Anne McGuire

Labour - Former Member for Stirling

First elected: 1st May 1997

Left House: 30th March 2015 (Retired)


Anne McGuire is not a member of any APPGs
Public Accounts Committee
7th Apr 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Public Accounts Commission
12th Jul 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
7th Oct 2011 - 7th Oct 2013
Public Accounts Committee
12th Jul 2010 - 24th Oct 2011
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
10th May 2005 - 5th Oct 2008
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Constitutional Affairs) (Scotland)
13th Jun 2003 - 10th May 2005
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
28th May 2002 - 13th Jun 2003
Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip)
11th Jun 2001 - 28th May 2002
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
28th Jul 1998 - 14th May 2001


Division Voting information

Anne McGuire has voted in 1559 divisions, and 13 times against the majority of their Party.

11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 69 Labour Aye votes vs 138 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 241 Noes - 256
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 66 Labour No votes vs 139 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 267 Noes - 233
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 46 Labour No votes vs 126 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 205 Noes - 228
2 Mar 2009 - Political Parties and Elections Bill - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 93 Labour No votes vs 155 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 235 Noes - 176
2 Mar 2009 - Political Parties and Elections Bill - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 83 Labour No votes vs 157 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 223 Noes - 158
22 Oct 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 48 Labour Aye votes vs 230 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 215 Noes - 299
22 Oct 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 49 Labour Aye votes vs 227 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 206 Noes - 298
22 Oct 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 47 Labour Aye votes vs 226 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 194 Noes - 306
22 Oct 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 45 Labour Aye votes vs 226 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 183 Noes - 308
19 May 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 61 Labour Aye votes vs 215 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 176 Noes - 336
19 May 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 62 Labour Aye votes vs 216 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 223 Noes - 286
19 May 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 58 Labour Aye votes vs 217 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 181 Noes - 314
7 Mar 2007 - House of Lords Reform - View Vote Context
Anne McGuire voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 111 Labour Aye votes vs 197 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 196 Noes - 375
View All Anne McGuire Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Maria Miller (Conservative)
(27 debate interactions)
David Mundell (Conservative)
(19 debate interactions)
Pete Wishart (Scottish National Party)
SNP Deputy Westminster Leader
(18 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Work and Pensions
(124 debate contributions)
Scotland Office
(61 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(44 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(36 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Anne McGuire has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Anne McGuire's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Anne McGuire

Anne McGuire has not signed any Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Anne McGuire, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Anne McGuire has not been granted any Urgent Questions

2 Adjournment Debates led by Anne McGuire

Tuesday 10th September 2013
Monday 9th July 2012

Anne McGuire has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Anne McGuire has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 27 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
15 Other Department Questions
26th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the implications of his Department's report on the Life Cycle Impacts of Biomass Electricity published in July 2014, for the life cycle assessment of the Renewable Energy Directive; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has recently tendered a research contract to assess the plausibility of scenarios in the report with the highest potential net greenhouse gas emissions occurring in the period to 2030 that result from increased demand from the UK biomass electricity sector.

DECC is committed to supporting sustainably produced biomass, that delivers real greenhouse gas savings, is cost effective, takes account of wider impacts across the economy and manages possible risks such as to food security and biodiversity. The Department is seeking to bring forward proposals for mandatory sustainability requirements this year. The UK has been at the forefront of developing criteria to ensure that biomass used in energy generation is sustainable and we will have some of the toughest sustainability criteria in the world.

26th Feb 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment has been made of the potential contribution of biomass to meeting the 2020 targets of the Climate Change Act 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Biomass is an important part of the UK’s energy mix, playing a central, transitional role in decarbonising the electricity grid. Our support for biomass is part of our wider ambition for a mix of renewable energy sources. Our 2012 Bioenergy Strategy analysis indicated that sustainably-sourced bioenergy could contribute 8-11% to the UK’s total primary energy demand by 2020.

2nd Jan 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will apply the same criteria for industries which qualify for relief under the Climate Change Agreement to the industries eligible for relief from the indirect costs of renewables.

The Government has acted to provide relief for energy intensive industries and is targeting its limited resources at those energy intensive products that are exposed to competition in the international markets.

However, we are bound by the European Commission’s state aid rules in this regard and cannot, therefore, simply use climate change agreements as the basis for eligibility for these schemes.

We have issued a consultation on a proposed methodology and are currently analysing the results. We expect to publish a Government response to the consultation shortly and final conclusions on which sectors will be eligible once we have state aid approval, which we expect to receive by summer 2015.

17th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he expects to publish the final recommendations from the consultation on the Electricity Intensive Industries - Relief from the Indirect Costs of Renewables.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her in my capacity as Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy on 7 January 2015 to Question 219138:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2014-12-17/219138/.

17th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the cost of including (a) the UK sawmilling sector and (b) all industries eligible for relief under the Climate Change Agreement in the scope of the Electricity Intensive Industries - Relief from the Indirect Costs of Renewables scheme.

