Sharon challenges Government to include conditions on securing UK jobs as part of financial support for Aerospace Industry

Sharon Hodgson, the Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West, and Shadow Minister for Veterans, has challenged the Government to include conditions on securing UK jobs as part of any financial support for Aerospace Industry.

During Transport Questions on Thursday 3^rd December 2020, Sharon urged the Government to ensure that financial support for aerospace businesses includes conditions to retain high-skilled jobs in the UK.

This comes as Rolls-Royce were accused by Unite the Union of 'choking' the company’s future and 'selling family silver’ in a sell-off and plant rundown announcement.

Sharon said:

‘’Today’s announcement from Rolls-Royce will add further worry to hundreds of workers ahead of what is already going to be a difficult Winter.

‘’It highlights the need for further Government support for the aerospace sector, and that such support should be conditional on retaining and increasing highly-skilled jobs here in the UK.

‘’Manufacturing will be key to our recovery from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government and businesses should be investing in our future, rather than letting more jobs fall by the wayside.’’

Ends  

• Sharon’s question can be viewed in full here: https://twitter.com/SharonHodgsonMP/status/1334475347082010626?s=20
• The announcement from Rolls-Royce can be found here: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2020/03-12-2020-rr-to-create-global-aerospace-leader-as-part-of-review-of-civil-aerospace-footprint.aspx
• Reaction to that announcement from Unite the Union can be found here: https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2020/december/rolls-royce-accused-of-choking-company-s-future-and-selling-family-silver-in-sell-off-and-plant-rundown-announcement/

A small group of cross-party MPs have met recently to discuss the reinstatement of former Kenyan Civil Servant pensions, after their constituents stopped receiving their pension payments in March 2019.

The pensions are paid by Crown Agents Bank on behalf of the Kenyan Government. However, Crown Agents Bank say that they have not received pension payments from the Kenyan Government and therefore cannot pay it out.

Six cross party MPs have therefore written to the Minister of State for Africa, James Duddridge MP; written to His Excellency Mr Manoah Esipisu MBS, High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya to the United Kingdom; tabled Parliamentary Questions and Debates, with the aim to resolve this issue for their constituents and other former Kenyan civil servants who have not received their pension since March 2019.

In a joint statement, the group said:
“It has been over 18 months since our constituent’s stopped receiving the pensions they are entitled to. We believe that the Government should treat this matter with some urgency, which is why we are now doing all that we can to bring this issue to the Government’s attention.”

The group is convened by Sharon Hodgson MP, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West and includes Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford and Isleworth; Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham; Gareth Thomas, MP for Harrow West; Tan Dhesi, MP for Slough; Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham and Heston and Paul Bristow, MP for Peterborough.

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Oct-Nov 2020 number 133

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Oct-Nov 2020 number 133

Sharon pictured with local Poppy Appeal organiser and volunteer, Malcolm Pickering

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Veterans today (26th October 2020) supported the Washington Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) on their Poppy Appeal stall in ASDA at the Galleries in Washington.

Sharon, who is also Honorary President of the Washington Branch of the RBL, supports the local Poppy Appeal each year however due to Coronavirus restrictions the Appeal is very different this year with some people unable to volunteer or fundraise as they usually would.

Sharon said:

“I’m proud to support this year’s Poppy Appeal at the Galleries in Washington.

“Whilst the Appeal is slightly different this year, I’m encouraged to see the way local volunteers and the RBL have adapted to the challenges Coronavirus have posed us all.

“Constituents can still support the Poppy Appeal by donating a poppy through the post to neighbours, displaying a poppy in your window, donating online or undertaking a virtual Poppy run.

“I hope that my constituents will continue to show their support for the Royal British Legion and our service personnel, past and present.”

Malcolm Pickering, Local Poppy Appeal organiser and volunteer, said:

“I am delighted that Sharon was able to join and support us at this year’s local Poppy Appeal stall.

“Like most things this year, the Appeal and Remembrance Day events are very different to how we would normally commemorate those who have served, but it is no less important, so I urge everyone to commemorate in a way that is safe for everyone.”

You can find out more about this year’s Poppy Appeal on the Royal British Legion website here >

ENDS

You can read Sharon's latest Sunderland Echo column below or on the Sunderland Echo website.

As the Government places Northern regions under experimental lockdown measures, without the financial backing to help them through, the North-South divide has never been so apparent.

But as people in our region know all too well, Tory neglect of the North predates Covid-19.

