In Parliament, I’ve been working hard to push for more jobs for our town, which will benefit Aycliffe and the wider County. I was proud recently to work with the Defence Secretary to save the semi-conductor factory on the industrial estate. Now I’m working hard to push for the factory to get support from its new owner – the Ministry of Defence – to expand the jobs, opportunities and apprenticeships available.
To push this issue, I asked a question to the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP, in the chamber of the House of Commons. I was really pleased to hear that the MOD are committed to supporting this factory and that plans are underway to finalise their future resource plan. This would pave the way for more jobs in engineering, science and technology on our doorstep. I’ve booked a meeting with the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry to follow this up quickly and push for action.
It’s always an honour to meet our service personnel, so it was a privilege to visit RAF Brize Norton as part of the cross-party Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. It was fantastic to meet the squadrons providing air transport, responsible for moving troops, equipment and supplies, around the globe. I was also lucky enough to try my hand at parachute jump training!
Back home, here in the constituency, I’ve been travelling around local schools as part of my UK Parliament Week roadshow. I visited five groups of young people to take their questions about our democracy, local and national issues, and how they can shape their communities. My first visit was to the North East Autism Society Aycliffe School where I got asked some brilliant questions. I then visited schools in Windlestone, Trimdon, Spennymoor and then finally I finished at the Newton Aycliffe Scout Centre to chat to the young people about my role and take questions on a range of topics. I was so impressed by all of the young people I met and the quality of the questions they asked. All a real credit to our communities. Thank you to all schools and groups for having me this week. If you’re involved with a community group and would like me to visit, please get in touch with me at alan.strickland.mp@parliament.uk
I held my advice surgery in Ferryhill, where it was good to meet with constituents, to talk about various issues and how I can assist as our MP. This involved picking up some very serious issues from families facing major challenges. I’ll be releasing the dates of December’s surgeries shortly. If you would like an appointment then please just get in touch.
After the advice surgery, I travelled to Ferryhill Sport and Education Centre to watch the fantastic Chance Drama in their latest showcase performance. Chance Drama provide the opportunity for young people from across the area, including Aycliffe, to learn performance skills. I was blown away by the excellent vocals and choreography. I’m very proud of the talented young performers we have in our area. Well done to all involved.
In Parliament this week, we have the second reading of the Assisted Dying Bill. This provides the first opportunity for debate on the proposed law. While some MPs have a longstanding view on this matter, I have approached it with a genuinely open mind. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views on this very sensitive topic with me – I’ve considered all of these views carefully and will take them into account when deciding how to vote.