Visiting Egger to see how the apprentice training programme is going

It was great to revisit Egger several years on from when Michael Egger and I opened the apprentice academy. It is clearly going really well and providing priceless training to the local engineers and various other specialists that are needed to keep Hexham's key employer up and running. There is no doubt that all the local apprentices I met were really enthusiastic about working there. A really uplifting visit. By way of flashback here is the announcement and opening many years ago:
http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/egger-engineering-academy-another-step.html

Egger Apprentice Open Day this Thursday 3.30-6.30: go along if you want to become an engineer

https://bdaily.co.uk/industrials/19-03-2015/mp-backs-apprenticeship-drive

Success of Roots to Prosperity team bears fruit in Help for forestry in Budget & next Tuesdays conference

I am speaking at the Confor conference next week on the need for support for forestry and wood panel groups like local businesses from Egger downwards.
Building on the general good news from the Budget, and our long campaign to get support for commercial forestry, ie another Kielder, and the work of the Roots To Prosperity group, I was delighted to see this in Wednesday's Budget:

"2.257 Fund for Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) supported forestry schemes – The industry led initiative ‘Roots to Prosperity’ has demonstrated the value of collaboration between the forestry industry, Local Authorities and LEPs. To encourage this further, the government will launch a nationwide £1 million fund to support schemes that will promote the growth of the forestry industry in their region and which have the support of their local LEP."

Tuesdays conference will bring together all the key players in the Forestry world.

Pleased that Forestry Commission have agreed to 77 acres conifer planting north of Haltwhistle - building on Roots to Prosperity Report

http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/farmer-gets-go-ahead-for-woodland-1.1182882
We need to plant more trees in this country, and that must include commercial timber. That is the strong message coming from businesses like Egger, our antique and wood panel businesses, and many more, or there will be no such businesses here in the UK in the near future. Kielder, for example, is fundamentally a commercial conifer forest.
It is wonderful.

I have strongly backed the Roots to Prosperity campaign [pictured at Egger with many of the business and local leaders], and support the farmer who sought to make his farm more viable, by planting a woodland of 77 acres of conifers, and 29 of broad leaf timber.

Northumberland National Park objected to the application. I have great respect for the Park officials, and their management team, but on this occasion I am against their approach and right behind the Forestry Commission. The simple lesson is that the Park cannot exist in isolation to its surrounding community. The UK, and in particular Northumberland, needs more Forestry - something wholeheartedly backed by the public.

For my part I would support the planting of a small forest the size of Wark or Slaley, and am right behind applications for further planting both locally, and with the pressure I am putting on government agencies and quangos.

The reasons why this is so necessary are well set out in this report: its conclusions are unanswerable if we wish forestry, timber products and businesses like Egger, and the smaller producers, to thrive and survive in this country: http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/News.aspx?pid=23&id=2641

We need commerical forests planted soon - my Q today at Farming / Environment Questions at 10.15 today HOC

What steps are being taken to increase planting of commercial forestry in the UK to alleviate the future lack of commercial or other timber for UK businesses?

Great to get behind Egger's drive for more women in business

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/north-east-firm-egger-launches-8005491

Forestry has a future in the North

Egger in Hexham on Monday saw the brightest and best minds from forestry coming together to meet, listen and discuss the future of forestry; it is clear from the many experts present that there is great scope to expand the forestry and woodland in the north. There are realistic plans to increase the conifer capacity by
- planting in and around housing developments, enterprise and business parks
- mid hill forestry where the moorland meets the arable and low lying land or where land abuts forestry commission land
- possible new larger forests on sites to be identified and agreed by local councils and interested bodies.
No one is contemplating another Kielder Forest but a smaller forest on a scale of Slaley or Wark is not unrealistic or unattainable in my view. This may need a change in viewpoint by several people or public bodies and possible change in direction but that is what discussion and debate is about. The simple point is this - what are we prepared to do to ensure there is a forestry and timber business in the North well beyond 2030?
Fuller details here: http://www.confor.org.uk/NewsAndEvents/News.aspx?pid=23&id=2641
The event is also front page of todays Courant and reported at length in the Journal.

