Barry Sheerman MP

Author Archives: thomascritchley

• The Fight Against Plastic Pollution

  Posted at 11:19 am by thomascritchley, on Apr 3, 2019

  I recently had the pleasure of joining the International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, in meeting Sir David Attenborough to address the growing crisis surrounding global plastic pollution.

  Sir David shared the astonishing fact that we now produce 400 million tonnes of plastic every single year and that around 10 million tonnes of this finds its way into our oceans. He was quick to add that “the consequence of this, both to humanity and life in the seas upon which we depend, is hideous”. Labour’s own Mary Creagh, who chairs the Environmental Audit Committee, added that the UK alone uses 13 billion plastic bottles a year, of which 5 and a half billion end up either littered, sent to landfills or incinerated. We, as a community and as a nation, should take care to ensure the streets we walk and the rivers and streams which grace our local areas are kept clean. The local charity Greenstreams works hard to ensure people can enjoy our riverside green areas and that these cherished places are kept clean and pollution free. The project, of course, needs help in achieving its goals and anyone who, like myself, is keen to begin the fightback against growing pollution in our area should make sure to get involved.

  The event, co-hosted by the Coalition for Global Prosperity, Plastic Oceans UK and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prevention of Plastic Waste, has shone a much needed spotlight on the UK’s commitment to reducing the plastic waste we see across our planet and it was reassuring to hear that Penny Morndaunt, our International Development Secretary, has doubled the aid support for plastic recycling across the developing world, a much needed step in the right direction but this should not be, by any means, all we do to fight this growing crisis and I believe Britain should be a leading voice in the fight against plastic pollution.

  Now more than ever, I encourage my everyone to be proactive in tackling pollution, both in our rivers and streams and on our streets. Meeting Sir David Attenborough was a true privilege, but it is clear from what he said that the time for action is now, not in the future when it may be too late.

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• My support of Action for Children and their campaign to help young people build young mental health

  Posted at 1:40 pm by thomascritchley, on Feb 1, 2019

  For information and support, visit http://www.buildsoundminds.org.uk

  In Westminster, I was joined by many exceptional young people and mental health experts from the leading charity, Action for Children, to support the parliamentary launch of ‘Build Sound Minds’ – a campaign to help children and teenagers build good mental health and emotional well-being.

  A third of 15 to 18-year-olds assessed by Action for Children were found to be suffering from mental health issues. Pupils in need of support have been taking part in the Blues Programme, the first ever UK-wide early help intervention for teenage depression. Ahead of Children’s Mental Health Week (4th-10th February), I pledge to support the charity’s campaign, which aims to improve children and teenager’s mental health by providing families with accessible information, tools and tips.

  At the parliamentary launch, I said:

  “The most recent official figures show one in nine children between 5-15 experiencing a mental health disorder. This simply can’t go on. Acting early can help stop problems in their tracks and its vital we do everything we can, not only to help these young people, but to prevent these problems coming about in the first place.”

  “That’s why I’m pleased to be supporting Action for Children’s work through Build Sound Minds, and I am encouraged young people of all ages across Huddersfield to look out for their own wellbeing and to seek support early if they’re struggling.”

  The chief executive of Action for Children, Julie Bentley, said:

  “Just like our physical health, our emotional wellbeing needs care and attention. And the first step in doing this is to create a positive conversation about mental health. Every day we support children and teenagers who are struggling for a number of reasons. Some are concerned about their futures, many are dealing with the intense pressure of school work and others are experiencing problems at home, all while navigating a complex 24/7 world with constant stimulation from social media.”

  “Its no wonder that things can sometimes become too much for young people to handle. But with the backing of MPs like Barry, Action for Children can support young people to deal with their feelings from an earlier age, help prevent problems from starting and allow them to bounce back quickly if they do.”

  Julie is right. To support young people, the people who represent our future, we must engage in a positive conversation about mental health and create an environment where young people feel secure enough to come forward and speak about the state of their mental health. I wholeheartedly support this campaign and I would like to thank Action for Children for their outstanding work.

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• A busy Friday in Huddersfield!

  Posted at 2:31 pm by thomascritchley, on Jan 24, 2019

  Last Friday, I enjoyed a very busy day in the constituency! It was great to travel around Huddersfield and meet some of the most talented and hard-working individuals – a true reflection of our town!

  I started the day by visiting the Textile Centre of Excellence, a hub of local skills, creativity and talent. There I chaired a meeting of Cobbett Environmental Ltd, an organisation that supports local environmental projects through grants. The environment has long been a passion of mine and I continue to work to support local causes as well fighting for greater environmental protections nationally.

