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Written Question
Embassies: Electoral Register
Tuesday 2nd December 2025

Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the role of British embassies in encouraging overseas voter registration since January 2024.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We encourage all British nationals to register as overseas voters if they move or live abroad. British Nationals abroad can contact their local Embassy or High Commission for more information.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 02 Dec 2025
Oral Answers to Questions

"The Elections Act 2022 expanded the franchise to over 3 million British nationals living overseas. As MPs, we have a duty to represent those who have lived in our constituencies, but we do not know who they are or where they are. How can our embassies help?..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"I invite the hon. Member to look at the report that Parliament released on the reform of child maintenance, particularly on the barriers that were set up in the system, both in terms of direct and indirect payments. I think all of us across the House would agree that the …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"No, I am sorry. Other colleagues want to get in.

This Budget is unfair. Fairness is about honouring promises made and delivering on the Government’s responsibility to govern for all. Fairness is about making sure that opportunities are available to everyone, not just those who work hard, and that those …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"Who knew, indeed.

Energy costs are a big chunk of everybody’s outgoings, and we are still waiting for them to come down. Property costs also are a big chunk of people’s outgoings, and this is reducing and putting more pressure on the private rented sector, particularly landlords. The measures in …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"I am so pleased that the hon. Member raised the point about people who are in work but still poor. I will come on to that in relation to tackling child poverty, so if she waits a second, I will respond to her questions in full.

For the moment, I …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"If the hon. Lady will forgive me, I do not know the specific details regarding her constituency, but what I can say on the broader, macroeconomic details is that the reduction in employment as a consequence of national insurance contributions changes means that there are more children with parents who …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"Go for it...."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"I suggest the hon. Member looks at the OBR report, which, as I mentioned, was released half an hour before the Chancellor stood up and which goes into detail about why that statement is entirely false.

Surrey is one of the biggest contributors to taxation revenue. It is my constituents …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 26 Nov 2025
Budget Resolutions

"Expectation management is normally deployed because something is not so great. The scene is set that things are going to be really bad, so that when the day arrives, people think, “Actually, that thing we thought wouldn’t be so good is actually quite good.” However, the expectation management around this …..."
Ben Spencer - View Speech

View all Ben Spencer (Con - Runnymede and Weybridge) contributions to the debate on: Budget Resolutions