour
100.0% · 427 of 427 shared votes
-
Paul Davies
Labour
100.0% · 421 of 421 shared votes
-
Adam Thompson
Labour
100.0% · 420 of 420 shared votes
-
Andrew Cooper
Labour
100.0% · 418 of 418 shared votes
-
Kim Leadbeater
Labour
100.0% · 415 of 415 shared votes
Votes least like
-
Mr Mark Francois
Conservative
0.7% · 2 of 269 shared votes
-
Mrs Kemi Badenoch
Conservative
0.7% · 1 of 140 shared votes
-
Sir Roger Gale
Conservative
0.8% · 2 of 266 shared votes
-
Alex Burghart
Conservative
1.0% · 3 of 312 shared votes
-
Andrew Griffith
Conservative
1.1% · 3 of 285 shared votes
Alignment figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.
Register of financial interests
From the official Register; shown as registered.
Donations and other support (including loans) for activities as an MP8
- Kevin Craig - £3,100.00 (registered 23 Apr 2026)
- Easy Cash Card Limited - £2,000.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- Olympic Oils Limited - £2,500.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- Millennium Care (U.K.) Limited - £2,500.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- SABZ Solicitors LLP - £2,000.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- R N Restaurant (Perivale) Limited - £8,500.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- World Metal Recycling Limited - £7,250.00 (registered 22 Apr 2026)
- Homes for Britain Ltd - £5,000.00 (registered 8 Jul 2025)
Written questions
Confucius Institutes
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has (a) received representations on and (b) made an assessment of the potential relationship between (i) Confucius Institutes and (ii) the propaganda department of the Chinese Communist Party.
Answer · 22 May 2024
Ministers are briefed regularly and in detail on matters relating to China. They are clear that as with all international bodies operating in the UK, Confucius Institutes must operate transparently and within the law, and with a full commitment to our val...
Jimmy Lai
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether UK consular officials (a) have been granted consular access to Jimmy Lai and (b) are able to visit him in prison.
Answer · 17 May 2024
Ministers and officials continue to raise Jimmy Lai's case at the highest levels with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities and have been clear in our calls for his release, while continuing to press for consular access. Our repeated requests for consular...
Confucius Institutes
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) universities on the future of Confucius Institutes.
Answer · 20 May 2024
The government takes seriously any concerns about overseas interference in the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, including through Confucius Institutes, and regularly assesses the risks facing academia. The department has taken action to remove any direc...
Confucius Institutes
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential national security implications of Confucius Institutes on UK university campuses.
Answer · 24 May 2024
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Health Professions: Prescriptions
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the prescribing responsibilities of (a) dietitians and (b) other allied health professionals are regularly (i) reviewed and (ii) updated to reflec
Answer · 7 May 2024
Dieticians can currently supply and administer medicines using Patient Group Directions and train to use supplementary prescribing. At present, these are deemed to be the most appropriate medicines mechanisms for their use.The University of Surrey is carr...
Dietetics: Prescriptions
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether officials in her Department have had discussions with (a) the British Dietetic Association and (b) other relevant stakeholders on the potential extension of independent prescribing responsi
Answer · 7 May 2024
Dieticians can currently supply and administer medicines using Patient Group Directions and train to use supplementary prescribing. At present, these are deemed to be the most appropriate medicines mechanisms for their use.The University of Surrey is carr...
Dietetics: Prescriptions
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning research on the potential impact on patient care of granting independent prescribing responsibilities to dietitians.
Answer · 7 May 2024
Dieticians can currently supply and administer medicines using Patient Group Directions and train to use supplementary prescribing. At present, these are deemed to be the most appropriate medicines mechanisms for their use.The University of Surrey is carr...
Dietetics: Prescriptions
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending independent prescribing responsibilities to dietitians.
Answer · 7 May 2024
Dieticians can currently supply and administer medicines using Patient Group Directions and train to use supplementary prescribing. At present, these are deemed to be the most appropriate medicines mechanisms for their use.The University of Surrey is carr...
