MP’s Report 22^nd July 2020

Parliament has now recessed for the summer so I this is in some ways my ‘end of term’ report before we return in September. Parliament is an odd place at the best of times but particularly since we went back to the building in June, with long lines of socially distanced MPs at snaking around the corridors when there are votes and the whole place bereft of most of the staff all the time. The important business of holding the Government to account continued, however. Increasingly it has become clear just how many questions the Government has to answer! I tried to be supportive of the Government’s approach in the early days of the pandemic but as their mistakes and lack of capacity and capability have increasingly impacted the country’s wellbeing, I have highlighted them, particularly over PPE, testing and social care, as well as the Government help programs. I know that many constituents feel entirely excluded from them, particularly the recently self employed.

UNITE protest against BA redundancies in Newcastle Business Park

As a constituency team, we continue to work on new ways of reaching and responding to constituents. Online surgeries are becoming more popular. Casework remains at overwhelmingly high levels and the office response time for non-urgent enquiries has risen to two weeks and occasionally even longer. IPSA has made further funding available and I have now been able to increase the resources with more caseworker hours. We are aiming to get response times down to one week over the summer

But we are also now seeing the increasing impact of Covid 19 in economic and mental health terms, and we are afraid things will only get worse with significant job losses likely, particularly in our region, as the Government refuses to implement a more targeted approach. Hospitality and culture sectors are particularly threatened.

Huawei and China have been an important issue. I have spoken up against human rights abuses against the Uigher and in China and Hong Kong, and supported making our national networks secure whilst also condemning general anti-China sentiment.

Many constituents have written to me frustrated by the Premier League’s delay in deciding on the proposed takeover of Newcastle United. Colleagues and I have raised this with the Premier League but without a response, and will now be writing to them. I was more successful in raising Newcastle season ticket c refunds with the club! I have also been active in supporting the Black Lives Matter movement in Newcastle and more globally.

Challenging Racism and Islamaphobia in the NorthEast online meeting

Backbench and Constituency Role

All staff are working from home, whilst I am in Parliament when it is sitting. We continue to work effectively online whilst improving working practices to make it easier. Further suggestions welcome.
Online surgery attendance is growing, with up to eight constituents attending. Casework has increased significantly, with a greater variety of cases and of constituents, meaning each case takes more time.
On the Newcastle season ticket correspondence, we were successful in getting NUFC to agree to refunds!
Marion is now full time until the end of December, Victoria will be joining us two days a week to work on Casework until the end of December and Charlotte two days a week until the end of September.
I continue to engage with Ministers or Government Agencies on Mobile Phone Pricing, Safe working practices and Covid 19, Access to the Internet during Lockdown for School Age children, Transgender Rights, Litter, UNISON regarding support for workers at Northumbria and Newcastle Universities, Disproportionate Policing, JAN Trust, Refunds for Newcastle United ticket-holders, Harvey Weinstein, support for Digital Products and Algorithms in the Home Office, with Ipsa on Relocation, with Mobile UK on Data Caps on the Internet and with the Council on Homelessness.
I spoke to Northumbria Police regarding BAME representation and treatment in the light of statistics showing disproportionate stop and search. They gave a number of reassurances which we must follow up.

Visit to Starship to see delivery robots in action

I spoke from the backbench sixteen times No Recourse to public funds (8^th June), Racism in society (8^th June), Black Lives Matter (9^th June), EU/UK negotiations (16^th June), Coronavirus (17^th June), DFiD/FCO merger (18^th June), Covid-19 BAME communities (18^th June), Trade negotiations: North East rural farming (25^th June), Universal Credit: Court of appeal judgement (25^th June), Uyghur genocide (29^th June), NSA appointment (30^th June) Probation Services (14^th July) China (20 July) Coronavirus response (20 July) Windrush Report (21 July)

I asked 227 Written Questions [details at end of report]

Shadow Ministerial and PES Role

As Shadow Minister for Post Offices I have been highlighting the plight of subpostmasters wrongly accused and prosecuted by the Post Office and pressing for a Judge led review, including through an urgent question.
Government has made a number of announcements on funding for science which seem to have the effect of centralising spending.
We are continuing to meet with key stakeholders for the different briefs.
I am working on our approach to equitable access to Covid 19 vaccine with the Shadow DFID team
I spoke from the frontbench four times Draft enterprise Act 2002 (Amendment) (13^th July) UK Telecoms (14^th July) Dispute resolution for consumer disputes (20^th July) Horizon Post Office (21 July)

Organisation

The entire team has moved to home working which is a significant achievement. We are meeting by zoom and sharing information and work flow in new ways in order to deal with the changing demands on all of us.

Statement as Chair of the APPG on Diversity & Inclusion in STEM

Media

Quoted and interviewed frequently in local and national media including the Evening Chronicle and Journal, and BBC, ITV and Sky. I wrote a number of blogs including on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and on Armstrong’s Statue

Meetings and visits

BAME business owners APPG, The House magazine -Black representation, Chris Day, ESL esports, Winston Keenan Northumbria Police Chief constable, Unite demo BA (three times), MP meeting Newcastle City Council, Foundation for Science & Technology, TUC Northern MPs, Huawei, PES Presidency, Paul Scully – Horizon, National Farmers Union briefing, Allyson Pollock Newcastle University, Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group MP briefing, Northumbria Police BAME organisation & learning, Northumbria Police Zoe Hingston BAME pre-recruitment, Ubisoft Giselle Stewart, David Nabarro WHO, Institute for government, Life Sciences APPG brief on vaccines, Chris Day -Newcastle University. Urban Green Newcastle parks & allotments, Excluded UK APPG, Newcastle Central CLP scientists for labour, Jo Stevens & Jamie Susskind, Jo Stevens & Tom Gray, African Chatham house webinar, Rolls Royce, Panelist for APPG for special education needs and disabilities, Bridget Phillipson, PLP Northern group, Adam Collerton & Louise Henry, BAME MP Briefing with Mayor of London, Excluded UK APPG Leaseholders, Helen Milner Good Thing Foundation, Digital consultation, NHS MP Briefing, Gavin Starks Icebreaker, Unite BA protests, APPG Manufacturing, Foundation for science & technology, Tyne Theatre, Stephen Kinsella, The Plug.

Statement used by the Life Centre in Newcastle

Speaking

CogX Ethics in action, Teens talk tech, Industry forum Economic Recovery panel event, Google digital garage, WES Tees & Tyneside women in Engineering, APPG STEM In Diversity launch, Policy Forum Local economic development & green jobs with Cumbria, Westminster Higher Education forum Priorities for International research partnerships, Chair Africa APPG BAME & Covid panel, National Policy forum Business Engagement, APPG diversity in STEM roundtable, Durham energy institute -Women in Engineering, Tech UK Role of digital in North East, Chair APPG Adult education, Video for world Intellectual Property Day, Alan Turing Institute -Online Harms, The Time is Now lobby, Spectator-Lloyds fintech podcast, Intellectual Property Issues roundtable on British IP Day. Nominet virtual event, Diversity in theatre & state of the arts discussion, Labour SME BAME business roundtable, Black livelihoods in the City Labour in the City, Why BAME voices matter – Jessie Jacobs, Parliamentary Links day, Tech for the future roundtable, Foundation event: Potential politicisation of science, Council of faiths panel, Chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster and minister for the cabinet office questions, BAME online forum, BENTV Africa-Britain relations, Delegated legislation Alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes, Newcastle Unites, Edelmen interview, Black Lives Matter Podcast, Women in trade unions and politics Facebook livestream.