As I mentioned last week, I had the privilege of being invited to see the rehearsal for the equine element of the parade for the King’s coronation on the night of Monday 17th – and the early hours of the Tuesday. This was fascinating as we were first taken to the official control room. Whilst there we were briefed not only on all security concerns they would be evaluating but also on the complex logistics they need to manage just to get the troops into position, never mind managing the public! We then went to follow the parade rehearsal which finished around 1.30am.
In last week’s Transport Select Committee meeting we had the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, in front of us to discuss the work and priorities of his department. I took the opportunity to remind him of the importance of social and not just economic considerations in determining where to invest in infrastructure as well as the need for a long-term solution for local buses.
Last Wednesday, 19th April, it was great to join my Labour colleague Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck MP in hosting an event in Parliament celebrating the North East and September’s Great North Run. It was wonderful to spend some time with Bill Cooksey along with Gavin and Debbie Iceton from 5 Acres. I was able to give them a tour of Westminster that included the Commons Chamber and pictures outside No 10. Bill will be 102 years young when he joins thousands of other runners going across the Tyne Bridge in September. We also met athletic legends Brendan Foster, Paula Radcliffe and Tanni Grey-Thompson, but Bill was the real star of the day!
Later in the week, back in the constituency on Friday 21st, I had a walkabout with the Police and Crime Commissioner, Joy Allen, and neighbourhood wardens in Ferryhill where I was also able to raise some of the Aycliffe issues with her. I also spoke at a meeting of Blind Lives in Durham (B.L.I.N.D.) and Blind Veterans before going to County Hall in Durham for our regular meeting of MPs and the Council leaders. I finished the week with a visit to a community centre in Station Town before the Mayor’s Ball in Darlington.
I travelled to Westminster on Sunday 23rd this week, ready for an earlier start on Monday where I provided Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) support to the Non-Domestic Rating Bill, a Bill which makes a number of technical alterations to the non-domestic rating system, better known as ‘business rates’ and called at a drop in discussing alternate fuels for rural households. There are a significant number of households in the constituency off the gas grid, and the event was an opportunity to learn about how renewable liquid fuels can provide rural households and communities with an easy and affordable way to decarbonise their heating.
At the Net Zero for Rural Households Drop-in – a project was presented that showed how homes across the UK have successfully converted domestic homes to run their heating on a renewable liquid fuel called hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), costing only £500 to make the conversion while reducing emissions by 88%.
This week (week commencing 24th) in Westminster will include: a Literacy Drop In – which will give an overview of National Literacy Trust’s history and work (involving Catherine Lenahan from Newton Aycliffe); a Menopause Mandate to celebrate their first birthday and learn more about what they are doing to support the millions of Perimenopausal and Menopausal women across the country; meetings with the Left Behind Neighbourhoods APPG, as well as the Transport Select Committee, where our subject will be the Government’s proposals for minimum service levels.
Hope to see some of you during the week and if you want to catch up with me, please call Aycliffe 790580 or email Paul.Howell.MP@parliament.UKParliament Talk