Barry Sheerman

Author Archives: thomascritchley

• An update on my parliamentary work

  Posted at 11:45 am by thomascritchley, on Nov 18, 2021

  Return from November Recess

  As Parliament broke for Recess this month, I thought it would be a good time to provide an update to my constituents on my latest work in the House of Commons in the week leading up to the November break.

  Sir David Amess

  As Parliament returned from Conference Recess in October, we were confronted with the tragic murder of Sir David Amess MP. Sir David was a dedicated Parliamentarian and one of the kindest colleagues I have had the pleasure to meet. Sir David was an outstanding MP, campaigner and colleague; all of us in Parliament will miss him dearly and cherish memories of him.

  I wrote an article in the Yorkshire Post which outlines my views on how we can prevent a tragedy like this ever happening again. You can read it here.

  The Environment and COP26

  The news this month has been dominated by environmental issues and the importance of COP26 in delivering the meaningful action our planet desperately needs. I have been pleased to raise these issues several times with ministers over the last month.

  On 2^nd November I held a Westminster Hall debate on the topic of COP26 and air pollution. As Chair of the Westminster Commission for Road and Air Quality I know the severe impacts air pollution has on the health and wellbeing of people all across the UK. I firmly believe any solutions to tackling climate change must also commit to reducing the toxic levels of air pollution that envelop our towns and cities. I challenged the Government to commit to real action at COP26 to reduce air pollution and commit to meaningful climate policies. You can watch my speech here.

  The Environment Bill has also been making its way through the House of Commons this month. The Tories have repeatedly refused to make this Bill stronger by voting down every Labour amendment. Labour colleagues and I have been campaigning to hold water companies to account for leaking raw sewage into our waterways and for proper, World Health Organisation, air pollution limits. I asked the Minister why the Government’s approach was so glacially slow, you can watch here.

  Only a few days after COP26 finished, I asked the Prime Minister what he was doing to materialize the Glasgow Pact in every town and city across the UK. For COP26 to be a success, I believe me must mobilize every town and city across the country with a new sustainable agenda. It will be through empowering communities that we make COP26 a success. Watch my question here.

  Autism Diagnosis

  I have a close, personal interest, in issues that affect autistic and the wider neuro-divergent community. As a result of this interest, alongside a cross-party, cross-sector group of Parliamentarians, autistic people, parents/carers, academics and health professionals, I set up the Westminster Commission on Autism in 2016. This month the Commission launched its latest report: “Support Surrounding Diagnosis: An inquiry into pre-and-post support for the Autism Diagnosis Pathway”. Our report brings together the latest research in the field and will go on to make a huge difference to the autism diagnosis pathway. You can catch up on the report launch here.

  Questioning the Government

  Over this last month I have been pleased to have several opportunities to hold different Government ministers to account. I raised the issue of sustainability with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and asked if they would commit to using the Sustainable Development Goals to put health and wellbeing at the heart of our communities. Watch here.

  I also raised the issue of forensic science with the Ministry of Justice. There are many who are concerned about the quality of forensic science in our country, and as Chair of the All-Party Group for Miscarriages of Justice, I know that mistakes can have awful results for the individuals and families involved. I asked the Minister if he would work with us to put right the current flaws in the system. Watch here.

  I am sure many of you are concerned about the escalating situation on the Poland – Belarus border, with Belarus, supported by Russia, using refugees as a weapon against the EU. I asked the minister what he was doing to work with NATO to stand up to Russian aggression. Watch here.

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• The HGV Crisis

  Posted at 9:57 am by thomascritchley, on Oct 15, 2021

  I’m sure you, like me, have been watching the news reports unfold of the impact of HGV driver shortages across the country with real concern. The HGV driver shortage has had a profound impact on so many elements of our national life; from supermarket stocks to petrol supplies and indeed, the Government have had ample warning from the haulage sector and businesses who operate across the country and still the Prime Minister has done nothing.  The Government needs to take emergency action to get a grip on the HGV driver shortage that is causing chaos for families across the UK as we head into winter. 