Forestry event tomorrow at Egger

Roots to Prosperity is an action plan for change and growth in the forestry and timber sectors, here in the north of England. It is well supported by all the local county councils and lays out an action plan for how the sector can expand and hopefully create more jobs. I am speaking tomorrow at the event in Hexham and keen to listen and learn from the many experts there as to how we can harness the local areas desire to grow the sector.

Our Forestry Needs are significant for our timber and biomass industries

I am an enthusiast for more forestry; this month we held a debate in the House, in which I was able to make a few short contributions. The full debate is here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2014-07-02a.259.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g264.0
The short points are these:
- where are we going to plant more forests?
- is it agreed that such a forest has to be of commercial use - ie containing timber that can used by businesses as in Kielder Forest?
- and to what extent does government need to subsidise this planting, or can the market provide?
- do any constituents object to more forestry?
For my part I would welcome further forests in Northumberland.
There is a Forestry Summit to be hel;d at Egger in Hexham, on August 4th, and I shall be there.

The return of real Apprenticeships - up in every part of the NE

I am pleased there has been a substantial rise in the numbers of apprenticeships being offered to young people in the North East.

I am passionate about apprenticeships and vocational education. They are important to help our young people find the jobs they deserve and for improving the skills of our Nation’s workforce. As such, I like many other small businesses, employ an apprentice, Jade, who has been with us in our Hexham office since 2011 and is an important and valued member of our team.

In Hexham we have seen a huge rise in the numbers of apprenticeships which is great news for young people starting out in the working world and businesses alike. Specifically there has been a 62.8% rise in the number of apprenticeship starts in Hexham from 2009/10 to 2012/13 [the last full year for stats].
This is not a pattern exclusive to Hexham, however:
- throughout the North East this pattern of success is repeated with increases in apprenticeship starts ranging all the way up to 143.1%. Overall the North East is the country's second biggest percentage increase in apprenticeship starts; at the national level we have already delivered 1.8 million new apprenticeships since 2010.
The full chart is here:
Parliamentary Constituency and % increase on apprenticeship starts from 2009/10 (Labour) to 2012/13 (Last full year under Coalition)

Berwick upon Tweed 98.0
Bishop Auckland 143.1
Blaydon 89.8
Blyth Valley 107.6
City of Durham 120.0
Darlington 132.3
Easington 111.1
Gateshead 73.5
Hartlepool 85.1
Hexham 62.8
Houghton and Sunderland South 63.4
Jarrow 73.0
Middlesbrough 95.6
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 90.6
Newcastle upon Tyne Central 80.8
Newcastle upon Tyne East 82.4
Newcastle upon Tyne North 67.7
North Durham 104.6
North Tyneside 83.1
North West Durham 121.0
Redcar 121.2
Sedgefield 115.8
South Shields 86.4
Stockton North 109.0
Stockton South 120.0
Sunderland Central 60.0
Tynemouth 86.4
Wansbeck 111.1
Washington and Sunderland West 71.6

I congratulate all who were involved in this increase and encourage those employers who have yet to hire one of our fabulous young people to do so. You won’t regret it!

We need to plant more forests

Last week I went once more to Egger and met with the team there, including Simon Hart of Egger Forestry Management. We discussed at length the need for more forests in the UK. My position on this is clear - I am big supporter of more forestry. The question is whether local people would be in favour of, for example, another significant forest being planted in North Northumberland? And the second issue is whether a forest would be the type that is commercial and there to be planted, cut down and replanted as Kielder is? I would welcome constituents thoughts and opinions  

The Guardian are way wrong about the North East - and here is why

A muppet journalist from the Guardian has stated that the North East is teetering on the brink of becoming the new Detroit - ie a place devoid of character, growth, prosperity, identity, entrepreneurial spirit, new industry, and so much more. As usual with most Guardian claptrap he is way wrong. He did not choose to speak to me, but then again I am not surprised. He set out with an agenda, but as always on this blog we try to be fair so here is his piece. Make of it what you will:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/10/north-east-avoid-becoming-britains-detroit

I would make a number of comments to rebut this rubbish:
On jobs, growth it is my strong belief that our better days lie ahead:
- the North East is a manufacturing hub and the only region that is a net exporter in this country
- we are developing specific specialisms in sectors that are genuinely transforming the economy - whether it is subsea technology, or our burgeoning IT sector that sees Accenture and Hewlett Packard based in the North East, and running the IT for everything from the Rural Payments Agency to parts of the Universal Credit Roll out.
- no one who was at the Dynamo conference 10 days ago in Newcastle could have mistaken the entrepreneurial spirit that was there; our IT sector is genuinely transforming the region, albeit we do need a IT Technical College. I chaired a seminar on regional growth that was buzzing with ideas and expectation.
- our job figures are improving across the board, with every parliamentary seat seeing less JSA claimants than before, more people in work, and real apprenticeships doubling.
- In my area of Northumberland I opened the Egger Engineering Academy last autumn and have seen its effect in creating specialist engineering jobs.
- on Wednesday I will be welcoming the Energi Coast companies and the Subsea sector to Westminster: they are optimistic and hiring. I doubt the Guardian will come to such a good news event or do a story, but one lives in hope. 
   
On jobs, growth and our regions future then I urge you to read the Adonis Report or delve into the North East Chamber of Commerce's 50 Reasons why the North East is the place to do business: its report is here: http://www.necc.co.uk/50greatreasonstoinvest/1390-50-great-reasons-to-do-business-in-the-north-east-infographic

I could go on about the everything from our stunning landscape, to the community spirit that exists like nowhere else in the country. Things are not perfect and there is a long way to go but I am very optimistic about the North East's future.
I will await the chance of a rebuttal piece from the Guardian but will lay good odds that they will not be offering.

Northumberland Schools Parliamentary Debating Competition won by Ponteland High - by a whisker!

Winners Harriet Barrett and Matthew Ross with my fellow judges, Egger's Jackie Stephenson, European Election Candidate Ben Houchen and the famous Egger Trophy.
The debate Title was: "This House believes that the voting age should be reduced to 16"

Hexham, Haydon Bridge, Ponteland and Prudhoe all selected 2 students to represent them at the debate we held recently at Ponteland Community High School; this first ever Northumberland Schools Parliamentary Debating Award, was won by Harriet Barrett and Matthew Ross - having proposed the motion. I was on the judging panel of 4 - featuring Jackie Stephenson, HR Manager of Egger, and Ben Houchen, councillor and the Candidate for the European Parliament. The judging panel was completed by Dan Brown from my office, who did a lot of the legwork and organising .

Our thanks to the schools, our sponsors the Hexham chipboard Manufacturer Egger UK – which is Northumberland’s largest manufacturing employer, the supporters who came and the pupils themselves.
Genuinely on the night all 4 judges selected a different winner. After a long debate Ponteland won by the narrowest margin. They were aided by the best intervention of the night by Matthew, but it is fair to say that all 4 teams were outstanding.
I am hopeful that we will make this an annual event. I know the students had fun, and all the adults who came up afterwards were really impressed. Out of curiosity I took a ballot of the audience and the motion was marginally carried that indeed ...we should give 16 year olds the vote. A great evening.
For a fuller report see here: http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/ponteland-community-high-school-pupils-6938225

Northumberland Schools Parliamentary debating Competition: Should we lower the voting age to 16?

Tomorrow the 4 high schools take each other on, hosted by Ponteland High School 
Starts at 6
Finishes at 7.30
Feel free to come along and support your local school, friends and community
My thanks to all the organisers, sponsors and those brave enough to take part!

High School Debate Competition in Ponteland this Thursday- Are you coming to support our brightest and best?

4 schools, 2 pupils per team, a brand new debating competition, one epic prize.... what more could you want?
This Thursday I am pleased to say that we are launching our first schools debating competition. It has taken a lot of work to organise, and my thanks to all the High School teachers who have enthusiastically signed up, Ponteland High School for hosting the event, all the star pupils who are performing, or coming to support, and former Ponteland pupil, Dan Brown, who now works in my London office, and who has done a lot of the legwork. Our thanks also to Egger, who have donated a great trophy - out of local Northumberland Egger Wood! It will put the Glitterball Trophy to shame.
It is not too late to come along and support your school and their chosen representatives in this clash of the debating titans. The event starts at Ponteland High School at 6.00 on Thursday. I will preview the topic and teams of speakers from Prudhoe, Haydon Bridge, Hexham and Ponteland later this week - I am hoping to spot the next Churchill: no pressure debate teams!! More seriously I am hoping that we create an enjoyable competition that stretches the local pupils, develops their advocacy and presentational skills, and shows them and us that our future stars are within our midst.

