Before talking about my week, I would like to reflect on last week’s Newton News. Even more than normal it seemed to be full of good people doing great things. Whether it was Stephen Creaney’s book sale; the Christmas Santa drive through; donations to Junction 7; starting a new badminton club; The Sugar Hill Express; The thanks to Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group; Greenfield Arts; Feeding Families; Rotary; Festive Activity at Greenfield Community College; A Magical Xmas Story or the relaunch of Creative Couch, there was so much positivity. I would like to thank the Newton News team for giving us these uplifting messages and I would encourage everyone to send in even more as I am sure it makes their work easier reporting such good news.

Anyway, over to what my week had in it:

The week started with a another briefing on Cop 26, this time from Alok Sharma the Secretary of State for BEIS (Business Energy and Industrial Strategy). Cop 26 is the 26th UN climate change conference of the parties that takes place in Glasgow next year.

We later had an interesting discussion on assisted suicide with Professor Theo Boer whose views have changed dramatically over time, it’s always worth listening to different views on subjects as emotive as this.

I also had the usual BEIS select committee, this time on Brexit preparedness and then a meeting of my Left Behind Neighbourhoods APPG. I also enjoyed a zoom call with pupils from Stephenson Way School, where they were able to ask me about being an MP. We had a webinar about powering the 4th industrial revolution and BEIS facilitated a Business Round Table where we listened to how Covid-19 had affected different businesses and their level of concern for the Brexit deadline. I was interviewed on Radio 5 with regards to my first year in Parliament, before later joining Fishburn Parish Council for their monthly meeting. I also had the privilege of a visit to Woodlands Hospital in Darlington, which is just inside the Sedgefield Constituency and a meeting with Hurworth Albion Football Club about their facilities. I was able to catch up with the NHS re our Covid-19 data and call at Ferryhill to discuss some regeneration plans in Dean Bank.

This is written before decisions on which tier we are to be in next. Whichever it is, and in particular, over the more relaxed Christmas rules, can I please encourage everyone to see the rules as the limit to what you should do, not a boundary to be stretched as far as possible. Whether we are in Tier 3 or Tier 2 please act, as much as possible, as if you were still in Tier 3. Accept any little extra we can do, but don’t abuse it as this will only help our prospects of getting permanently to a lower Tier at the earliest possible time. It will also be the best we can do to support our more vulnerable residents.

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 that will hopefully put us in a better place for Christmas and beyond.

This is the last Newton News until January 8th, so please stay safe and have a Happy Christmas and let’s all hope 2021 is the start of something better.

Paul Howell

Member of Parliament for Sedgefield