  Whilst it is right to say that HGV driver shortages are an issue across Europe, the effects of this have been felt most acutely in the UK and this is no coincidence. Brexit and the deal negotiated by the Government have accentuated the issue with many drivers, having left the UK in the pandemic, finding themselves unable to return under the new immigration regime. The HGV driver shortage is a problem that has the potential to endure for months. Labour will hold the Government to account all the way.

  It took the Government till the crisis was at its worst to finally set up an HGV driver training scheme and relax its immigration rules to let drivers return. Whilst we need more haulage drivers on our roads, we must continue to make sure that there are no careless changes to the training and testing of drivers that will put lives at risk. As Chair of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, I am aware of the risks that reducing training and testing criteria can have on road safety. It is shameful that the Government waited so long to act, and in acting, is increasing risks to road users. 

  The Government must look more broadly at the systemic causes of HGV driver shortages. Last month, I called on the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, to act on the filthy pollution that envelops our roads. This polluted air seeps into HGV drivers’ cabins, reducing life expectancy and causing serious health problems. Can we really be surprised that no one is signing up for the profession? We must pursue green policies that revitalise the HGV industry and attract new drivers. The Government must invest in electric, clean diesel, hybrid electric and hydrogen fuel cell HGVs to tackle the crisis. As part of current Government plans, there will be no new diesel or petrol HGVs sold after 2040. This target is not ambitious enough. To attract new HGV drivers, clean up the harmful levels of pollution on our roads and tackle the climate crisis, there must be a renewed commitment by Government help the HGV sector transition into the green economy and put the health and welfare of its drivers at the forefront.

  If you would like to watch my question to the Transport Secretary last month, please click this link. 

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• Levelling up?

  Posted at 12:19 pm by thomascritchley, on Oct 5, 2021

  Two weeks ago, at Prime Ministers Questions, I asked the Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, if he was really committed to levelling up the North of England and our regions. In recent months we have heard a lot from the Government about so-called ‘levelling up’ but so far it seems nothing more than empty words, like the previous half-hearted commitment to a Northern Powerhouse. On both counts, nothing seems to have come to fruition. The people of Huddersfield deserve better than slogans and soundbites. Even the announcement of a Towns Fund and the High Streets Fund became just pork-barrel attempts to sure up Tory support across the country. Our regions and nation, which have endured decades of neglect and a stark lack of investment deserve better. I want to see high quality, well paid jobs and green investment directed into our part of West Yorkshire. Levelling up won’t be achieved by changing the name of a Government department, or by repeating it again and again in every press release. It can only be achieved with substantial, bold action and a long-term commitment to provide the necessary funding. 

  Just before Conference Recess, I called on the Government to make a real commitment to levelling up by guaranteeing that Channel 4 would stay in the public sector and its headquarters remain in Leeds. Channel 4’s base in Yorkshire is crucial to our tech economy and our regional culture. Yet the Government is intent on selling off this brilliant public owned asset into the hands of the highest bidder, risking both its future as a social-enterprise and its base in Leeds.  

  Its not just in tech and culture that the Government is falling short of its promises. The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that between 2010-2020 there had been 9% real terms cut in school spending per-pupil; the largest cut in over 40 years. This week Keir Starmer said:  

  “If you can’t level up our children. You’re not serious about levelling up at all.” 

  Statistics like this demonstrate the reality of this Conservative Government. Instead of real, meaningful action to level up our country and children, we are left with the result of a decade of austerity that has decimated our public services and consistently undermined the plight of working families – especially in the North. When I was Chair of the Education Select Committee, I worked with colleagues across the House to improve the quality of our children’s education. I understand what the Government must do to truly level-up our children and they are currently failing at every level. 

  At Labour’s annual conference, Keir Starmer announced that we would launch the most ambitious school improvement plan in a generation. Labour would reinstate two weeks of compulsory work experience and guarantee that every young person would get to see a careers advisor – alongside an ambitious and tangible guarantee to support the mental wellbeing of our young people. We would guarantee that every child emerges from school ready for work and ready for life.  

