Another week of many meetings, particularly zoom and teams, some of which have been particularly informative. Last Tuesday, along with other local colleagues, I met with Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, where we discussed the agenda to consolidate the custody suites in Co. Durham. The big concern we all have, is the question as to whether a stand-in police and crime commissioner should make decisions of this magnitude so close to an election where he is standing down. We also took the time to remind the Home Secretary of the importance of keeping pressure on antisocial behaviour and county lines drug gangs. Tuesday also saw the meeting of the BEIS select committee, this time our focus was on the impact of Covid-19 on business and workers. Later in the week we separately had a round table with many people from business. This was a private session to allow contributors to speak frankly, it was cross party, with different MPs leading separate breakout groups. This was an enormously informing session and will be repeated over coming weeks. We also had a Zoom call with Eddie Lister, who is the head of staff for the Prime Minister, a very different person to his predecessor.
On a lighter note, I was able to have a virtual meeting with some young scouts whose leader I met on Remembrance Sunday, it is always a pleasure to engage with young people.
On Friday I had a very interesting discussion on the promotion of the creation of a British development bank, led by Gareth Davies MP and joined by Will Tanner, who is the director of Onward. I look forward to learning more.
On Friday afternoon I had a catch up discussion with Sue Jacques, who is the Chief Executive of County Durham and Darlington Foundation Health Trust, where we were briefed on the latest position in our hospitals. They are managing, but we must help keep Covid-19 pressure off them so they can continue other surgery. As a result of this discussion Peter Gibson and I took the opportunity to join Sue when she visited Darlington and Sedgefield Hospitals on Saturday evening. It was good to see the staff who have been under incredible pressure this year but and they are obviously pleased at the recent progress for vaccines, which gives them some light at the end of this tunnel.
This week I have also had the opportunity to join, virtually, two of the Area Action Partnerships. On Tuesday it was our local Great Aycliffe & Middridge Partnership and on Monday I was able to join their equivalent for the East Durham Rural Corridor which looks after places like Fishburn and Trimdon. This gives me at least a chance to keep in touch whilst movements are limited.
Continuing what I have said before, I meet so many interesting people and this week one of the highlights has to be a call with the army Sergeant Major, Gavin Paton, he is the senior non-commissioned officer in the army. He talked about many things and was enormously interesting, he left us with the three messages he gives to his soldiers. First, rank is an opportunity to do more for others, not for them to do more for you; second, that soldiers do not make mistakes on purpose, and thirdly, leave a legacy.
These messages could be applied to many people and I would commend them to you.
As you will be aware, the government has confirmed we will come out of lockdown on Wednesday 2nd December, but that we will enter a tiered approach again before getting a little more space at Christmas. In the meantime we get a little more latitude with non-essential retail, Gyms and outdoor sport being more accessible. If we are to work our way down these tiers it is important that everyone follows the guidance, so please everyone, do your bit and 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 the rest of 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