Local Authority budgets in our region have been savaged since 2010, exacerbating long-term regional inequalities between the North and South.

Shocking statistics from the End Child Poverty Coalition show that some of the largest increases in child poverty have come from Northern towns and cities, with the North East seeing the largest jump of any region in England.

In my constituency, 35% of children are growing up in poverty, an almost 9% increase since 2014/15.

This is before we even take into consideration the consequences of Covid-19, which has left the North East facing economic turmoil not seen since the days of Thatcher.

Families face significant economic uncertainty, and need reassurance that support will be there to help them care for their children and stop them from slipping into poverty.

However, the Government is threatening to slash the safety net even further, by scrapping the £20 uplift to Universal Credit in April, which will only make it harder to make ends meet and plunge our children into further hardship.

Tackling poverty and addressing its root causes needs to be at the heart of any Covid recovery plan, to ensure this pandemic does not commit a future generation to a life of deprivation.

The Government must urgently reform the social security net, and retain the £20 uplift in Universal Credit (UC) and apply this to other legacy benefits.

In the face of already unacceptable levels of child poverty, our country’s children are now at severe risk of being swept even deeper into deprivation.  Reforming UC and maintaining the £20 uplift would put much-needed cash into the pockets of Britain’s poorest families, helping them through this crisis, and would put us back on path to a fairer, more just society in the aftermath of this pandemic.

Sunderland Echo website >

Last week was Dyslexia Awareness Week.

During that week, the Data and Marketing Association published an online Dyslexia Employer Guide which can help employers understand dyslexia, and make their workplaces more inclusive.

You can access the guide by clicking on this link > 

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Sep-Oct 2020 number 132

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Sep-Oct 2020 number 132

You can read Sharon's recent Echo Column below or on the Sunderland Echo website.

Many families in our area have already been hit hard financially by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Yet, as they have done so often during this crisis, the Government recently overlooked the needs of working families in our region. Local lockdown measures were implemented at short notice, which effectively put an end to informal childcare arrangements.

This left parents who rely on support from grandparents, friends and family facing a choice between staying at home to care for their children and potentially losing their job, or finding formal childcare with no notice and no budget to pay for it.

Many constituents wrote to me to share their worries and anxieties. Families who were already often on low pay, particularly women and single parents, were left facing severe hardship. I wrote to Matt Hancock to raise their concerns, and asked the Government to reconsider.

Thankfully, Ministers relented, and have now said that informal childcare arrangements for those aged under 14 can continue, ensuring those who rely on them are not left under even more financial strain as we adjust to new local restrictions.

But whilst this decision has provided some relief to working parents, I know that for many of us the next few weeks will continue to be challenging. Local lockdown will keep friends and families apart, and businesses face renewed financial pressures.

Nobody wants to see any more restrictions on our daily life, but the concerning growth of this virus cannot be ignored.

I would therefore urge everyone to continue to follow local lockdown measures, which remain in place alongside the additional measures announced by Government. Please avoid visiting other people, only socialise with members of your own household, and only take essential journeys.

As ever, if any of my constituents have any concerns about these measures, please do email shar[email protected] and I will do all I can to help you.

Our region has felt the impact of Covid-19 more severely than many others. We must now do everything we can to slow the rate of infection, and protect the NHS, our most vulnerable, and the health of those around us.

Sunderland Echo website >

Update on Coronavirus – September 2020

 - As at 24 Sept 2020.



New measures have been introduced across the North East, including in our constituency, to try and bring down the rising number of Coronavirus cases.  New nationwide guidance has also been introduced, but please note the local measures override those.

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington & and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Veterans has welcomed the new measures in Washington and Sunderland West and across the North East, aimed at curbing the rising cases of Coronavirus.

(Clicking on the above image will take you to guidance provided by the Government on the new restrictions)

Sharon is calling on all constituents to follow the measures, in order to keep everyone safe and ensure that our NHS is not overwhelmed.

Full guidance from the Government can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/north-east-of-england-local-restrictions

Information from Sunderland City Council, including FAQs, can be found here:

https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/article/17375/New-Covid-19-restrictions-for-our-region-17-September

Sharon said:

‘’I welcome the new measures being introduced, as the rise in cases of coronavirus in recent days has been concerning. The Government must now provide any additional support that our Local Authority needs for improved testing and to support people where necessary.

‘’It is vitally important that everyone follows the new measures, in order to keep us all safe, and protect our NHS.

‘’This will be a challenging time for many people, but I know that we can work together and bring the cases down in the coming days and weeks.’’