  The Government has shown that it cannot be trusted to level up our country. From failing to guarantee the future of Channel 4 in Leeds to one of the worst education settlements in living memory, it’s clear the Government are more interested in slogans than action. Now, a hike in National Insurance which will impact working people disproportionately is being implemented to ‘clear’ backlogs in our NHS which have been brought about by a decade of Tory mismanagement and to ‘fix’ a social care system on the brink of collapse. Rather than making the wealthy pay their way, this Government wants to paper over its own failings by increasing the burden on working people. This is not how you go about levelling up. I believe that we must truly commit to transforming communities across our country for the better. I will continue to work in Parliament to hold the Government to account and work for a Labour Government that will bring the effective change our communities need. 

  If you would like to watch my question to the Deputy PM last week, please click this link. 

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• Return from Summer Recess

  Posted at 12:40 pm by thomascritchley, on Oct 1, 2021

  As Parliament has returned from Summer recess this month, I thought it would be a good time to provide an update to my constituents on my work over this past month in the House of Commons Chamber. 

  Levelling Up 

  At Prime Minister’s Questions, with Dominic Raab deputising for the Prime Minister, I raised the fact that Levelling Up needs to be more than just a slogan or a rebadged Government department. The Government must demonstrate how it will resolve regional inequalities rather just roll out soundbites.  

  The Government needs to fight to keep Channel 4 in the public sector and keep the headquarters in Leeds; this is essential in the growth of the technology economy in our region. For too long, levelling up has just been a slogan for the Government to throw out, they must back up their warm words with firm action that truly solves the regional inequalities across Britain. 

  HGV Driver Shortage 

  In an Urgent Question relating to the HGV driver shortage, I urged the Secretary of State for Transport to make the health and welfare of the drivers a priority in any solutions that the Government undertakes to tackle the driver shortage. Recent research conducted by Loughborough University, commissioned by the NHS, found that the average life expectancy of a driver is 14 years shorter than the general population. 

  This is because the drivers drive on the heavily polluted roads across our country, and recent research has shown that this pollution gets into the cabs, causing a major health problem. Even at £50,000-£60,000 per year, people are reluctant to enter the profession. We need to keep these people who drive for us safe and do something about pollution on the roads in our country. 

  NHS 

  This month, the Prime Minister made a statement on the Government’s future plans for health and social care. The NHS is held dear by most across Huddersfield and Britain and the Government’s record on health is appalling. Waiting lists had spiralled up to two million people before the pandemic. Targets on cancer, on accident & emergency and on mental health were all missed. In the last ten years, £8 billion has been cut from social care. As Keir Starmer said, the blunt and uncomfortable truth is that under the Prime Minister’s plans the quality of care will not improve.  

  I directly challenged the Prime Minister that alongside reform of our NHS, his Government needed to commit new money to the health service and I reminded him that it cannot be right that many people, in the most deprived communities in our country, cannot get access to the GP or a dentist.  

  Green Training and Skills 

  Throughout the pandemic, I have been consistent in my view that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak should urgently introduce a Windfall Profit Tax on those who have down very well out of the pandemic and use that money to fund green apprenticeships, green training and green skills. Young people care passionately about the environment. We have had climate strikes in Huddersfield, led by young people. The climate crisis requires industries to mobilise and modernise and the Government should provide funding to support the growth of green jobs and skills that will be vital for the next generation.  

  Young Women and Girls Education 

  I have also challenged the Government on their record on getting young women and girls more interested in maths and science. When I was Chair of the Education Select Committee until 2010, one of the things that became abundantly clear was the need to place more emphasis on stimulating young people at the earliest age, pre-school and infant school. That is the time to have imagination and to gets interested in maths and science. I asked the Government to commit to making special efforts to get children interested at that early age. 

  Westminster Hall Debate 

  I also participated in a Westminster Hall Debate on the state of school buildings across the country, led by my colleague, Andrew Gwynne. Indeed, where schools’ campuses are not fit for purpose, it is the education and wellbeing of children and young people which suffer the most. In the debate, I urged the minister to consider which developers the Government awards contracts to in the construction of our schools and learning campuses nationwide. Schools and the education of our young people should feel the effects of poor management and decision-making at national level. 

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• Carbon Monoxide Safe4Summer Campaign

  Posted at 10:44 am by thomascritchley, on Jun 25, 2021

  I have a long standing interest and engagement with Carbon Monoxide poisoning awareness. In 2004, a resident of Huddersfield, Stacy Rodgers, tragically lost her son Dominic to Carbon Monoxide and as a result she set up the Dominic Rodgers Trust which I have worked closely with to help raise awareness of Carbon Monoxide poisoning, as well as pushing for greater parliamentary action to tackle this important issue. 

  Today, I joined Jason McCartney MP, Liz Twist MP, Stephanie Peacock MP and Baroness Finlay to promote the important message of staying carbon monoxide safe in the summer months. #CarbonMonoxideSafe4Summer is supported by a wide range of organisations; including United Against CO, Steve Vick International, Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, SGN, Wales & West Utilities, Domestic and General, IGEM, CoGDEM (The Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring), Liquid Gas UK, Safer Tourism Foundation, CO Research Trust, Katie Haines Memorial Trust, HETAS; and the All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG).

  The key message from the campaign is that it is vital to use BBQs and outdoor heaters safely by ventilating properly. BBQs are the true unknown danger as Carbon Monoxide pour out of these and if kept inside, they be deadly. 

  Where ever you are going for your summer holidays – take a carbon monoxide alarm with you! More information about the campaign, including the Assets Library where you can download lots of free graphics and resources, can be found here – Take Part in CO Safe4Summer — United Against CO

  The campaign will run from 24 June – 30 August 2021, so please get involved. Check your CO alarms, take precautions when using BBQs and raise awareness about Carbon Monoxide in your community.

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• Government guidance to Kirklees (May 2021)

  Posted at 3:08 pm by thomascritchley, on May 26, 2021

  

  As I am sure many of my constituents will have seen, the Government has issued guidance to people living in Kirklees (and certain other towns and cities across England) to avoid travelling outside your local area unless essential, to meet outside where possible and to keep two metres apart from people who are not in your household or support bubble.

  The Government issued this guidance by merely changing their website – with no official announcement being made, even to the borough’s public health bodies. This shows contempt for the people of Huddersfield and Kirklees. It is laughable that the Government believes that merely changing a website is a sufficient way to notify residents that their guidance has changed. 

  When it was decided that the guidance would change, there should have been a public briefing giving Kirklees residents advance notice of the new regulations. Throughout the pandemic, we have seen that people need to be given clear information about the rules in order to be able to follow them and understand their rationale.

  Sadly, it seems we are back to the wishy-washy and secretive changes of the kind that we saw back in the autumn.

  As soon as I found out about the change in the guidance, I contacted the Chief Executive of Kirklees Council, Jacqui Gedman, who said that the council has also been kept in the dark. It is so important for the proper functioning of local authorities that they are contacted and advised about these matters in advance. 

  It is a crucial time for the University of Huddersfield with lots of parents and prospective students visiting campus for open days and visits. There are also implications for local businesses. Our businesses have been struggling for well over a year now and have just been given permission to reopen open. It could be devastating for these businesses to lose out on much needed footfall due to the Government’s unclear communication with the people of Kirklees

  We have worked tirelessly, on a cross-party basis, in our regular Kirklees Outbreak Control Board meetings to ensure that the focus remains on tackling Covid-19 rates and continuing with vaccinations. Yesterday, the Control Board issued the following statement.

  “Kirklees continues to follow the roadmap out of restrictions alongside the rest of England. Given our high infection rates, we are urging residents and visitors to be cautious but there are no restrictions to travel into and out of Kirklees. Pubs and restaurants remain open for business.

  “Deaths and hospitalisations relating to COVID-19 remain low in Kirklees but with rising infection rates, everyone in Kirklees has a part to play in keeping themselves and their community safe. That’s why we’re urging people to get tested, stick to the guidance and – above all – to get vaccinated when you are eligible. Maintaining social distancing and meeting outdoors are sensible ways of reducing infections but residents can still travel in and out of the borough in line with national restrictions.”

