Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington & Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Public Health has today written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding Nissan UK's decision to suspend work at the plant in Sunderland.

Click on image to download letter

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

Many of you will be rightly concerned about the outbreak of Covid-19.

First and foremost, my thoughts are with the loved ones of those who have sadly died and with those who have contracted the virus.

As always, the NHS workforce has demonstrated its determination to provide the best possible care at such a difficult time. I pay tribute to all health staff, as well as the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor who have shown exceptional leadership throughout this outbreak.

Public health and safety must be the priority and I believe that the Government are taking necessary steps, based on scientific and medical advice, to contain and delay the spreading of the virus.

As worrying as Covid-19 is, what it has highlighted is the inequalities in our society.

People working in the gig economy, on zero hour contracts or in insecure work, are in a difficult position if they’re told to self-isolate: do they follow the advice, and lose out on the wages they need to make ends meet, or do they ignore the advice and potentially contribute to the spreading of the virus?

No one should have to make the decision between their health and hardship, yet 2 million workers in the UK are ineligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

The Prime Minister announced that the three-day wait for SSP would be scrapped for patients with Covid-19, but the Government has not yet brought anything forward on this.

Even so, trying to live on £94.25 a week, which is about a quarter of the national minimum wage, or having to wait 5 weeks for Universal Credit, will only exacerbate the existing inequalities, and could vastly compromise the nation’s attempts to contain the virus if people choose to work, instead of self-isolating, due to the need to pay their bills and eat.

The Government’s inaction to improve these inequalities in our society will not only continue to hurt the poorest and most vulnerable; in turn, the rest of society will also suffer.

If this outbreak teaches us anything, it should be to tackle inequalities across our society and bridge the gap between the least and most well-off.

If you or your family are concerned that you have Covid-19, then please do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Call 111 and speak to someone. NHS 111 also has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do. Use this service if you think you might have coronavirus if; in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus or you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.

Sunderland Echo website >

Sharon has received a response from Luke Hall MP, Minister for Local Government and Homelessness at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government following her request for the planning application for a gasification plant in Hillthorn Park to be recovered by the Secretary of State.  This request has been rejected by the Minister.

You can read the letter by clicking on the image above 

The planning appeal process for the gasification plant is currently adjourned until June.

Sharon continues to oppose the planning application.

You can read Sharon's request here > 

You can read Sharon's work on this issue here > 

Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Feb-Mar 2020 number 125

Click on the picture above to read Sharon Hodgson MP's report - Feb-Mar 2020 number 125

Sharon Hodgson MP encourages constituents to prepare for power cuts by registering with Northern Powergrid’s Priority Services Register

Image copyright Northern Powergrid, 2020.

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West, is to hold a public meeting on Saturday 7^th March on noise and air pollution.

The meeting, which is part of Sharon’s series of public meetings, will be held at the Oxclose and District Young People’s Project, Dunlin Drive, Ayton, Washington NE38 0EB on Saturday 7 March, 2020 at 1.30pm – 3pm.

The meeting is open to all constituents, but will focus on the noise and air pollution from the A1(M) and problems with litter on highway verges and slip roads and the impact this has on the area and the wider environment. There will be time for other issues to be discussed too.  

If you, your family or friends are able to attend the meeting, then please do email [email protected]

If constituents have a specific issue they would like future meetings to focus on, then please do email my office.

ENDS

On Wednesday 26th February, Sharon received a response from the Government to the petition she presented on 21st January about the gasification plant at Hillthorn Park. 

You can read Sharon's speech and petition here >

You can read the Government response below:

Observations from Minister for Housing (Christopher Pincher):

The application referred to is now the subject of a planning appeal to the Secretary of State. The appeal inquiry opened on 18th February 2020 and it was attended by approximately 250 people. Before any evidence was heard, the main parties submitted an application to the Inspector to adjourn the inquiry to allow time for confidential commercial negotiations to take place the outcome of which was expected to be the withdrawal of the appeal. The request was endorsed by all objectors and by the MP who was present. The Inspector found the application represented exceptional circumstances and agreed to the request. The inquiry will resume on 18th June 2020 if the negotiations falter and the appeal is not withdrawn before then.

The Planning Inspectorate has received a request from Sharon Hodgson MP that the appeal be recovered by the Secretary of State on the grounds that it conflicts with national policies on important matters and raises significant questions regarding the interpretation of those policies for RDF-based gasification plants. The Secretary of State will consider and respond to this request as soon as possible.

Whilst the Government recognises the opposition to the planning application/appeal, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the eventual decision as to do so could prejudice the Inspector’s, or Secretary of State’s (if the appeal were to be recovered), consideration of the appeal prior to having heard and then considered all the evidence, both for and against the proposal.

You can read Sharon's work on this issue here > 

The Planning Inspector ruled today (18th February 2020) at the Stadium of Light, that the appeal inquiry for a gasification plant to be built in Hillthorn Park has been adjourned until June.

Sharon Hodgson MP, who opposes the building of a gasification plant, said at the appeal inquiry:

"This is great news for my constituents who do not want this gasification plant built.

"Over the last three years, constituents have contacted me over concerns about public health, climate change, road congestion and the impact on the local landscape.

"That is why I was pleased to support the calls for an adjournment as this could lead to our ultimate goal: no gasification plant being built at Hillthorn Park. However, any deal that is made must be transparent and put in the public domain for scrutiny.

"This would not have happened today without the community spirit and determination from residents, campaigners and Councillors. The little people have stood up to the big guys and won. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in the campaign to oppose the building of a gasification plant in Washington."

ENDS

You can read Sharon's work on this issue here > Sharon Hodgson MP - Rolton Kilbride, Washington planning appeal

The appeal for a planning application for a gasification plant to be built at Hillthorn Park, Washington begins on Tuesday 18^th February at 10am at the Stadium of Light, Montgomery Suite.  It will continue for 8 days, with an evening meeting on Monday 24^th February.

Sharon opposes the planning application and will be speaking at the appeal meeting on Tuesday 18^th February to set out the concerns of her constituents.

We need to show the Planning Inspector that the people of Washington and Sunderland West do not want this gasification plant.

Crowds will therefore be gathering from 9:30am on Tuesday 18^th February at the main car park (Red Car Park) at the Stadium of Light to rally against the planning application.

If you are able to come and show your opposition, please do so.  The more people the better.

You can read Sharon’s work on this issue here.

Sharon Hodgson, Member of Parliament for Washington & Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Public Health attended a training session hosted by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in Parliament where they and over 100 other MPs learnt more about how to make their services more accessible for people with sight loss. 

RNIB’s social media team was on hand to show Sharon how to make their social media more accessible, while their legal rights and eye health team shared information about issues commonly raised through RNIB’s helpline.

Staff and volunteers from the charity’s Technology for Life team, which offers support and training relating to technology and digital services, demonstrated the types of accessibility settings blind and partially sighted people use on smartphones and tablets.

MPs were taught the basics of guiding, by taking part in a blindfold walk with RNIB staff who are guide dog users. A mock surgery was set up to show how activities like form filling can be inaccessible for people with sight loss. The training concluded with a quiz based on statistics around sight loss and inclusion.

Sharon said: “It was really useful to find out more about how we can make sure our services are accessible to blind and partially sighted people. MPs are there to serve all our constituents, and I am pleased that RNIB were able to share their expertise with us.”

RNIB CEO Matt Stringer said: “We were delighted that so many MPs took time out to attend this training session to learn how to better support their constituents with sight loss. RNIB strives to break down barriers and make the world more inclusive for blind and partially sighted people so we hope that the MPs found this training session useful and will put what they learned into practice.”

About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk