I was pleased that, on Friday, we had Councillors of all parties and none, join me for a short walk to celebrate the life of Jo Cox and talk to each other about the things we can do to help the town. Jo left us all with a message of how working together is better for all and we need to remember that in all our actions.
After the BEIS session on Findings of The Report of Climate Assembly UK, I guested last week on the International Trade Committee for their Evidence session on the inward foreign direct investment inquiry. I joined for the session with the Ministers, we had, Lord Grimstone, Investment Minister, DIT (Department for International Trade) / BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy); Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Responsibility, BEIS; Ceri Smith, Director General, Strategy and Investment, DIT; Daniel Gieve, Chief Operating Officer, Office for Investment and Jacqui Ward, Director of National Security and International Directorate, BEIS. I was able to question them about the importance of regional investment and its role in the Levelling Up agenda. In the BEIS session we had spoken with members of the climate assembly as well as other stakeholders and then finally Anne Marie Trevalyn, the Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth. We also had another BEIS meeting to sign off the report on Post-Pandemic Economic Growth: Industrial Policy in the UK.
Last Wednesday I had hoped to get back in time to join the Great Aycliffe Town Council meeting but as I was speaking in a debate on North East infrastructure that took place in Westminster between 5 & 6pm, I could not get back in time. Hopefully I can join the next one. I have no formal role in the Council meetings but felt it would be valuable to go and listen to the Town Councillors. David, from my Aycliffe office, joined me to get briefed by OpenReach on their forward plans in our area and we await the answers to our follow up questions. I had my weekly catch up with Nadhim Zahawi on the vaccine roll out, which continues at pace, and I am sure you will have seen that all adults can now book to have their jabs. The target for all adults to have been offered at least one jab is now July 19th.
It was good to have a chat with Amanda Hopgood, who is the new leader of Durham County Council, this gave me the opportunity to stress the importance of reinvigorating Newton Aycliffe town centre. I had another session of meetings at NETPark with some more very innovative businesses that could deliver really amazing opportunities for our region. I also called in to Hardwick Hall hotel to see the exciting developments they are looking at.
I had a meeting with the leader of the local parish council regarding anti-social behaviour in Station Town, in anticipation of a surgery with the Minister for Police and Crime. On Monday I spoke in the House in the opposition day debate on Steel and on Tuesday I also joined Henri Murison, Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, on a breakfast roundtable to discuss Levelling Up before the BEIS meeting which was a first session on Liberty Steel and the Future of the Steel Industry.
Please, if you get the opportunity to have a vaccination take it. If you have one booked and then find you can’t attend please make sure you cancel it, the vaccination teams are working incredibly hard and they do not want to waste any. The more people that are vaccinated, the greater the chances of lockdown lifting.
For now, Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air – Stay Safe.
Paul Howell
Member of Parliament for Sedgefield