  I have been impressed by the determination of the Kirklees Public Health team in dealing with this challenge and I fully support the recommendations that we have arrived at as a local authority. I implore everyone to be safe and cautious and to follow the recommendations set by Kirklees Council.

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• Justice for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

  Posted at 5:28 pm by thomascritchley, on Apr 29, 2021

  This week, the media has been dominated by one story: who paid for the refurbishment of the Prime Minister’s flat. What has received less attention is the tragic news that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced again, meaning she will be sent back to prison.

  Nazanin is an Iranian-British journalist, who was arrested in 2016 by Iranian authorities on spying charges which she has always denied. She was sentenced to 5 years in prison for‘plotting to topple the Iranian regime’ and, since then, human rights organisations and politicians alike have campaigned for her freedom and criticised the unjust conviction.

  This week, Nazanin has been sentenced to another year on charges of ‘propaganda activities against the regime’ in Iran. Nazanin’s sentence includes a year’s travel ban, effectively making it a two-year sentence.

  During the pandemic, Nazanin was kept under house arrest. This March, when her sentence expired, she was released and had her ankle tag removed.

  Yet Nazanin is not free. The Iranian regime has sought to punish Nazanin with more trumped-up charges, adding a year to her sentence and issuing a travel ban. This means she will be forced to stay in Iran for another two years, separated from her husband and daughter.

  The Prime Minister has talked about redoubling his efforts to get Nazanin home. I think we all would like to see the Prime Minister be successful in these efforts, but I will not hold my breath. We have no evidence of his current work to secure Nazanin’s release and it was, in fact, Boris Johnson’s failures as Foreign Secretary in 2017 that has caused Nazanin and her family so much pain. At the time, he exposed his complete ignorance of the case and did more harm than good.

  Nazanin’s sentences have become politicised, used as leverage for negotiations over British-Iran debt repayments and Iran’s enrichment of nuclear material. We cannot control the Iranian regime’s actions, but the UK Government can control its own. Our Government must make the most of the diplomatic protection given to Nazanin back in 2019 and they should provide Nazanin with consular assistance, as it their right under international law.

  Additionally, the British Government should work more closely with the international community to secure the release of Nazanin and the dozen individuals who have faced similar charges recently. In my parliamentary work, I have also raised the possibility of the Government sponsoring an all-faith delegation, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, to Tehran so that they can plead for the release of Nazanin.

  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is being held hostage by Iran and is a victim of torture. Boris Johnson and his government must match their rhetoric with action, and work tirelessly and creatively to secure her release. She deserves to be home with her husband and their children.

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• Miscarriages of Justice debate

  Posted at 11:30 am by thomascritchley, on Apr 26, 2021

  

  In 1992, I was Shadow Home Secretary Roy Hattersley’s deputy. This was at the time of the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven, and I became intimately involved in those controversial cases. Since then, justice has been a key focus of mine and three years ago I helped set up an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice to coordinate the campaign in Westminster.

  With help from my colleague Sir Bob Neil MP, we have built up a group with very good membership in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. To begin, we had very engaging seminar discussions and some lively campaigns. Over time, we narrowed down our focus and put together a commission to look at the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

  The CCRC was setup in 1997 after several high-profile miscarriage of justice cases. It investigates criminal cases to see whether the convictions are ‘safe’ and passes certain cases on to be reviewed by the Court of Appeal. It is an important avenue of redress for those who have been wrongfully convicted and, over twenty years on from its inception, we thought it was a good time to take stock of the CCRC’s work.

  After a year of speaking to experts and taking evidence, our commission has published a high-quality report, with constructive suggestions for improvement and reform of the CCRC.  Last week, I secured a Westminster Hall Debate in Parliament to discuss the report with the minister and highlight its conclusions.

  The main recommendation is that the CCRC is too deferential to the Court of Appeal, with the current criteria for passing a case onto them acting as a brake on the CCRC’s freedom of decision. There is a need for new criteria – a new test – to encourage more courageous decision making.

