Dear Newcastle

March saw the unexpected and sad loss of Councillor Nigel Todd whose work for communities across Newcastle, against racism and for life long learning improved the lives of so many in the city and indeed the region. Nigel’s loss leaves a huge hole in many hearts. He was a very active councillor and campaigner on many issues from climate change to co-operative schools.  Most  recently Nigel and I  worked together to help secure a grant for a Social Justice themed walk of the city and Town Moor. He will be much missed.

With Nigel in Arthurs Hill

March brought the vaccination of the over 50s cohort and those vulnerable across all age groups. That is a great relief to many, including me! I was vaccinated at Newcastle Eagles. Meeting the many different NHS and emergency services staff involved, together with many, many volunteers and the taxi drivers offering discounted rides,  really impressed on me  just what a tremendous  cooperative, community and public effort the vaccination is. Not so for the Prime Minister who recently attributed the vaccine rollout  success to greed, erasing the public service commitment of all those volunteers and staff. The report on racism that the Prime Minister commissioned also erased  the lived experience of all those subject to institutional racism, causing much distress.

Many parents and students welcomed the return to school for all students except those shielding.  I met with Newcastle Central school heads to discuss the challenges they face in ensuring Covid security and supporting students and staff who have shown themselves to be so resilient in this difficult time. There have been  continued improvements in Newcastle’s infection rate, although those improvements have levelled off recently. March also saw the first tentative steps out of lockdown with six people or two households able to meet outside and I know many are looking forward to a more sociable Spring!

Backbench and Constituency Role

• I held a Student’s Open Meeting to understand their experiences in this pandemic. I heard from undergraduate, postgraduate and apprentice students of the challenges they face from financial hardship to mental wellbeing
• We continue to work effectively online whilst improve working practices to make it easier. We are looking at ways in which we can use technology to work more effectively whilst considering how we will implement a return to office working and what it might be useful to keep from current work practices.
• I secured a meeting with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to discuss the impact of the Government’s Brexit deal on our exporters and in particular how Wylam Brewery can once more be enabled to export its beers to continental Europe.
• I continue to engage with the Prime Minister, Ministers, Government Agencies and others regarding issues and demands for the extension of the furlough scheme, as well as issues regarding rollout and regional data regarding COVID-19 vaccines,  availability of testing data and resources to local authorities, challenging the digital divide, financial support for individuals and businesses facing ongoing COVID-19 disruption and restrictions in the North-East, health and safety precautions for health and safety of Royal Mail staff and the Horizon scandal. I have contacted numerous members of the Cabinet with questions that arose as a result of the Digital Town Hall I attended.

My Astra Zenica Covid  vaccination at the Eagles Arena

Shadow Ministerial and PES Role

• The Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill came to the House for its second reading. I am leading on the Bill for Labour. This is the fourth Bill for which I have had responsibility this year and we know what a significant amount of work it generates. The Bill is now going into the Committee stage which will last until the end of April. We are supportive of the Bill but feel changes are required to make it more effective and accountable.
• The Government left it to the very last minute to agree funding for the Horizon European Science programme, causing huge uncertainty to the science community.
• I spoke for Labour in a Westminster Hall debate on Cybertroops and a Back Bench Business debate on the future of Research and dEvelopment.
• The Online Safety Bill is due to be introduced in the new session from mid May. This will possibly be the largest bill of the session and certainly the largest bill I have worked on! I will be leading on it for Labour and it will require a tremendous amount of work.
• We continue to work on the Labour Party’s Digital Future Report

Parliamentary Activity

Spoken from the back bench: eight times

NHS Staff pay (8^th Mar), Budget resolutions (8^th Mar), Northern Ireland (10th Mar), Veterans Mental Health (15th Mar), Court Backlogs (16^th Mar), Levelling up (16^th Mar), Algorithmic Bias (24^th Mar), Wylam Brewery (24^th Mar)

Spoken from the front bench: five times

Cybertroops in the UK (9^th Mar), UK Research and Development (17^th Mar), Gigabit Broadband (18^th Mar), Horizon Europe (23^rd Mar), ARIA (23^rd Mar)

