Last week I ended by saying that as we were going into recess for a week, I should have chance to catch my breath. To say that I was overly optimistic was an understatement. Firstly, discussions on the Northern Research Group, NRG, attracted media attention. This was caused by a letter we were sending to the PM being leaked and then spun as if we were rebels. I ended up talking to both newspapers and radio to explain our intentions. What we are trying to do is ensure that amongst all the many issues that the PM is dealing with that he keeps us front and centre in his thoughts.

Later in the week I was involved with the Tees Valley MPs and Government in discussions about a possible move to Tier 3 Covid-19 regulations but before this could conclude it became apparent that a more national approach was to be implemented and so this discussion was paused. We then had several discussions around this prospect and many representations were made by me and other colleagues on the specifics.

These were largely driven by our in-bound emails and my representations were, therefore, primarily on golf (where I would declare an interest!), gyms and swimming pools (where I am less involved), and church services (where I probably should go more often!), all of these were given the same support.

As you will be aware this is written by Tuesday and we will be debating these proposals on Wednesday so you will know the outcome by now. We are at a critical juncture so, whatever restrictions are determined, please follow them.

On a different note it is an opportune time to reflect on the last year. It is just over a year now since the General Election was called and I was chosen to be the Conservative candidate for Sedgefield. I could not possibly have imagined what the following year would bring. November and early December were of course campaigning months. They started with hope that changed quickly to optimism and then on Thursday 12th December you voted overwhelmingly for a Conservative Government and for me to represent you for the Sedgefield Constituency.

After the initial whirlwind of having the Prime Minister come to Sedgefield, to celebrate the victory, this was rapidly followed by joining my fellow local new Conservative Members of Parliament in our first trip to Westminster on Monday 16th December. Over the next few days we did everything from basic inductions through to attending the Queen’s Speech and then voting Brexit through.

When I was working to be selected to be the

candidate for you I spoke to a sitting MP who said to me that before you are elected no one wants to know you but afterwards everyone does. It is only after being elected that you understand the extent of that statement. My post, both physical and email, was immediately immense. I received communications on just about any subject you could name and in very significant quantities. This gave me an immediate realisation of the breadth of subjects you become involved with as an MP. The immediate practical realisations are that you need to employ your own staff, set up your own offices and sort accommodation in London. You then start the day job, for which there is no manual or job description.

My background in industry and as a local councillor give me particular areas to start to focus in, resulting in me joining the BEIS Select Committee and chairing the APPG for Left Behind communities. Whilst this provides two significant areas of work it does not mitigate you from needing to understand so many other subjects. For instance, subjects like food standards that both residents and local farmers have an obvious interest in, but may have different outcomes in mind. Or, I could also be asked to represent views on a result of some other agenda that constituents have an opinion on, an example could be Military Veterans.

This range of things to consider means that as an MP you are rarely an expert, but rather you have the opportunity to make direct contact with those that are. The access we have been given to Ministers and their staff has been incredible and I continue to be amazed by the depth of knowledge I can tap into and their patience in explaining things.

This has been particularly relevant as the Coronavirus pandemic hit. This pandemic has clearly made a massive difference in our Government’s ability to progress its Manifesto but, it has shown to me the incredible level of work done by Ministers in so many departments to support people like me in trying to respond to their constituents.

I certainly understand that there is a hierarchy of knowledge. There are things you know, there are things you know you don’t know, but there are also many, many things you don’t even know you don’t know! As they say, every day is a school day.

Whilst I try to consider every vote in the context of what I think the people of Sedgefield would like me to do, it continues to surprise me that some people complain that I am always voting with the government. I am sure that there will, on occasion, be issues that may cause me not to vote with the Government but at the end of the day I was elected on the basis of the Conservative Party manifesto which this Government is trying to deliver, so it is quite appropriate for me to normally vote with the Government.

Unfortunately, this pandemic has somewhat scuppered my plans to be as accessible to members of the public at Constituency surgeries and meetings. As the situation appeared to be changing for the better over the summer my office had plans to restart face to face meetings in different locations around the Constituency, but this is obviously now not possible. As an interim measure my office will be holding Virtual Surgeries on Thursday afternoons at 4pm. We thought that the best way to do this virtually was by subject rather than the traditional constituency geographic location. Therefore, the first three Virtual Surgeries will be as follows:

Thursday 12th November

Covid-19 regulations.

Thursday 19th November

Universal Credit & Benefits Advice.

Thursday 26th November

Rural Broadband issues.

If you would like to book a slot at one of these surgeries please email my office paul.howell.mp@parliament.uk and we will book you a slot and send the necessary Zoom invitation. I will put out continuing dates and subjects each week within this column and on social media to keep residents up to date.

Please, if you have an urgent enquiry do contact my office as normal, so that we can assist you. You certainly do not have to wait for a virtual surgery slot.

As I said earlier it is a critical time in the fight against Covid-19 so please remember:

HANDS – FACE – SPACE

Wash your Hands regularly.

Wear a Mask on your Face where required.

Give people Space.

Please follow the new regulations for November 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