   The second recommendation concerns resources. The Ministry of Justice has experienced the biggest cuts of any Department in the past decade. There is no doubt that this had had an impact on the amount of miscarriages of justice. At a time when the CCRC has been more needed than ever to address these miscarriages, its budget has also been slashed; the report found that the CCRC urgently needs more resources to fulfil its role. The Government cannot do justice on the cheap.

  The third recommendation was about investigative powers. The inquiry revealed one instance where the CCRC had waited over 1000 days for a public body to comply with a disclosure request. The principle of open justice is founded on accountability and transparency. These qualities need to be at the heart of the justice system to maintain public confidence – and the CCRC needs the investigatory powers to reflect that.

  In the Westminster Hall debate, I raised the shocking fact that people who are wrongfully convicted can spend decades in prison before finally having their conviction overturned. Then, when they leave prison, some receive not one penny of compensation. I believe that victims of miscarriages of justice deserve far better support, both financial and practical, as they reintegrate into a society that has failed to provide them with justice the first time round.

  If you would like to read my speech in the Westminster Hall debate on strengthening the CCRC, as well as the response of the Minister, you can do so here.

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• My recent work

  Posted at 12:07 pm by thomascritchley, on Apr 20, 2021

  

  As Parliament returns from Easter Recess, I thought it would be a good time to update my constituents on my work in recent weeks. 

  Prince Philip

  Earlier this week, I was given the opportunity, as the longest-serving MP on the Opposition benches, to pay my respects to Prince Philip in the House of Commons chamber. Prince Phillip has been a key figure in our national life for almost a century and my thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family at this truly difficult time.

  Covid vaccine

  This year, my central focus is of course the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine across Huddersfield and the country. I was pleased to see that the initial success of the vaccine rollout has continued into February, March and April, leading to a gradual reopening of the economy and of communities across the UK. The success of the vaccine is down to the hard work of our National Health Service – we truly are indebted to key workers across our health and social care sectors. However, I have raised my concerns in regional disparities in vaccine delivery and uptake and I will continue to press Matt Hancock on this to ensure an equitable return to normalcy.

  Human rights

  On more than one occasion this year, I have raised the plight of the Uyghur people in the province of Xinjiang in China and their brutal persecution at the hands of the Communist Party. Images of slave-like conditions and mistreatment continue to shock the world. I urged the Foreign Secretary to be tough on China and its complete disregard for human rights and democracy. Its subversion of democracy in Hong Kong, alongside its appalling disregard for the human rights of the Uyghur people, must be condemned in the strongest terms.

  Education

  In addition to this, I also questioned the Government on remote education on behalf of the many pupils and students in Huddersfield. I asked the Government to learn from the true masters of remote learning, the Open University, and to give teachers the support they need to deliver their lessons.

  Air pollution

  In February, I pressed the Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, on air pollution. The levels of air pollution in Britain puts the health of six million elderly people at risk. Every person in the world has the inalienable right to breathe clean air and I will continue to remind the Government of this.

  Justice

  Last week, I secured a Westminster Hall debate on the topic of miscarriages of justice nationwide. The impact of wrongful convictions is devastating. Our justice system must be reformed and probably funded to ensure that no innocent person is punished for another’s crime. The APPG on miscarriages of justice has recently concluded its report on the Criminal Cases Review Commission, an important route to overturning wrongful convictions, and I welcomed the chance to debate with the minister for this area.

  In addition to this, I questioned the Justice Minister Chris Philp on the backlog that our criminal courts system faces. The legal system in England and Wales is one that should be the envy of the world, yet the evidence shows that there has been serious issues with it for years, pre-dating Covid-19. The Government is using Covid as a fig leaf for the fact the justice system is in crisis, under-funded and under-resourced. The Justice Department has faced the harshest cuts, as a proportion of its budget, than any other Government department. This needs to change; true justice is not a cheap commodity.