The Government is committed to providing relief from the indirect costs of renewables to the most electricity intensive industries that operate in global markets. We are bound by the European Commission’s state aid rules in this regard and cannot, therefore, simply use climate change agreements as the basis for eligibility for these schemes. We have issued a consultation on a proposed methodology and are currently analysing the results. We expect to publish a Government response to the consultation early in the New Year and final conclusions on which sectors will be eligible once we have state aid approval which we expect to receive by summer 2015.

The saw-milling sector was not included in the proposed eligibility list because, based on the data available, it does not pass the proposed UK sector-level test of requiring an electricity-intensity of at least 7%. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills officials are content to discuss this with the association further in the New Year.

It is worth noting that the Government has already increased the discount on the Climate Change Levy on electricity to 90% for those sectors, like sawmilling, that are in receipt of a climate change agreement and that we are also capping the cost of the Carbon Price Floor at £18 per ton of CO2 – 60% of the original 2020 target price – to reduce the indirect cost to industry.

17th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he expects to publish final recommendations following his Department's consultation, the Electricity Intensive Industries - Relief from the Indirect Costs of Renewables.

The Government is committed to providing relief from the indirect costs of renewables to the most electricity intensive industries that operate in global markets. We are bound by the European Commission’s state aid rules in this regard and cannot, therefore, simply use climate change agreements as the basis for eligibility for these schemes. We have issued a consultation on a proposed methodology and are currently analysing the results. We expect to publish a Government response to the consultation early in the New Year and final conclusions on which sectors will be eligible once we have state aid approval which we expect to receive by summer 2015.

The saw-milling sector was not included in the proposed eligibility list because, based on the data available, it does not pass the proposed UK sector-level test of requiring an electricity-intensity of at least 7%. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills officials are content to discuss this with the association further in the New Year.

It is worth noting that the Government has already increased the discount on the Climate Change Levy on electricity to 90% for those sectors, like sawmilling, that are in receipt of a climate change agreement and that we are also capping the cost of the Carbon Price Floor at £18 per ton of CO2 – 60% of the original 2020 target price – to reduce the indirect cost to industry.

8th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what role is played by Ofgem in the calculation and recovery of the renewable obligation certificate from customers.

The Renewables Obligation (RO) places an obligation on UK electricity suppliers to source a specified proportion of the electricity they supply to customers from renewable sources. This proportion – called ‘the Obligation’ – is set each year by government in line with legislation. The scheme is administered by Ofgem, who issue Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) to generators in relation to the renewable electricity they generate. Further details of how the scheme operates can be found on Ofgem’s website:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/renewables-obligation-ro?page=1#block-views-publications-and-updates-block.

It is assumed that the cost of the RO to suppliers is passed on to consumers through their energy bills. The total cost that can be levied on consumers through the RO is controlled through DECC’s Levy Control Framework.

26th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government's proposed changes to the disabled students' allowances on the drop-out rate of students who will no longer be eligible for funding.

The Equality Analysis is currently being updated in light of information and evidence provided by stakeholders. It will be published in the autumn.

26th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what consultation his Department undertook with universities, providers of support and students prior to the announcement of 7 April 2014 on proposals to change the disabled students' allowance.

In 2013 the Government sought the views of stakeholders through a Call for Evidence on areas of Disabled Students Allowance. The Statement of April 7 2014 was followed by extensive discussions with stakeholders, students and their representatives and disability organisations.

26th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government's proposed changes to the disabled students' allowances on the employment prospects of students who will no longer be eligible for funding.

The Equality Analysis is currently being updated in light of information and evidence provided by stakeholders. It will be published in the autumn.

26th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the proposed changes to the disabled students' allowance on the participation in higher education of students with high needs.

The Equality Analysis is currently being updated in light of information and evidence provided by stakeholders. It will be published in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding has been invested by the Green Investment Bank in the development of wood-based industries and technologies.

The Green Investment Bank (GIB) may invest only in specified green sectors. Its scope to finance projects involving wood based industries is limited to projects that use either waste wood recovered from landfill or wood pellets made from forestry management waste as biomass fuel to generate renewable energy. GIB has directly committed £12 million of debt finance to one project that uses waste wood to generate electricity and £100 million of finance towards the conversion of Drax power station to run partly on biomass fuel pellets rather than coal. In addition, the Bank has indirectly committed through its specialist fund managers £37 million of finance to projects that generate power from recovered waste wood and £21 million to projects that generate power from biomass pellets. Information about these and other GIB transactions to date can be found on the GIB website: www.greeninvestmentbank.com.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when work will begin on the bioenergy strategy review; and if he will make a statement.

As set out in the UK Bioenergy Strategy:

"it will be important to continue to monitor impacts and review policies and measures periodically in the light of information gained from monitoring policy impacts and the outputs of continuing research. .... We will review how the totality of UK bioenergy policies meets the direction and principles set out in this strategy in at least 5 year intervals."

