Last week started with some interesting discussions, where I joined the All Party Political Group (APPG) for post offices, where we were joined by Nick Reid who is the new CEO of Post Office Limited, we discussed future post office strategy and the disgraceful Horizon scandal. I had meetings to discuss the opportunities to improve Aycliffe Town Centre and Joe Hannan from my office and I then joined the APPG for fair share, which is about restructuring the council tax regime. I also had a meeting with the NRG (Northern Research Group) followed by a brief attendance at the virtual Middridge Parish Council before going to Number 11 Downing Street to meet the Chancellor with other north-east colleagues.

I also joined the APPG for dignity in dying and then had a meeting with my new Labour co-chair on the Left Behind Communities APPG. On Thursday I had the usual BEIS select committee, on this occasion the enquiry was forced labour in UK value chains and in particular we referenced the Uighur in the Xinjiang region of China. The witnesses in front of us included some very well known brands including Nike and Northface as well as a government minister.

That afternoon we had a private briefing to BEIS, this time by UK Space about the importance of the space industry to all of the UK.

The weekend of course was Remembrance Sunday and I was incredibly proud to participate in the ceremony outside St. Clare’s Church. It was supposed to be a very minimal affair, with few in attendance, and by normal standards that was the case but it was good to see those that did attend showing respect and a common sense level of social distance. There are very many local memorials throughout the Sedgefield constituency and I visited 25 of them on Sunday to show respect to those who gave their tomorrow for our today. This was quite an emotional experience bringing home the number of communities that were affected by so many losses due to conflict. Whilst we respect all of those that gave their lives, in particular the two who received Victoria crosses, Thomas Kenny and Jack Youll, stood out. A quote from Jack was “There are two kinds of honour, the seen and the unseen, I hope the people of Thornley give the rest of the boys the same recognition on their return.” This was typical of people like Jack, to think of their colleagues, and is a message for us all. As a particularly poignant display, the one in Piercebridge, where individual “Gainford Tommies” had been represented, delivered a real connection to those that were lost.

Over the weekend I was also delighted to see the announcement from Thérèse Coffy, the Secretary of State for work pensions, regarding the £170 million winter grant scheme which is a continuation and expansion of the local welfare support assistance grant, which ran until the end of October. Close to £1.8 million of this is for Durham County Council to administer. Along with this the holiday activities and food programme is to be extended covering Easter, Summer and Christmas in 2021. This is all part of a long term plan to tackle hunger, health and education.

When the debate about free school meals at half term was raging, I said that the discussion was too focused on using free school meals when a more comprehensive solution was required. I was told by ministers at the time that plans were afoot and my faith in them has been justified by this announcement, it’s just a shame that others want to make political capital again by calling it a U-turn. This sort of scheme takes significant working and could not have been created in that time and is clearly part of an ongoing delivery plan.

We are now in the second week of the increased restrictions and the announcement that a potential vaccine, with 90% success, has been identified is fabulous news, we all need to continue to follow the guidelines through this month. If we can get the infection rates down and then see vaccines introduced, we might actually have light at the end of this dark tunnel.

So please remember: HANDS-FACE-SPACE

Wash your Hands regularly, wear a mask on your Face where required and give people Space, follow the new regulations for November and that will hopefully put us in a better place for December. Stay safe and have a good week.

Paul Howell, Member of Parliament for Sedgefield