Online Open Meeting with Students

Written Questions: 110

Corporation Tax: Coronavirus (8^th Mar), Horizon Europe (8^th Mar), Coronavirus: Vaccination (8^th Mar), Digital Technology: Small Businesses (8^th Mar), Broadband: Finance (8^th Mar), Capital Allowances (8^th Mar), Charities: Armed Forces (8^th Mar), Care Homes: Inspections (9^th Mar), National Skills Fund (9^th), Electronic Government: Proof of Identity (9^th Mar), Broadband (9^th Mar), Coronavirus: Screening (10^th Mar),  Remote Education: Computer Software (10^th Mar), Coronavirus: Disease Control (10^th Mar), Coronavirus: Disease Control (11^th Mar), Broadband: Capital Allowances (11^th Mar),  Coronavirus: Vaccination (11^th Mar),  Capital Allowances (11^th Mar),  Post Codes: Databases (11^th Mar),  Travel: Coronavirus (11^th Mar), Coronavirus: Newcastle upon Tyne (12^th Mar), Organs: Donors (12^th Mar),  Science: Migrant Workers (12^th Mar),  Coronavirus: Vaccination (12^th Mar),  Research: Finance (12^th Mar),  Migrant Workers: Visas (12^th Mar),  VAT: Africa (12^th Mar),  Business: Government Assistance  (12^th Mar), Digital Technology: Training (12^th Mar),  Broadband: Rural Areas (12^th Mar),  Remote Education: Computer Software (12^th Mar),  Visas: Applications (12^th Mar),  Investment Security Unit: Finance (12^th Mar),  Computer Software: Capital Allowances  (12^th Mar), Coronavirus: Vaccination (15^th Mar), Coronavirus: Vaccination (15^th Mar),  Research: Tax Allowances (15^th Mar),  Department of Health and Social Care: Written Questions (15^th Mar),  Advanced Research and Invention Agency: Finance  (15^th Mar), Research: Coronavirus (15^th Mar),  Buildings: Insulation (15^th Mar),  Remote Education: Extracurricular Activities (15^th Mar),  Higher Education: Remote Education (15^th Mar),  Broadband: Capital Allowances  (15^th Mar), Coronavirus: Disease Control (16^th Mar), Vaccination: Local Press  (16^th Mar),   Coronavirus: Vaccination (16^th Mar),  Mathematics: Research (16^th Mar),  Coronavirus: Vaccination (16^th Mar),  Solar Events (16^th Mar),  Solar Events (16^th Mar),  Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund: North East(16^th Mar),   Foreign Investment in UK: National Security (16^th Mar),  Treasury: Publications (16^th Mar),  Post Codes (16^th Mar),  Broadband: Finance (16^th Mar),  Technology: Capital Allowances (16^th Mar),  Travel: Coronavirus  (16^th Mar), Coronavirus: Vaccination (17^th Mar), Coronavirus: Newcastle upon Tyne (18^th Mar),  Directors: Debts (18^th Mar),   Coronavirus: Vaccination (18^th Mar),

