Last week in Westminster started with the usual Monday morning train before heading to the Samaritans Brew Monday event. Samaritans were also out and about at many venues due to the third Monday in January being seen as a particularly difficult one. I then had meetings with a tutoring organisation that help schools like Dean Bank in Ferryhill before going to plan the Finance Bill Committee sessions. I finished the day providing support duties as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Treasury team at the adjournment debate on funding for public services in Cornwall. Whilst I was there, as part of the Treasury team, it also affords me an insight into the challenges other councils face.
Tuesday 16th January was the first of three days scheduled for the Committee Stage of the Finance Bill. This is where the Bill is scrutinised line by line and the time taken depends on how contentious issues are and whether the opposition are minded to object to any of it. On this occasion we completedthe work in the first day meaning the two further days were not required. Also on Tuesday was the weekly Treasury team meeting with the Chancellor and his ministers where we heard how more of the economic fundamentals are improving. I was also able to call in to a drop-in supporting Special Education Needs and Disability reform before heading to a meeting of the Northern Research Group.
Wednesday, I hosted someone from the National Audit Office as a shadow to see the work of an MP, which I believe hefound very interesting and he’ll be coming for a day in Newton Aycliffe later to complete his understanding. I joined a round table on migration before meeting with Minister Jacob Young MP’s team (Jacob is the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) to discuss options for community support and to further challenge the lack of levelling up funds for County Durham. I performed further support duties as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Treasury Team for a couple of Delegated Legislations and met with a local business as regards equipment theft. I was also able to sign the Holocaust Memorial Book.
The business of the House on Wednesday was the well-publicised Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill. This had a lot of press as regards potential rebels voting it down but from what I saw it was never at much risk, it just had disproportionate noise in the press from a small number of dissenters. It is a critical part of the toolbox to restrict channel crossings and stop the gangs that exploit them. On Thursday I started with a question to the Cabinet Office, which was answered by Alex Burghart MP, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, as regards procurement opportunities for small businesses in government contracts before jumping on a train north.
Friday was a full day out and about in the Constituency. I started at Police HQ in Durham meeting Rachel Bacon, the new Chief of Police and I raised a number of issues including Anti-Social Behaviour and support for vulnerable people. Ialso expressed frustration at the mismanagement of the Police station in Newton Aycliffe and how critical it was that this was urgently resolved. She assured me they were close to a resolution.
Following my visit to the Police HQ at Aykley Heads, Durham, I held my first open surgery of the day in Ferryhill Working Men’s Club. At the end of the surgery, I popped into the Working Men’s Club bar and met the ladies who organise the Friday Coffee Mornings and had a lovely coffee and catch up with them. I look forward to further catch ups soon.
After my visit to Ferryhill, I returned to the Constituency office in Newton Aycliffe and had a meeting with a residents’ group about the Byers Gill Solar Farm proposal. Later in the afternoon it was off to the Mordon Village Hall open surgery. Open surgeries are the opportunity for me to listen to more general issues that constituents have concerns about.
On Saturday, I had the pleasure of catching up with Newton Aycliffe Scouts where I heard of progress since the changes at the Scout Hall. I am scheduling more open surgeries including in Newton Aycliffe and hope one of them will be held in the Scout Hall. As always if you want to catch up, please get in touch on Aycliffe 790580 or [email protected]