We will set out our intentions closer to the time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much regional growth funding has been allocated to LEPs for wood-focused initiatives to create jobs in rural areas.

Agriculture is a restricted sector under State Aid rules, therefore regional growth funds cannot be allocated to Local Enterprise Partnerships for wood-focused initiatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made towards the creation of a new public forest trustee body as proposed in the Government's Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement 2013.

The Government is making good progress in developing plans for the new, operationally independent public body to manage the public forest estate, as announced in the Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement, published in January 2013. Defra and the Forestry Commission have worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders in designing the features of the new body. Subject to Parliamentary time, the Government intends to legislate at the earliest opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recommendations have been made to him by the Natural Capital Committee on the ecosystem services provided by woodland.

The Natural Capital Committee's (NCC) second report to the Government's Economic Affairs Committee was published on 11 March. The report does not make specific recommendations that only apply explicitly to woodland. It does however use woodland based examples to illustrate a number of opportunities to enhance ecosystem service values. A copy of the report is available at: http://www.naturalcapitalcommittee.org/. The Government plans to respond to the NCC's recommendations in summer 2014.

In 2012, the NCC published its principles for guiding decision making regarding forestry in the UK in response to recommendations made by the Independent Panel on Forestry report. The NCC's response is available at: http://www.naturalcapitalcommittee.org/advice.html

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase the planting of conifers.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 March 2014 to the hon. Member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, Official Report, column 75W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department gives the private sector on steps to increase the area of woodland with a current UK Forestry Service compliant management plan.

Forestry is a devolved issue. UK Forestry Standard compliant management plans are a matter for the devolved administrations.

In England, the Forestry Commission, with input from the private sector, has recently published new management plan templates with accompanying guidance. This delivers the commitment in the Government's response to the report by the Forestry Regulation Task Force to develop a series of UK Forestry Standard compliant management plan templates for a range of forest types.

Grant funding is available through the English Woodland Grant Scheme to support the production of woodland management plans and similar support is planned as part of the next Rural Development Programme. In the next programme an approved UK Forestry Standard compliant management plan will be a prerequisite for further woodland grant support.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the development of the Grown in Britain certification scheme for timber products.

The Government supports and is very encouraged by the Grown in Britain initiative, which is working to maximise the long-term benefits that our woodlands can bring to the environment, social well-being and the economy. As Grown in Britain is a sector-led initiative, the Government is not responsible for the development of the brand licensing system that will be applied to timber products produced by Grown in Britain commercial partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made in the development of the Woodland Carbon Code.

The Woodland Carbon Code, developed by the Forestry Commission, was introduced in July 2011 following a pilot phase that began in September 2010. Subsequently, a group scheme has been launched to enable financial costs to be shared by participating schemes, alongside a shared responsibility for ensuring that Woodland Carbon Code requirements are met at all sites. In July 2013 the Code was launched on the Markit Environmental Registry to provide open and transparent project registration as well as Woodland Carbon Unit issuance, tracking and retirement. As of 31 March 2014, 202 projects covering an area of 15,401 hectares had registered with the Woodland Carbon Code, of which 67 projects had been validated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans that the commercial timber manufacturing sector will be represented on the proposed public forest trustee body.

In January this year, we set out a list of ten core principles for the new body, including that it would be managed by experts and have access to the best advice. We intend that the commercial timber manufacturing sector should be represented in the arrangements, giving effect to this commitment.

10th Oct 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on fatigue in long distance coach and lorry drivers.

Transport Ministers have not had any recent discussions with EU counterparts about fatigue in long distance coach and lorry drivers.

The passenger and freight industries are highly regulated at European level. For example, the EU drivers’ hours rules and the sector specific working time rules limit the time drivers spend at the wheel and on other duties, thus helping reduce fatigue-related accidents. We will continue to work with the European Commission and other Member States to try to reduce the incidence of fatigue related road accidents.

9th Sep 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of assessing the eligibility of (a) people with learning disabilities, (b) deaf people, (c) blind people, (d) people with primary or secondary MS, (e) people with Alzheimer's disease, (f) people with motor neurone disease, (g) people with muscular dystrophy and (h) deafblind people who are in receipt of disability living allowance for the personal independence payment (PIP); and how often each will be expected to be reassessed for continued eligibility for PIP.

The information you have requested regarding the cost of assessment for PIP regarding different types of disability is not currently available. How often a person will be assessed to decide the correct level of entitlement for PIP will be dependent on the basis of individual needs and circumstances.

4th Mar 2015
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what mechanisms HM Revenue and Customs has in place to investigate allegations of tax evasion by non-resident parents reported by parents with care following advice from the Child Maintenance Service.

HM Revenue & Customs assess all contacts made and a decision is made as to the appropriate course of action.

4th Mar 2015
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of calls made to the Tax Evasion Hotline was from parents with care who receive statutory child maintenance reporting alleged tax evasion by a non-resident parent in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14.

The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.