Dr Ben Spencer MP: votes, interests and costs
The Member of Parliament for Runnymede and Weybridge is Dr Ben Spencer (Conservative), MP there since 12 December 2019. The Members API lists the post of Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) from 31 August 2026.
Offices and committees
Current post held by Dr Ben Spencer, as recorded by UK Parliament:
Ministerial and shadow posts
| Post | Department | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) | Cabinet Office | 31 August 2026 | Current |
Committees
| Committee or post | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill | 21 January 2026 | Current |
Earlier ministerial and shadow posts
| Post | Department | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology) | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 6 November 2024 | 31 August 2026 |
| Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care) | Department of Health and Social Care | 19 July 2024 | 6 November 2024 |
Earlier committees
| Committee or post | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Data (Use and Access) Bill [HL] | 26 February 2025 | 11 March 2025 |
| Finance (No.2) Bill | 15 May 2024 | 21 May 2024 |
| Renters (Reform) Bill | 8 November 2023 | 28 November 2023 |
| Draft Mental Health Bill (Joint Committee) | 11 July 2022 | 30 May 2024 |
| Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill | 5 January 2022 | 12 January 2022 |
| Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill | 8 December 2021 | 15 December 2021 |
| Work and Pensions Committee | 2 March 2020 | 30 May 2024 |
Source: Parliament Members API, read 15 October 2026, SHA-256 0292437bbf76.
Register of interests
The Register of Members' Financial Interests lists 5 entries for Dr Ben Spencer: Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources (2), Donations and other support (including loans) for activities as an MP (2), Visits outside the UK (1). The most recent was registered on 7 July 2026. Each entry is quoted as published, with its registration date; payments linked to an entry are listed under it.
techUK - £450.00
- Whether the benefit was monetary or in kind: In kind
- Description of the payment: Attendance at the techUK annual dinner 2026. I attended this event in my role as Shadow Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
- Value of the benefit: £450.00
- Date on which the benefit was received: 2026-06-30
- Date on which the benefit was accepted: 2026-06-30
- Name of the donor: techUK
- Status of the donor: Company
- Name of the donor company: techUK
Informa Connect Holdings Ltd, - £4,999.00
- Whether the benefit was monetary or in kind: In kind
- Description of the payment: VIP pass to London Tech Week which I attended in my role as Shadow Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (value estimated based on the closest commercial equivalent VIP Premium Pass)
- Value of the benefit: £4,999.00
- Date on which the benefit was received: 2026-06-08
- Date on which the benefit was accepted: 2026-06-08
- End date, if the benefit was received over time: 2026-06-10
- Name of the donor: Informa Connect Holdings Ltd,
- Status of the donor: Company
Bansols Beta Ltd - £10,000.00
- How the donation was received: (a) Support linked to an MP but received by a local party organisation or indirectly via a central party organisation
- Whether the benefit was monetary or in kind: Monetary
- Description of the payment: Money donated to FTL Club, an unincorporated association, to support my political activities.
- Value of the benefit: £10,000.00
- Name of the donor: Bansols Beta Ltd
- Status of the donor: Company
- Name of the donor company: Bansols Beta Ltd
- Company registration number: 02878404
Carol and Clive Chase - £6,000.00
- How the donation was received: (a) Support linked to an MP but received by a local party organisation or indirectly via a central party organisation
- Whether the benefit was monetary or in kind: Monetary
- Description of the payment: Money donated to FTL Club, an unincorporated association, to support my political activities.
- Value of the benefit: £6,000.00
- Name of the donor: Carol and Clive Chase
- Status of the donor: Individual
International visit to Japan between 08 October 2025 and 16 October 2025
- Purpose of the visit: Strengthening UK-Japan relations and engagement with Japanese politicians and businesses, including visits and meetings linked to my role as Shadow DSIT Minister of State.
- Date Member left the UK: 2025-10-08
- Date Member returned to the UK: 2025-10-16
- Associated All Parliamentary Group (APPG), where relevant: APPG for Japan
Source: Register of Members' Financial Interests API, read 28 October 2026. The register entry on UK Parliament.
