Today at 5 I meet BT once again to discuss broadband roll out, with particular reference to the Matfen area, but also raising other recent complaints. It clashes on an update on UK policy in the Middle East but I am going to try and meet the Minister later. Tuesday I have a Schools Funding meeting to discuss how we can take the F40 Fairer Funding Campaign forward.
;Later that afternoon I hope to speak in support of the Mitochondrial Donation Regulations. I am a Christian but I have no difficulty supporting this important reform which will save lives. I blogged on this last week: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/i-strongly-support-pioneering-research.html
Wednesday is international development and Prime Ministers Questions followed by a debate on apprenticeships. I will try and speak.
As always, there is plenty of Home Office business all week, starting with the Monday meeting with the Home Secretary.
Monday, 2 February 2015
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Jubilee Debt Meeting last week in the House of Commons
As always, the conversation and discussion was fascinating. We discussed international aid, the tricky issue of grants and loans and the ways in which the UK government, whilst aiding others, can do so whilst keeping the support of the rest of the UK people. I support international aid wholeheartedly: but I have to accept that this is a tough sell to many people, including many of my constituents. We need to explain and sell the good we are doing in a better way.
One key issue was this:
Should we be granting Debt Write Offs to, for example, the European Countries like Greece and Portugal who have spent too much, borrowed too much and not changed their cultures or accountancy skills? This will be a key part of the future JD manifesto.
I questioned at last Wednesdays meeting why anyone would ever trust the Greeks to repay money again, but there is evidence clearly to suggest this could and would happen, in some circumstances. It would have an unwanted effect here as some of our banks, including the ones owned by the public have exposure and expect repayments from these countries. They would lose out. More importantly Mrs Merkel's view is that further Greek debt write off - and this after massive previous bail outs - would bring down the rest of Europe. Thus the debate about Greek debt write offs and the consequences will run and run in my view. Thoughts?
The picture is from the Jubilee Debt campaign we ran in November 2012. See here for more details: http://www.newcastle.anglican.org/news-and-events/news-article.aspx?id=428
Apprenticeships in the North East are transforming the jobs market for young and old
North East apprenticeships have doubled over last ten years. In the North East 30,480 young people started an apprenticeship last year compared to just 13,460 a decade ago in 2005/6 latest figures
show. Two million apprenticeships have been created in the UK since 2010, with 143,000 young people in the North East now getting solid training to start their careers.
In Northumberland 16,640 apprenticeships have been created since 2010, the second highest in the region, behind Durham which has seen a record 28,290 apprenticeships since 2010. In Newcastle 11,670 new apprenticeships have been created since 2010
Figures recently released by the Skills Funding Agency and Department for Business, Innovation & Skills show that in the Hexham constituency 670 apprenticeships were started, compared to 430 in 2009. Just about every set of facts and figures tells the same story. Apprenticeships are up across our region and helping to end the scourge of youth unemployment we saw under the last government. Unemployment is down by over 36% since the 2010 General Election and youth unemployment has also fallen.
When I first became an MP in 2010 one of the key messages I was hearing from business was that as a region we were failing to provide our young people with the skills they needed for work. It will be a
long road to completely turn it around, but we are doing very well.
show. Two million apprenticeships have been created in the UK since 2010, with 143,000 young people in the North East now getting solid training to start their careers.
In Northumberland 16,640 apprenticeships have been created since 2010, the second highest in the region, behind Durham which has seen a record 28,290 apprenticeships since 2010. In Newcastle 11,670 new apprenticeships have been created since 2010
Figures recently released by the Skills Funding Agency and Department for Business, Innovation & Skills show that in the Hexham constituency 670 apprenticeships were started, compared to 430 in 2009. Just about every set of facts and figures tells the same story. Apprenticeships are up across our region and helping to end the scourge of youth unemployment we saw under the last government. Unemployment is down by over 36% since the 2010 General Election and youth unemployment has also fallen.
When I first became an MP in 2010 one of the key messages I was hearing from business was that as a region we were failing to provide our young people with the skills they needed for work. It will be a
long road to completely turn it around, but we are doing very well.
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