Welcome to the FAQs page, which has been designed to answer some of the most common questions I am asked.

Is Catherine my MP?

You can easily check by using the FindYourMP tool. All you need to do is type your home postcode into the relevant box.

Can Catherine help if she is not my MP?

No, even if the problem you experienced happened in Hornsey & Wood Green. Very strict rules dictate that MPs can only offer assistance to people who live in and businesses that are located in the constituency they represent. The FindYourMP tool will provide details for your MP and you should then make contact with them.

What problems can Catherine help me with?

Catherine can primarily offer assistance with matters that Parliament and Central Government are responsible for.  See the advice page for more details of the kind of assistance Catherine can provide.

Catherine is not elected to Haringey Council and has no direct control over the decisions that it makes on the various issues for which it has responsibility. These include social housing, rubbish/recycling collection, education and planning decisions. For those issues you should contact your locally elected councillors in the first instance as they will be best placed to offer assistance. You can find their details and information about their advice surgeries here.

Catherine cannot intervene in ongoing legal disputes.

How long will I usually have to wait for a reply?

Catherine receives many hundreds of requests for help by email, phone, letter and at her advice surgeries. Along with her caseworkers, she works to ensure that all enquiries are dealt with as quickly as possible but please allow up to 15 working days for a response.  Sometimes, with very complex cases or at times of peak demand, it may take a little longer.  Emails are treated with the same priority as all other forms of communication.

If, after that time, you have not had a response to an enquiry, please resend your email or call Catherine’s office on 020 7219 6141.

How can I contact Catherine?

You can write to Catherine West MP, House of Commons, Westminster, SW1A 0AA, email [email protected] or call her office Monday-Friday on 0207 219 6141.

You can also book an appointment at one of her regular telephone or in-person advice surgeries.  Full details are here.

How can I get a ticket for a tour of Parliament?

Catherine is always happy to try and help arrange a tour of Parliament for her constituents. Tours booked by MPs are free but are also very popular and booked up many months in advance. If you would like Catherine to try and arrange a tour of Parliament for you, please contact her via email.  Be sure to include your full name and address in the constituency.

Commercial tours of Parliament are also run at weekends and when Parliament is in recess. The commercial tours can be personally guided as part of a group or with an audio headset. You can also book a commercial tour that includes an afternoon tea. Further details can be found here.

How can I get a ticket for a tour of Big Ben?

After being closed for many years for large scale repair works, tickets are now available again for tours from September 2023.  However, Catherine receives a large number of requests and like all MPs is only able to apply for a maximum of eight tickets per year.  As such she operates a quarterly ballot for a pair of tickets.  If you would like to add your name to the ballot for the duration of this Parliament please send Catherine an email, including your name and address in the constituency.

Please note that Big Ben tours are only suitable for people who can climb a large amount of stairs. Children must also be at least eleven years old before going on the tour. Babes in arms cannot be taken on the tour.

How can I get a ticket for Prime Minister’s Questions?

The Public Gallery for the House of Commons is very small. MPs receive three pairs of tickets for Prime Minister’s Questions in any one calendar year and can only apply for an additional two tickets each month.  Catherine receives a large number of requests so she operates a ballot for her tickets. If you would like to add your name to the ballot for the duration of this Parliament please send Catherine an email, including your name and address in the constituency.

If there is a particular date you want to attend, you can also queue up and try to get tickets on the day.  You can find details here, but please note that you will only gain entrance if there is space after ticket holders.

Catherine can request tickets for the Public Gallery for a Parliamentary Question time session on an alternative day of the week. These take place on Mondays at 2.30pm, Tuesdays at 11.30am and Thursdays at 9.30am. If you would like to attend on any date, please contact her office directly. Be sure to include your full name and address in the constituency.

How can I help Catherine?

Catherine often hears from local residents who want to volunteer their time to support her work.  If you’re interested in helping locally, please fill in your details here.

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