Transcript of Debate on creating Skills and Apprenticeships in N East

My thanks for all the help in the drafting; the full transcript is here:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2013-11-27a.93.0&s=speaker%3A24962#g93.1

My thanks for help writing the speech on creating skills and apprenticeships in the N East

My thanks to everyone who has got in touch with ideas, opinions, comments and contributions, in particular Accenture's Bob Paton, Ross Smith of the NECC, the team behind the Adonis Report, the local employers like SCA, the team at the Department for Business, the FSB, and even the team at the Department for Education who heards about the debate and were keen to plug their early years apprenticeship bursary scheme.
Bob Paton is both my constituent, and the key driver of the dramatic rise in apprenticeship numbers at Accenture in the North East. He took specific time out of his busy schedule to come to Westminster to brief me today.
The debate is 11am in westminster hall. Still drafting as I update the blog - the key is to try and condense all that there is to say on such a subject into less than 15 minutes, which is the time limit of the speech.  

Egger Engineering Academy - another step in the skills revolution

There is so much that is happening on skills, apprenticeships and training in the North East at the moment. Ten days ago I helped Michael Egger open his new Academy in Hexham. It is incredible and full of locals people learning key skills in their home town. I add this on to the great work of Northumberland College, the doubling in apprentice numbers locally, and the many chances being created by local businesses and I see local jobs being created in niche engineering and specialist skills that will provide the growth we need. I met several of the lads who are in their early stages of the apprenticeships and they were all loving it.
Full story here: http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/egger-unveils-4m-investment-at-hexham-site-1.1092925

Opening Engineering Facility and Training Academy opening at EGGER on Friday

Hexham will see new jobs, apprenticeships, and investment in both an academy and local people unveiled this Friday. I am very excited to be part of this opening. EGGER employ over 500 people locally and is the key employer in west Tynedale. I have been round the site many times and met the teams.
EGGER is the largest manufacturing employer in all of Northumberland and is part of a Europe wide business. They have invested tens of millions of pounds into the the Hexham site in recent years.
The site provides one of the most technically advanced wood particleboard plants in Europe.


The opening of our new Engineering Facility and Training Academy will help develop skills, and underlines the companies commitment to investing in the area, their ongoing operations and their employees.
The training academy will allow them to continue developing apprenticeship, graduate and employee training schemes.
The way out of the recesssion is through good local businesses investing in their site, their products and most of all their people. I am really pleased for everyone involved and looking forward to meeting all the employees on Friday.

Westminster this week

The Crime, Anti Social Behaviour and Policing Bill is up for debate for 2 days on Monday & Tuesday in the Commons. I will be helping in this Bill, but have a variety of key meetings as well:
- I am the chair of the All Party Group for Air Ambulances, and we have a meeting this Tuesday,
- I also have key constituency calls to action by phone, notably with Northumbria Police officers on a couple of ongoing cases in Hexham and Haltwhistle,
- I hope to be meeting key representatives of BT on Wednesday, where I will be raising local phone failures we have suffered in parts of Tynedale, particularly Hedley, where the campaign goes on for a better service.
- I have question 9 on fuel poverty and credit unions at 11.30 in the Commons on Wednesday and will be hoping to catch the Speakers eye at PMQs
- there are also a number of other smaller debates I will keep an eye on

Thursday I really hope to be slipped to come north, albeit the House is still sitting, where I have a number of appointments and meetings on Thursday, Friday and all day Saturday. The EGGER academy opening is the key event on Friday. The evening diary is yet to be confirmed but I know I have appointments / events on Thursday and Friday. With a little bit of luck I might make the pub quiz in one of my local pubs down the road on Friday night.