Last week at the Conservative party conference in Manchester I was able to take time to not only listen to several of the keynote speeches you may have seen on TV, but I was also able to engage in a number of fringe events. The options for these are many and varied and the following are just a few that I joined. As I said last week, I first went to one on ‘Trusting the People’ about devolution of powers to local people, this included Michael Gove and Guy Opperman on the panel, and I was pleased how supportive they were of the leaflet I co-authored. After joining an NFU reception and speaking with Danny Kruger MP over dinner I went to the Northern reception where it was good to meet MPs and party members from across the north. After quite a late night I went to a breakfast meeting about HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail where I was on the panel discussing the importance of investment in rail infrastructure for the north. I stressed the importance of local projects like Ferryhill Station and east west links across the Pennines where connectivity is critical. Delivery of HS2 in full is also important, but it’s more about overall rail capacity than saving a few minutes from London to the midlands.
I also joined colleagues including Jesse Norman MP, Former Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to discuss the UK’s energy infrastructure and the route to net zero. This was not only about the sources of energy but the need to ensure we have skilled people trained to support them. I joined a Northern Powerhouse leaders lunch, hosted by Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley mayor, where it was great to see so many political and business leaders from across the north, including from Kromek in Sedgefield who where a joint sponsor of the event and we had speeches from the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and the Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng. I attended a Levelling Up reception and Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington, and I hosted a meal for our local members that had joined us in Manchester. Wednesday, I listened to a forum on Levelling Up attended by Ben Houchen, Simon Clarke and Neil O’Brien. Simon is Chief Secretary to the Treasury and a Middlesbrough MP and Neil was the Levelling Up policy adviser to No 10 before now being appointed as a minister to support Michael Gove in delivering Levelling Up. The discussion was all about the importance of levelling up and it’s impact on the regions. I then went to listen to the PM’s speech before heading home.
After returning from conference, I joined a call open to all north east MPs where we discussed the local needs of all transport modes. These included not only rail, but bus, car, cycle and pedestrians, as we need all of these to be integrated. That night I met with Nexus rail and Northumbrian Water along with other colleagues. Northumbrian Water asked us to remind all our contacts of the significant waste of water if you leave taps running and the propensity for wet wipes to block drains if you flush them down toilets. So please don’t be guilty of either of these offences.
Once back in the patch, I spent time with my team looking at casework and planning our next round of surgeries before heading out to NETPark to meet yet another amazing science led business, Graphene Composites. They are developing products that make us, and our military, stay safe. I am beginning to wonder whether Q from the James Bond films is hidden away in NETPark, there is so much exciting technology being developed!
I then went to Ferryhill Station to take photos etc for the press release surrounding our submission of the bid to reopen Ferryhill Station to passengers. This has been submitted to the Department for Transport and, for me, the numbers are a compelling argument to proceed.
After joining the MPs and peers transport briefing I mentioned earlier I am now taking a few days off before we return to Westminster on the 18th. Should you need anything my team will still be working and available to help on the usual contact details.
As we enter Autumn and Winter the risk of infections always increases so whether it be flu or Covid if you need to be jabbed please sort it and help to stop any spread as well as looking after yourselves.
Paul Howell
Member of Parliament for Sedgefield