Barry Sheerman

Tag: parliament

• Diesel Particulate Filters – My Ten Minute Rule Bill

  Posted at 11:45 am by aaronhorsley, on Feb 9, 2022

  

  On Tuesday I had the privilege of presenting a Ten-Minute Rule Bill to the House of Commons. A Ten-Minute Rule Bill is a way that MPs can argue for a certain law to be made or changed. It’s very rare that MPs get the opportunity to present such a Bill, which means the decision over what issue to focus on is very important. I put a lot of thought into it and decided to present a Bill that would update the MOT test for diesel cars, specifically in the testing of Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs).  

  Why have I chosen this issue? Because I believe air pollution is one of the greatest public health crises of our time and that good policy can help to reverse some of its distressing implications. A DPF is a filter that captures and stores exhaust soot to reduce emissions from diesel cars. If the DPF is faulty, a single vehicle can produce the same amount of pollution as a three lane, 360-mile-long traffic jam. That is the distance from Huddersfield to Land’s End. Shocked? So was I.  

  Diesel exhaust is a class 1 carcinogen. This means it’s one of the most dangerous types of particulates emitted into the atmosphere. According to the World Health Organisation, it has a dangerous impact on the body, penetrating deep into the respiratory system, causing lung cancer in humans.  

  Cleaning up our countries air will require a long, focused, and well-resourced campaign with cooperation between central, local, and devolved Governments. Tackling air pollution is no easy fix but despite this, there are some quick wins to score that will have a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing. My Bill is one of those wins.  

  With high-tech testing equipment available at a reasonable cost, now is the time to update the MOT test. Its already being done in the Netherlands, where a DPF efficiency test is being introduced that will identify faulty filters that emit a high level of dangerous particulates. In the UK we’re moving in the right direction, but more must be done. In 2014 and 2018, regulations for DPFs have been updated as we’ve uncovered more about their impact on dangerous emissions. In 2022, its time we act again.  

  My Bill calls for the Government to update the MOT test to include an efficiency test for DPF filters with an emission limit set at 250,000 particles per cm^3. This would identify dangerous filters and ensure that they are taken off the road and fixed. The policies and frameworks are there, all the Government needs to do is update the law.  

  Air pollution is a public health crisis that is causing thousands of lives to end early in the UK with millions more worldwide. It adds billions in costs to the health service and can severely impact people’s wellbeing. On Tuesday I presented my Bill to Parliament to call on MPs to get behind my campaign to clean up our air. I’ve also tabled the following Early Day Motion, calling on MPs to support my Bill. You can read it here. The costs are too great not to act. If my Bill becomes law, we will have made a significant step in protecting everybody’s inalienable right to breathe clean air.   

  If you would like to watch the full footage of my speech in the House of Commons, you can do so here. 

  Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged Air Quality, clean air, climate crisis, Huddersfield, parliament, Road, WCRAQ, westminster commission

• Green Investment in the Autumn Budget

  Posted at 11:42 am by barrysheerman, on Sep 23, 2021

  

  Many constituents have been in contact with recently me to express their view that the Chancellor of the Exchequer needs to secure the future of green investment. In the upcoming spending review to be made by the Chancellor, one of the areas that he needs to prioritise is an overhaul of how homes across our heated. Central heating is a complicated but critical part of the UK’s decarbonisation efforts and requires investment in energy sources such as hydrogen and biomethane. Energy efficient heat pumps are also critical and as present, this Government is failing and if we proceed on this path, we will not reach the critical targets we need to if we are to slow and reverse the environmental damage that is being done.

  The upcoming spending review and the Autumn Budget is a key opportunity for this Chancellor and this Government to address this and make some progress on this front. The report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has declared that we are running out of time.

  Climate change and the protection of the environment are among my central parliamentary focuses and I believe passionately that if we are to make the changes necessary to alter our current, perilous, course, the Government – both at home and internationally – must be bold, decisive and ambitious. We have yet to see that, and the commitment to address this issue, from the Chancellor.

  Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged climate crisis, Huddersfield, parliament, sustainability

• A Day in Parliament

  Posted at 4:00 pm by thomascritchley, on Jan 27, 2020

  

  What do MPs do when they are in Westminster? As with many jobs, there is no ‘typical’ day, but in this post, I’ll give an idea of what my routine in Parliament looks like.

  First thing on a Monday morning, I meet with my office team to discuss the business for the week, progress on our projects, and to table oral and written questions. Parliamentary questions are a key way to hold the Government to account, scrutinising departments’ proposals and suggesting alterations that would make life better for my constituents. Each day, business in the chamber starts with those questions and I always like to be there; here is an example of a question I asked last week about support for MPs taking maternity leave.

  After questions, I sometimes have meetings with charities to find out about their work and how I can do more to champion it. Last week, I met with representatives of Macmillan, learning about the work they do to support the 7,500 people in Huddersfield living with, and the ramifications of, cancer. We discussed applying for Westminster Hall debates about cancer care, the possibility of holding a fundraising walk event in Greenhead park, and I tabled this question about the NHS People Plan, as Macmillan’s research shows that the nursing shortage is the biggest factor affecting cancer care.

  After that, it’s back to the chamber for debates and votes. Many of you have written to me with concerns that the Government is removing protections for unaccompanied child refugees from the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. I find this unacceptable, which is why I voted last Wednesday for Lord Dub’s amendment to retain the legal protection. Sadly, we lost the vote, but I am currently drafting  an Early Day Motion (which are rarely debated but serve to raise MPs’ support and awareness for an issue) calling for greater commitment to reuniting unaccompanied refugee children with their parents in this country.

  The afternoon often brings a meeting of an All-Party Parliamentary Group. These groups, formed around topics as diverse as air pollution, manufacturing and human trafficking, bring together parliamentarians from across parties to hear speakers, hold evidence sessions and write reports. The meeting of the Woods and Trees APPG last week drew attention to the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Plan, highlighting the need to increase tree cover across the country from 13% to 19% by 2050. This would mean planting an area of trees equivalent in size to the Isle of Wight every year as part of our commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

  Later on, I often have meetings about my projects; my priorities at the moment are transforming Huddersfield into a sustainable town, writing a report about miscarriages of justice and restarting the Autism Commission. It is exciting to be able to draw on the knowledge and expertise of the incredible people who are involved with these initiatives. 

  I am very pleased to have been re-elected so I can continue working hard in Parliament to stand up for Huddersfield and bring change. I love to hear from my constituents, so if you have ideas about what I should be focusing on here in Westminster, do get in touch at barry.sheerman.mp@parliament.uk.

  Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged appg, edms, parliament, sustainable towns, westminster, what do mps do?

• Policy Connect

  Posted at 11:32 am by thomascritchley, on Jan 21, 2020

  

  This year marks the 25^th anniversary of Policy Connect, a think tank I founded in 1995 and which I now chair. I am a social scientist by training and have always believed that government policy needs to be based on research and evidence in order to be effective. Popular promises and slogans are all well and good, but can these be translated into tangible outcomes that improve people’s daily lives?

  This week, I attended several Policy Connect events in Parliament, which addressed this question. At a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Manufacturing, we discussed issues we want to take forward in the new Parliament, including diversity in the manufacturing industry and the role that manufacturing has to play in achieving net-zero by 2050. It is exciting to see a group of MPs, Lords and industry professionals so determined to prioritise fair, ethical and environmental considerations in the manufacturing sector.

  Another highlight was the round-table discussion on energy from waste. Leading on from a Policy Connect report about the UK Government’s plastic waste strategy, this meeting focused on what to do with the waste we will never be able to recycle. We discussed the possibilities of turning it into energy and using it to heat homes and fuel cars; benefiting from a range of opinions from Extinction Rebellion, Local Government and waste management representatives. I am proud of the work Policy Connect does in producing high-quality research to inform parliamentarians and sector leaders on some of the most pressing issues of the day, ranging from the environment to health, and I look forward to seeing this continue in the new Parliament. 

  Posted in Uncategorised | 0 Comments | Tagged appg, parliament, policy connect, think tank

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