Mel Stride Portrait

Mel Stride

Conservative - Central Devon

61 (0.1%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 6th May 2010

Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

(since July 2024)

Mel Stride is not a member of any APPGs
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
25th Oct 2022 - 5th Jul 2024
Treasury Sub-Committee on Financial Services Regulations
20th Jun 2022 - 26th Oct 2022
Liaison Committee (Commons)
20th May 2020 - 25th Oct 2022
Treasury Committee
27th Jan 2020 - 25th Oct 2022
Treasury Committee Sub-Committee on Financial Services Regulations
20th Jun 2022 - 20th Jun 2022
Cultural Objects (Protection From Seizure) Bill
9th Nov 2021 - 17th Nov 2021
Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
23rd May 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
House of Commons Commission
23rd May 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Commons)
23rd Oct 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Treasury Committee
23rd Oct 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
23rd May 2019 - 24th Jul 2019
Public Accounts Commission
23rd May 2019 - 24th Jul 2019
Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
12th Jun 2017 - 23rd May 2019
Comptroller (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
18th Jul 2016 - 12th Jun 2017
Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip)
13th May 2015 - 17th Jul 2016
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
15th Jul 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
26th Jul 2010 - 28th Nov 2011


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Mel Stride has voted in 11 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Mel Stride Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

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
Mike Amesbury (Labour)
(4 debate interactions)
Gagan Mohindra (Conservative)
Shadow Minister (Education)
(2 debate interactions)
Judith Cummins (Labour)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Work and Pensions
(10 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(6 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Mel Stride has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Mel Stride's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Mel Stride

2nd September 2024
Mel Stride signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 29th August 2024

Social Security

Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
81 signatures
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 75
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Mel Stride's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Mel Stride, 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.


Mel Stride has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Mel Stride has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

9 Bills introduced by Mel Stride


A Bill to make provision about additional payments to recipients of means-tested benefits, tax credits and disability benefits.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 23rd March 2023 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to extend the protection from seizure or forfeiture given to cultural objects.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 28th April 2022 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 1st November 2018

A Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the national debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 12th February 2019 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 26th February 2019

To authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2018, 31 March 2019 and 31 March 2020; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for those years; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th March 2019 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 27th February 2018

To authorise the use of resources for the years ending with 31 March 2017, 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019; to authorise the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund for the years ending 31 March 2018 and 31 March 2019; and to appropriate the supply authorised by this Act for the years ending with 31 March 2017 and 31 March 2018.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th March 2018 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 3rd July 2018

To authorise the use of resources for the year ending with 31 March 2019; to authorise both the issue of sums out of the Consolidated Fund and the application of income for that year; and to appropriate the supply authorised for that year by this Act and by the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Act 2018.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 19th July 2018 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 28th November 2017

A Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the national debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 15th March 2018 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 6th September 2017

A Bill to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to the national debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection with finance.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 16th November 2017 and was enacted into law.

Introduced: 4th July 2017

This Bill received Royal Assent on 19th July 2017 and was enacted into law.

Mel Stride has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 7 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
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of each round of the Household Support Fund has been spent on (a) energy support, (b) pensioner households and (c) energy support for pensioner households.

There have been five separate iterations of the Household Support Fund (HSF). Since the first iteration was introduced, over £2.5 billion has been allocated to Local Authorities in England to support those most in need through the HSF (October 2021- September 2024).

The Government has announced funding to extend the HSF for a further 6 months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.

DWP requires that Local Authorities provide Management Information (MI) returns to the Department, which demonstrate that they are delivering the scheme in accordance with the guidance and grant determination that the Department have set out for the scheme. This includes information on the type of household supported, category of spending, types of support and how support has been accessed.

MI has been published for the first three iterations of HSF following their completion. For HSF2 and HSF3, the information shows the proportion of each round spent on energy and water, essentials linked to energy and water and households with pensioners. This information is not available for HSF1. It is not possible to determine the proportion spent on energy support for households with pensioners or the total amount spent in any category for any round of the fund due to data limitations.

The information can be found at the following links:

For HSF1: Household Support Fund management information for 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For HSF2: Household Support Fund 2 management information for 1 April to 30 September 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For HSF3: Household Support Fund 3management information for 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 - GOV.UK(www.gov.uk)

MI for HSF4 is due to be released later this year. MI for HSF5 and HSF6 will be published once the schemes conclude and subject to the usual quality assurance process.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of pensioners were living in (a) relative poverty after housing costs and (b) absolute poverty after housing costs were in receipt of Pension Credit in the latest period for which data is available.

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of the State Pension were (a) in receipt of and (b) eligible for Pension Credit on 3 September 2024; and if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of people in receipt of the State Pension that will be (i) in receipt of and (ii) eligible for Pension Credit in each of the next five years.

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Table 2 of the policy paper published on 29 July 2024 entitled Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25, whether the savings from targeting Winter Fuel Payments at recipients of Pension Credit and certain other means-tested benefits from winter 2024-25 take account of the potential impact of that policy on the number of people in receipt of Pension Credit.

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) introduction of means-testing for Winter Fuel Payments and (b) Pension Credit Week of Action campaign on the (i) number of people who claim Pension Credit and (ii) cost to the public purse for (A) Pension Credit and (B) other associated passported benefits in (1) this financial year and (2) each of the next four financial years.

The Government estimates that linking entitlement to receipt of Pension Credit and other relevant DWP income-related benefits will reduce expenditure by around £1.4 billion in 2024/25 and £1.5 billion in 2025/26, based on the assumption of a 5% increase of Pension Credit take-up.

Winter Fuel Payments are classified as Annual Managed Expenditure (AME). The estimated savings are sensitive to forecasted take up of Pension Credit. The final savings will be certified and published by the Office for Budget responsibility at the Autumn Budget on the 30th October, taking account of any behavioural response.

With regards to the associated passported benefits in this financial year and each of the next four financial years, the DWP does not hold this information.

Emma Reynolds
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to p.9 of the policy document entitled Fixing the Foundations, published on 29 July 2024, what discussions her Department had with the Office for Budget Responsibility before estimating the savings to the public purse from limiting eligibility to Winter Fuel Payments to people in receipt of Pension Credit.

The Chancellor’s statement of 29 July made hard choices to reduce immediate spending pressures . It was not a fiscal event and was not accompanied by an economic and fiscal forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

The Chancellor commissioned a forecast from the OBR in her statement of 29 July, to be published alongside a Budget on 30 October. The OBR will certify the methodology behind the costings of measures announced on 29 July, including the targeting of Winter Fuel Payments at recipients of Pension Credit and certain other means-tested benefits, in the usual way at the Budget.

Darren Jones
Chief Secretary to the Treasury