Speeches in the chamber
29 Jun 2026 Topical Questions
I thank my hon. Friend for raising what is an incredibly important case to highlight. I appreciate that it will have been a deeply distressing experience for her constituent and I apologise for that. I can confirm that all payments, thanks…
29 Jun 2026 Topical Questions
I appreciate the point the hon. Lady is making. I am not in a position to confirm an uprating from the Dispatch Box, but this will be considered in the usual way as part of the annual uprating process. There is a forthcoming debate in West…
29 Jun 2026 Topical Questions
My hon. Friend has made an important point. The Child Maintenance Service is committed to ensuring that separated parents support their children financially, and to ensuring that the assessment reflects the parents’ true income. I am not f…
29 Jun 2026 Social Security: Fraud and Error
If the hon. Gentleman has specific concerns about how benefits are being administered and fraud is being investigated through the powers of the Scottish Parliament, I would very much appreciate it if he could write to me. In some instances…
29 Jun 2026 Social Security: Fraud and Error
Overall levels of fraud and error are the lowest since the pandemic at 3.2%, compared with the peak of 4.3% in financial year end 2022. That reduction of a quarter demonstrates sustained progress with our fraud and error measures. Building…
29 Jun 2026 Benefits System: Bereaved Families
The hon. Member raises an important point. BSP is reviewed annually as part of the wider uprating process, so it would not be appropriate for me to make that commitment today. BSP is limited to 18 months because it is designed to support t…
29 Jun 2026 Benefits System: Bereaved Families
I recognise the strong interest in this issue. I was aware of the petition, as well as the campaigning work that my hon. Friend has done in this space. I am very happy to receive any information that that organisation wishes to send to me …
29 Jun 2026 Benefits System: Bereaved Families
Losing a loved one is deeply distressing. DWP provides support through the bereavement support payment—a tax-free lump sum with up to 18 monthly payments for eligible partners. Help with funeral costs is available through the funeral expen…
29 Jun 2026 Identifying Local Vulnerability
I share my hon. Friend’s shock and horror at that particular episode. If he sends me further details of that specific case, I will ensure it is fed into that work. From the data sharing that will be available, I envisage that there will be…
29 Jun 2026 Identifying Local Vulnerability
The hon. Gentleman is correct to recognise the importance of this work. Data sharing with local authorities is essential, particularly working on homelessness prevention, on young people not in education, employment or training and on supp…
29 Jun 2026 Identifying Local Vulnerability
The Government are committed to improving data sharing with local authorities, as part of our endeavours to improve services. We are taking forward work with local authorities on the “identifying local vulnerability” project, and that work…
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
If it is okay with the hon. Lady, I will come to the broad thrust of the problem she has identified later in my speech. It is quite complex, in that there are also some challenges in this space in England and Wales that were identified by …
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
I certainly will. As I said earlier, I am the Minister responsible for devolution, and I have regular conversations with Gordon Lyons, the Minister for Communities. I am very happy to pick up any specifics, where there are kinks that need …
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
My hon. Friend tempts me. I agree that it is not alone in being a national scandal up in Scotland—if, indeed, that is what it is. For the purposes of seeking to maintain a constructive relationship with my counterparts in Scotland, I may s…
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
My hon. Friend makes an important point. I do not want to get into a tit-for-tat, in terms of determining responsibility between the Westminster Government and the Scottish Government, but it is certainly fair to say that the agency agreem…
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
I understand that. I am the Minister with responsibility for the relationship with the Scottish Government and, therefore, Social Security Scotland, so if the hon. Lady would be kind enough to let me know about the issues, too, I would be …
2 Jun 2026 Relationship between Social Security Scotland and the DWP
Let me begin by saying that I hope the hon. Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain) saw me taking extensive notes. The speech I was planning to give is perhaps not as bespoke to the issues that she raises as she would like, so at th…
2 Jun 2026 Milburn Review: Interim Report
It sounds like I will be having a day out in Scotland, so yes, I will take that in at the same.
2 Jun 2026 Milburn Review: Interim Report
I agree, but my hon. Friend will appreciate that the Department for Education lead on family hubs.
2 Jun 2026 Milburn Review: Interim Report
I absolutely agree. That is significant Government investment that presents a significant opportunity to do just as my hon. Friend suggests.
Source: contributions on parliament.uk.
Full parliamentary career
Opposition posts
- Opposition Whip (Commons) · Whips Office (Commons) 5 Sep 2023 – 30 May 2024
Committee memberships
- Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill 12 Feb 2025 – 18 Mar 2025
- Procedure Committee 23 Apr 2024 – 30 May 2024
- Automated Vehicles Bill [HL] 13 Mar 2024 – 19 Mar 2024
- Scottish Affairs Committee 21 Feb 2023 – 22 Jan 2024
- Media Bill 29 Nov 2023 – 12 Dec 2023
- Energy Bill [HL] 22 May 2023 – 29 Jun 2023
- International Trade Committee 6 Feb 2023 – 26 Apr 2023
- Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill 1 Mar 2023 – 8 Mar 2023
Previous seats
- Stretford and Urmston · Elected 1 time 15 Dec 2022 – 30 May 2024
Elections contested
- Altrincham and Sale West 12 Dec 2019
- Altrincham and Sale West 8 Jun 2017
Expenses
Contact & offices
0161 749 9120
Parliamentary office
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Constituency office
Constituency office
Government department
DWP Ministerial Correspondence Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Andrew Western, answered from official Parliament data.
Who is Andrew Western?
Andrew Western is a Member of Parliament representing Stretford and Urmston in the House of Commons. See Andrew Western's official Parliament profile.
Which party does Andrew Western represent?
Andrew Western sits as Labour. See Andrew Western's official Parliament profile.
Which constituency does Andrew Western represent?
Andrew Western is the Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston. See Andrew Western's official Parliament profile.
How long has Andrew Western been an MP?
Andrew Western has served in the House of Commons for 3 years, 7 months. See Andrew Western's official Parliament profile.
What registered interests are listed for Andrew Western?
Andrew Western has 8 entries in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. See Andrew Western's official Parliament profile.
Source: this MP's official Parliament profile. Last updated 27 Jul 2026.