Preparing for Passover in Newcastle

Coronavirus: Newcastle upon Tyne (18^th Mar),   Batteries: Recycling (18^th Mar),   Business: Coronavirus (18^th Mar),   Research: Finance (18^th Mar),   Postgraduate Education: Research (18^th Mar),   Remote Education: ICT (18^th Mar),   Remote Education: ICT  (18^th Mar),  Remote Education: ICT (18^th Mar),   Remote Education: ICT (18^th Mar),   Remote Education: ICT (18^th Mar),   Business: Government Assistance (18^th Mar),   Elections: Disinformation  (18^th Mar),  Pupils: Digital Technology (19^th Mar), Remote Education: ICT  (19^th Mar), Pupils: Digital Technology  (19^th Mar), Oxygen: Blood Tests (22^nd Mar), Broadband: Rural Areas (23^rd Mar), Coronavirus: Disease Control (23^rd Mar),  Remote Education: ICT (23^rd Mar),  Broadband: Rural Areas (23^rd Mar),  Broadband: Rural Areas (23^rd Mar),  Broadband: Rural Areas (23^rd Mar),  BT Group: Profits (23^rd Mar),  Broadband: Prices (23^rd Mar),  Broadband (23^rd Mar),  National Tutoring Programme (23^rd Mar),  Schools: Coronavirus (23^rd Mar), Internet: Safety (24^th Mar), Mobile Phones: Rural Areas (24^th Mar), BT Group: Profits (25^th Mar), Broadband: Finance (25^th Mar),  Local Restrictions Support Grant (25^th Mar),  Pharamcy: Coronavirus (25^th Mar),  Advanced Research and Invention Agency  (25^th Mar), Schools: Coronavirus (25^th Mar),  Business: Government Assistance  (25^th Mar), Coronavirus: Vaccination (26^th Mar), Sexual Offences (26^th Mar), Coronavirus: Disease Control (29^th Mar), Tax Avoidance: Mental Health (29^th Mar), Broadband: Voucher Schemes (30^th Mar), Africa: Research (30^th Mar), Medical Records: Research (30^th Mar), Schools: Coronavirus (30^th Mar), Maintained Schools: Coronavirus (30^th Mar), Pupils: Disadvantaged (30^th Mar), Remote Education: ICT (30^th Mar), Broadband: Capital Allowances (30^th Mar)

Questioning Secretary of State on the local disruption of biz due to poor Brexit deal

Organisation

Kanishka and India are leaving us. Christine continues to provide support – thanks Christine! Gareth’s contract is being extended to after the local elections

Media

Interviewed on local media including BBC Politics North, ITV Tyne Tees on Women’s Safety, BBC on  Extra investment in Bus services, Reach Interview 12 months without fans at St James’, Freeman’s magazine Benefits of the Town Moor, published TechUK blogpost, online media Tweet Chat Straight talking, Politics Home,

Meetings

Installation of New Palace Year flagpoles, Minister Dinnage vaccine disinformation, Royal Society Pair Dr Maria Pregnolato, Labour for a New Democracy,  Competition & Markets Authority, Openreach, Minister Zahawi vaccine briefings, Paul Marshall Horizon, NE Child Poverty Commission, Forward Assist, Sir Robert McAlpine Roundtable, Cellnex – David Crawford, GMB,  St Patricks Day reception APPG Ireland, Football Foundation, Vmware, PLP Driving out Antisemitism, financial Focus Metapraxis, Hamilton Commission Board, Foxglove, Universities UK on R&D funding, Alcumus, Industry & Parliament Trust Making the UK a Battery power, Octopus Investments, Investment Association, Which, BAPG State of the Union, Bennett Institution Digital Republic workshop, Adobe, Nominet, West End Resident’s Association, Rabbi Lipsey, PLP Facebook & Instagram, Onfido, Royal Mail, Stephen Tompkinson, Minister Solloway, Ada Lovelace biometric data, Tyne & Wear Museums, BAPG Race & Democracy, Nexus, MP meeting.

Discussion with Head Teachers in Newcastle part of Schools North East consultations

Speaking Engagements

Bishop Auckland CLP Women’s Forum, Openreach roundtable, Labour Spring Business Forum, Intriguer interview, Royal Society Pairing Scheme, Prospect International Women’s Day (IWD) webinar, Royal Society Biology Voice of the Future, Interview Premier League, Teach First STEMinism, MPs school lunch discussion, UNISON MP panel, Angelou Centre IWD event, Future of R&D funding Westminster Hall, Connected Voice video, Stand up to Racism UN International Day Action Against Racism, IET 150^th anniversary video, Digital Voice conference, Society for Applied Microbiology Women in STEM, Newcastle Central Students meeting,  APPG Africa Elections & Democracy, 50^th Independence Day Bangladesh,  Jessie4Mayor phone bank, Business In The Community –  Taking action on employment & skills in the NE