WEEKLY UPDATE
I started last week with a meeting in the DEFRA offices. Each Monday the Department has a 30-minute weekly meeting to make sure all the team are aware of any issues. This includes the Secretary of State and his ministers as well as the 3 PPSs (Parliamentary Private Secretaries, of which I am now one and some advisors.
For those who can attend it takes place in Westminster but there is also a virtual option for those who can’t attend in person. The other aspect to my new role is a weekly meeting of the PPSs from all departments where we become more aware of agendas across Government.
I had a catch up with the secretariat of the Left Behind Neighbourhoods APPG, Local Trust, to look at forward plans as they continue their enquiry into how ‘Levelling Up’ will affect those in most need. I will be stepping down as Chair after 2 years but will remain an officer on this important APPG.
The BEIS committee this week changed its previous plans and undertook an enquiry into the problems in the Air Travel industry with the number of cancelled flights and the dramatically different impact of different airlines. If you want to see this, or any other of our enquiry sessions, you can find them online at https://www.gov. uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and- industrial-strategy
I took part in a debate in Westminster Hall on the Council of Europe (CoE). Again, if you want to see the debate it’s available online but the key concern was getting awareness of the role the council plays. It is often confused with the EU but it is a completely different assembly and covers all European Countries. The Council of Europe is first and foremost a human rights organisation. The UK has been a member since its inception and we played an essential role in drafting its best-known document, the European Convention on Human Rights. Its purpose is to promote and maintain what one could call liberal democratic values in member states. Human rights, democracy, and rule of law are the priorities of the CoE.
I also spoke in the debate on the rail strikes. Whilst always recognising the right of workers to strike it does seem as though this is being rushed into by the RMT and I think they could at least have delayed until the exam season was over. Our young people have had enough challenges in their education over the last two years. Back to constituency issues and I had meetings with some local GPs to discuss changes they are worried about and a meeting with the Durham team about progress on devolution and Durham Council. I also went to the NRG (Northern Research Group) conference.
I am part of this group and it was great to see many MPs, councillors and business leaders present. We were joined by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Michael Gove (virtually). Both were very well received and took part in Q&A sessions.
Last Saturday I went to Teesside Airport to take part in a service by the Middleton St George Memorial Association. My wife informed me that it was this event 37 years ago that meant our wedding took place on the 16th rather than the 8th of June as they had the St George Hotel booked and that is where our reception was to be held!
The week finished with the excellent news that the proposal to reinstate Ferryhill Railway Station has passed another hurdle and the DfT will be funding more detailed evaluations, working with Durham County Council. This week will be more constituency focused due to a combination of meetings early in the week and the rail strikes later. Hope to see some of you out and about. As always, if you want to catch up or ask for help, please email at paul.howell. [email protected] or call on 01325 790580.
