In the Commons: what does your MP do?

As MPs return to the House of Commons – and the headlines – this week, following the Easter recess, we take a look at what contribution Anum Qaisar makes to the chamber.

In the first of this series, analysis shows how often the Scottish National Party MP for Airdrie and Shotts has voted, how many debates she has taken part in, and how many parliamentary questions she has asked in her time in the House so far.

Figures from the House of Commons Library show her activities between May 13, 2021 – when she replaced Neil Gray as MP – and March 7 this year.

Of the 208 votes over this time, Anum Qaisar, who serves as a backbench MP, recorded 133 ayes or noes, and acted as a teller to count one division.

She recorded no vote, or abstained, on 74 occasions – giving the SNP representative a participation rate of 64%.

By comparison, sitting MPs (excluding the Speakers) had an average rate of 81% since the state opening of Parliament on December 16 2019.

Several MPs had participation rates as high as 95%, while Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope voted in just 36% of divisions.

The Conservatives had the highest average rate of 86%, while Alba's two Scottish MPs had the lowest – just 51%.

Meanwhile, SNP had an overall rate of 63%.

The HoC Library said MPs may not vote because they are carrying out other work related to their parliamentary, government or opposition roles.

And participation rates may be affected by ‘pairing arrangements’, whereby MPs from different parties who cannot attend a division agree to cancel out one another’s vote.

Before divisions, debates are held for Members to discuss government policy, new laws and topical issues of the day to help the House reach an informed decision.

Since entering Parliament, Ms Qaisar, 29, has taken part in 56 debates, speaking a total of 20,125 words.

The average MP has spoken 44,530 words since December 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson around 394,000 and Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon a whopping 560,000.

These include spoken contributions and oral questions in the House of Commons chamber and in Westminster Hall, but not those shorter than four words.

The figures also show Anum Qaisar has asked 17 Parliamentary Questions so far.

These are put formally to a government minister about a matter they are responsible for – to seek information or to press for action from the Government.

This included four put to a government minister in person, three in writing and nine topical questions – those asked during the last 15 minutes of most ministerial question sessions.

And she asked one during Prime Minister's Questions – the weekly session when the PM faces scrutiny in the House.