Last week started with me driving to London on Sunday, instead of the usual Monday train, meaning I was able to get in the London office on Monday morning (24th April) and spend more time with my team there.
Due to the current situation in Sudan the Ministry of Defence (MOD) team offered a briefing in the MOD offices on the military and Foreign Office perspectives of the war and what was being done to help. This was very enlightening and gave me a deeper understanding for any questions raised. The business of the House started as usual at 2.30pm with the Non-Domestic Rating Bill. I had discussions on Net Zero rural heating opportunities and challenges as well as holding a tearoom surgery with the Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
Tuesday (25th April) was quite an interesting day, it started with my one-to-one Teams call with our Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) – Joy Allen – before meeting with PFF, a constituency business based in Sedgefield and involved in the packaging and health sectors. As I said last week there was a Literacy Drop In, ran by Catherine Lenahan from Newton Aycliffe, but coincidentally on the same day, I had a couple of visitors from Darlington who were down for different meetings on Childcare & Early Education and Youth Employment, so I had the pleasure of introducing them to each other enabling a number of valuable connections. I was also able to show them a little of the Palace of Westminster.
Later on Tuesday we had a reception hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Left Behind Neighbourhoods to celebrate the achievement of the Community Wealth Fund which could be transformational for some communities. I also found out I had secured a ticket for a reception on Tuesday afternoon (2nd May) where The King and The Queen Consort are joining Members of Parliament and others. This will have happened by the time you read this, and I will tell you more next week.
At the Transport Select Committee on Wednesday (26th April) we held our second session considering the potential Minimum Services Bill. Last time we were listening to users and this time, at first we met with a couple of representatives from the train operating companies and after that we had some of the leaders of the rail unions, including Mick Lynch from RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) and Mick Whelan ASLEF (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) – who you may have seen on TV due to the rail strikes. Then it was Prime Minister’s Questions in the Chamber before some time with my London team and a meeting with the housing Minister to share some frustrations of access to appropriate housing for some of my constituents. I drove back north on Thursday (27th April), calling to see a colleague in Bassetlaw on the way as he has elections this week.
Friday (28th April) was the usual busy constituency day. Started at 8.00am supporting our local Police in initiating a Businesses Police and Communities Together (BPACT) meeting at the Hitachi factory. These meetings are like a PACT but for businesses and hopes to help with some of the issues on the trading estate. Many thanks to Hitachi for hosting these events. After this I had a doctor’s appointment before visiting Hurworth House School and meeting the team and some of their pupils to try and answer questions on Westminster.
I then went up to Shincliffe to contribute to Channel 4 filming of a documentary regarding rail in the north. Here I was able to highlight the importance of the Leamside Line and the Ferryhill Station project. Once finished it was back to Newton Aycliffe to Securicorp NE for a catch up on their community work before heading to Skerningham to meet a constituent.
With local elections taking place in the Darlington part of my constituency, Saturday (29th April) was a campaign day. The results of these elections will break as you are receiving this on Friday 5th May so I will say more next week. We are currently planning more surgeries so, if you have any issues you want to discuss, please contact me by email on Paul.Howell.MP@Parliament.UK – or by phone on Aycliffe 790580.