Business costs (IPSA)
In 2024-25 Dr Ben Spencer's office spent £228,059 on staff, from a staffing budget of £268,550, according to IPSA. In 2023-24 it was £227,060. Office costs came to £29,485 of a £36,550 budget. IPSA publishes each budget, the amount spent and the amount left (the remaining amounts are in IPSA's files); no total across budgets is published, so none is given here.
| IPSA figure | 2024-25 | 2023-24 | 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing: spent | £228,059.16 | £227,060.11 | £217,419.28 |
| Office costs: spent | £29,485.17 | £25,137.88 | £28,553.77 |
| Accommodation: spent | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| Winding-up: spent | £0.00 | £0.00 | |
| Travel and subsistence (no cap): spent | £4,913.51 | £4,780.68 | £3,663.59 |
| Other costs (no cap): spent | £600.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
Budgets set for 2024-25: office costs £36,550, staffing £268,550, accommodation £0 (Standard London area budget).
IPSA's CSVs for 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, read 15 October 2026; constituency as IPSA lists it: Runnymede and Weybridge CC.
Staff roles listed by IPSA, 2024-25
Office Manager/Senior Parl Assistant (permanent full time), Office Manager (permanent full time), Senior Researcher (permanent part time), Administrative Manager (permanent part time), Caseworker (permanent full time), Personal Assistant (fixed term part time), Senior Caseworker (fixed term full time), Researcher (fixed term full time) (IPSA CSV)
IPSA annual publications · All MPs' 2024-25 costs (table and CSV)
Votes in the Commons
Dr Ben Spencer is recorded voting in 448 divisions since 4 July 2024, according to the Commons Votes API. Of these, 39 were votes on statutory instruments or procedural motions, which are not listed below. The 30 most recent on bills and motions are listed here. The most recent, on 20 October 2026, was a No on "Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Third Reading".
Source: Commons Votes API, read 26 October 2026. Only divisions in which a vote is recorded for the MP are counted. The full list on UK Parliament.
Written questions
Dr Ben Spencer has tabled 412 written questions since 4 July 2024, according to the Written Questions API. Departments in the latest 10: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade ; Cabinet Office; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Government Departments: Cryptography
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who the senior responsible owner is for migration of government systems to post-quantum cryptography; in which department that post sits; and what budget has been allocated to that progr …
Artificial Intelligence: UK Relations with EU
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has sought, or intends to seek, an agreement with the European Union under Article 39 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 enabling conformity assessment bodies esta …
Artificial Intelligence: Research
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how much of the £59 million backing the Advanced Research and Invention Agency's Safeguarded AI programme has been committed; how the programme's revised objectives are to be measu …
AI Security Institute: Finance and Staff
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the budget of the AI Security Institute is in each financial year from 2025-26 to 2029-30; and how many staff it employs, by (a) technical and (b) other roles.
AI Economics Institute
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the budget and staffing of the AI Economics Institute are for 2026-27; whether a Director and Chief Economist have been appointed; and what is the membership of its advisory board.
AI Security Institute: Ministerial Responsibility
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Minister is responsible for the AI Security Institute; and whether its director reports to that Minister or to the Cabinet Secretary.
River Thames: Flood Control
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the planned timescale for the delivery of the River Thames Scheme and the key milestones for each remaining phase of the project.
River Thames: Flood Control
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the River Thames Scheme in terms of a) reduced flooding risk and b) economic growth.
AI Taskforce: Public Appointments
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the membership list of the Prime Minister's AI Taskforce.
AI Security Institute
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which ministerial office is the AI Security Institute accountable to following recent machinery of government changes.
Source: Written Questions API, read 15 October 2026, SHA-256 53b390913a28. Question wording as listed by the API, which gives the opening words of longer questions. All questions by Dr Ben Spencer.
2024 general election
At the 4 July 2024 general election Runnymede and Weybridge returned Dr Ben Spencer with a majority of 7,627: 18,442 votes, 38.2% of those cast, against 10,815 for Ellen Nicholson. Result as published: Con hold.
Commons Library results, read 14 October 2026 · Runnymede and Weybridge figures
Statements and pledges on this site
Official corrections
Records in which Ben Spencer corrected an answer or the Commons record, or which the UK Statistics Authority addressed to Ben Spencer:
Built 15 October 2026 from official records; register entries and votes are re-read on a rolling schedule. This page sets out what the record shows and gives no rating of the MP. Official UK Parliament page · All MPs · Something wrong? Tell us.