  Health

  In February, the Government released a white paper on the future of the health service in our country. I questioned the Health Secretary Matt Hancock on his proposals, asking if he would slow down the reforms to the health service and spend more time on consultation to make sure he gets these crucial changes right. I told him that he needs to the listen to the public, NHS workers and patients, and that, for these reforms to be a success, he would have to work on a truly cross-party basis.

  Budget

  The month of March brought the annual Budget. It is custom for every MP to get a turn to speak on the Budget, but with Covid measures in place, it was difficult to fit everyone in. I managed to make contribution on the final day. In my speech, I said that I hoped that the Chancellor would stay the course and not simply move onto the next stage of his career like previous Chancellors have. I spoke about the priorities of the people of Huddersfield: the need for good jobs with good pay, a modernised welfare state, and the need to use good science, good technology and good manufacturing to save our planet from climate change.  

  Defence

  I also questioned the Defence Secretary on the Ministry of Defence’s review of the armed forces. I pointed out that we need to embrace modern technology in the armed forces, but this should not come at the expense of personnel. I said that the Russians and the Chinese will view our reduction in armed services personnel and think we have run up the white flag. The Government’s Integrated Review did not convince me, nor my Party, that the Government are credible or capable when it comes to our national security and forging a foreign policy which can do good across the world. There are still so many questions for the Government to answer – from why they are opting to increase the number of nuclear warheads we as a country possess, to the slashing of international aid.  

  It is important to me that I represent my constituents’ views and priorities in Parliament. Do get in touch with me via barry.sheerman.mp@parliament.uk to let me know how I can represent you in my work.

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• Why I care about road safety

  Posted at 2:55 pm by thomascritchley, on Apr 7, 2021

  

  Many MPs come to Parliament with issues they deeply care about. For me, road safety is one of those issues. Having been in a very serious car crash when I was younger, I felt lucky to be alive and determined to reduce accidents on the road.

  When I first came to Parliament, it was not compulsory to wear seat belts like it is today. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, seatbelts were beginning to be fitted in cars, but the wearing rate was very low. Despite huge government spending on publicity campaigns to boost the voluntary use of seat belts, the rate didn’t get much higher than 33%. There had been thirteen attempts in Parliament to introduce legislation to make seatbelts compulsory but all had failed.

  I put my name in for a Private Member’s Bill and, when I was drawn in the ballot, decided to use my Bill to tackle the issue of seatbelts. I introduced a Bill that would make it an offence to carry a child unrestricted in a vehicle. Sadly, like many Private Member’s Bills, mine was unsuccessful. A Conservative MP at the time shouted “object” to my Bill and this meant it could go no further in the House of Commons. After this, however, a young junior minister at the time, named Ken Clarke, told me he had liked my Bill and recommended that I amend the Transport Bill going through Parliament at the time. So I added an amendment about children wearing seatbelts and it passed, meaning it became law.

  The campaign to improve road safety could not stop there; adults were still not required to wear seatbelts in cars which meant many preventable injuries were still being caused by crashes. I knew that we would not be able to pass the legislation required in the House of Commons due to opposition from those who thought compulsory seatbelt wearing was an infringement of personal freedom.

  Thankfully, we had some very good friends in the House of Lords who introduced legislation in the Upper House. Of course, this means that the legislation had to come back to the Commons to be approved. In this case, we got lucky! The date that the Bill would be read in the Commons was set to be just before a public holiday for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding. This meant that many MPs went back to their constituencies earlier in the week so that they could enjoy the long weekend – but we made sure that our supporters stayed in London and came to the House of Commons to vote. Because of this, we were able to pass the law and make it compulsory for everyone in the UK to wear seatbelts in a moving vehicle.
  
  After the vote, the group that had been involved in the passing of the legislation went to the roof of the Houses of Parliament and witnessed a grand firework display, which we said was for our victory in the House (in fact, it was for the royal wedding!). It was a wonderful victory and making seatbelts compulsory for adults and children remains a defining moment in my parliamentary career. The group was so effective at campaigning that we went on to form the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety (PACTS). PACTS is still going strong after 40 years and remains one of the most energetic groups campaigning for evidence-based policies to reduce road traffic accidents.

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