  From there, I journeyed to Reliance Precision, an engineering manufacturer in Lepton alongside Paula Sherriff, MP for Dewsbury. I was fortunate enough to be given a tour of the facility and shown some of the cutting-edge work which the organisation is producing. The manufacturer is an exemplar of talent, passion, work-ethic and a desire to be at the forefront of their fields. The company is a key component of the local economy and a motivating and elevating employer. I had the opportunity to meet a number of apprentices; they were true reflections of what can happen if the conditions are put in place for young people to succeed in the workplace. Their raw talent and desire to learn was a true inspiration and I look forward to working with the organisation in the future.

  I then visited Greenhead College for a Q&A on the issue of Brexit alongside a representative from ‘Our Future, Our Choice.’ with the students. I engaged in a spirited discussion and in spite of some differences in opinion, it was inspiring to see so many students show their investment in our political process and the future of our country.  Although the issues what we covered were complex, each student showed great maturity and understanding. I hope that the students’ passion for politics endures and I look forward to visiting the college in the future.

  Finally, I met with the officers and representatives of Huddersfield University’s Student Union. The team are currently working on a number of campaigns which support a great many worthy causes across our community. I spoke at length with the Union’s leadership on how we can work together in the future to bring tangible improvements. I look forward to assisting in these campaigns going forward and I share in their motivation to find new ways to transform our community for the better.  

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• The Intended Closure of Marks and Spencer in Huddersfield

  Posted at 12:06 pm by thomascritchley, on Jan 17, 2019

  It was to my deep sadness and regret that on I was informed on Tuesday that Marks and Spencer is to close its store in Huddersfield town centre. The store is not only the source of employment to 71 of my constituents, but it is a vibrant and long-standing pillar of our town.

  The decision will have profoundly damaging and lasting effects on footfall in the town centre, the security of the store’s employees, the access of shoppers, the prospects of M&S and indeed the faith consumers have in the retailer. Huddersfield, for 85 years, has shown loyal custom to the retailer and I believe that M&S should duly value this and reconsider its decision to withdraw from the town centre.

  Huddersfield is a vibrant retail hub and it saddens me greatly to know that M&S intend to no longer be a part of that. For nearly a century, the people of Huddersfield have had access to a full range of M&S products and that practical convenience is now being taken away from them in a move that I consider to be short-sighted and fundamentally flawed.

  I urge Marks and Spencer to halt its implementation of this decision and consider how it can retain its vital and valued presence in Huddersfield. I stand with my constituents and ask the retailer to think on what I believe to be a decision which will incur lasting damage to consumer confidence, the place of M&S on the high street, the constituency’s loyal customers and the store’s 71 employees.

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• Fire safety at self-storage facilities in Huddersfield

  Posted at 9:54 am by thomascritchley, on Jan 11, 2019

  On New Year’s Eve, a fire at a self-storage facility in Croydon meant that almost 12,000 customers lost everything that they had stored within the facility – in some cases this included treasured personal possessions or the entire stock of some businesses. After the event, customers raised concerns and questions regarding fire safety risks within not only the facility in Croydon, but self-storage centres across the country. These concerns were relayed to me by the MP for Croydon North, Steve Reed, who determined that the fire in his constituency, which devastated the lives of many, was an ‘accident waiting to happen.’

  The facility’s inadequacies included that the storage units were open at the top allowing the blaze to spread from one unit to the next, a lack of a sprinkler system and 24/7-hour security presence, no records being taken of what was stored in the facility, and considerable issues surrounding the insurance of goods. Given the amount of personal and commercial property which held in these facilities in Huddersfield and nationwide, I feel compelled to share these concerns with their managers and owners. As such, I have corresponded with each facility in Huddersfield, urging them to consider the answers to the questions below in order to identify, pre-empt and resolve any safety concerns which could cause irreversible damage. The questions include:

  • How does the design of your self-storage facility prevent fire from spreading once it starts? E.g. are the individual units fully contained with no gaps through which fire can spread; what other fire containment measures are present; are sprinklers installed throughout the facility?
  • Are security staff on-site 24/7, and if not how is the site monitored when it is not staffed?
  • What checks are made to ensure that customers do not store flammable materials on site?
  • Are all entry points to the site (including loading bays) fully secured or monitored at all times to prevent accessed to unauthorised persons?
  • Are all insurance services you offer to customers fully regulated by UK regulatory authorities or are they structured in ways that subject them to regulation by other jurisdictions?
  • Are all staff giving advice to customers on buying insurance, insurance risk and levels of cover fully trained, and how are untrained staff prevented from giving advice?

  I am confident that if we can identify any risks and manage them accordingly, we can mitigate the possibility that the events of Croydon will be unnecessarily repeated and further property destroyed.

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