Joe Morris MP: speeches

Speeches

• 10 Dec 2024 · Storm Darragh · Hansard source

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  Northumberland has been battered by storms in recent years, most dramatically and devastatingly by Storm Arwen. Can the Minister assure me that she and her colleagues are taking proactive steps to protect communities in some of the most isolated places in my constituency from the devastating impact of these storms?

• 9 Dec 2024 · Syria · Hansard source

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  I want to echo the calls welcoming the downfall of the brutal and evil Assad regime, and just to press the Foreign Secretary a little. What steps will the Government take to preserve all the humanitarian routes available, and to ensure that a moderate, prosperous and, indeed, multi-polar Syria emerges from the present situation?

• 9 Dec 2024 · Skills Training · Hansard source

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  When I speak to small businesses in my constituency of Hexham, they regularly decry an inability to recruit young people from the area, who want to remain in the area where they grew up. Will the Secretary of State assure me that we will be working with small and medium-sized businesses to ensure that young people can remain where they grew up, should they wish to do so, which sadly was very hard under the previous Government?

• 9 Dec 2024 · Skills Training · Hansard source

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  10. What steps she is taking to reform skills training.

• 5 Dec 2024 · Plan for Change: Milestones for Mission-led Government · Hansard source

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  The legacy of 14 years of the Conservatives in government and a century of Tory complacency in Hexham is seen in how police numbers in Prudhoe fell under the last Government, and indeed in Callerton and Throckley. They have also fallen in our most rural communities. Rural crime is unfortunately brought up with me regularly. That is an example of how the Conservative party has failed to understand the modern countryside. Will the Minister outline how this plan will make a measurable change for our rural communities, as well as towns like Prudhoe?

• 5 Dec 2024 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I am frequently contacted by constituents of mine in Haltwhistle who are outraged by the empty buildings that pockmark the town. Will the Leader of the House commit to a debate in Government time on how we can re-energise towns such as Haltwhistle so that they can fuel the growth that this country desperately needs?

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  When we start a new job and find that the previous person in that job had not paid invoices for the previous year and deliberately withheld financial information, we have an honest conversation with the public about what is achievable. In any business, we have to be honest with people about deliverables. [ Interruption. ] Well, ultimately people in my constituency were sick of the chaos. They were sick of seeing Liz Truss plastered all over the newspapers. When I speak to my farmers, I hear a real cry for security and genuine forward-planning from a DEFRA that listens and is not turned into a political football, as it was too often by the Conservatives. I know, having grown up in a rural community alongside the children of farmers, that they value roads that are not full of potholes, a stable economy and libraries that are not falling down—exactly the public services that every one of us expects.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  They absolutely do; my hon. Friend is right. What people—not just farmers—speak to me about is the need for that growing, stable economy. They are infuriated with the Conservative party for pretending to jump on a bandwagon after taking farmers for granted for 14 years while in government.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  It is always a privilege to speak on behalf of my constituency, which is the largest in England and one of the most rural. I start by paying tribute to the farmers I have engaged with, both as a Labour candidate—I had my selection meeting at a Hexham farmers market—and since I have been elected, whether in London, on their individual farms, through the NFU or otherwise. have had genuinely balanced and informative conversations about them, and I have shared the outcomes of those conversations with Ministers and through the appropriate channels. What really strikes me is that this is an unserious motion brought by an unserious party; one that fails to understand the countryside and fails to understand why it lost seats that it had held—in the case of Hexham, for 100 years. The Conservative party undermined the confidence of young people to remain in the communities where they grew up, and it cried foul at any attempt to provide housing in my local community. I spent this morning meeting with Hexham Community Partnership to talk about the appalling overcrowding in Hexham and the need for genuinely affordable housing. The problem is having a devastating effect, forcing people out of the towns they grew up in. The Conservatives had oversight of that in my part of the world for 100 years. They need to look in the mirror and genuinely consider why rural communities turned against them so much.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for her intervention. She and I must have a slightly different view of a very long time. A few weeks ago is not a very long time for me. I am talking about years in which local farming communities were ignored. The botched Brexit deal that the Conservative party secured did not do any farmer any favours. Labour is the only party that is genuinely serious about countryside renewal. We cannot pack communities across Northumberland in aspic and pretend that they do not need houses or services. That is why the Conservatives lost. That is why I am here.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member is welcome to come and take a look at my diary at some point. On the Saturday after the Budget, I went to a farm. On the second Saturday after the Budget, I went to a farm. I then met with NFU members at my office in London. Believe me: Labour Members work their constituencies a lot harder than Tory Members.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I have taken plenty of interventions in a short time. Ultimately, the Government will be judged on the success of our record and whether we can get the farming budget into the pockets of farmers. I have every faith that the Government and DEFRA will do that. I do not believe that the Conservative party could honestly say that it ever trusted its DEFRA Ministers to do the same.

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I commend the right hon. Lady’s commitment to honesty. She talks about giving Labour Members advance sight of the Opposition day motion, but when did the Labour Whips Office receive the title of the Opposition day debate? May I invite her to correct the record perhaps?

• 4 Dec 2024 · Farming and Inheritance Tax · Hansard source

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  I will. The vast expanse of green on the Opposition Benches reminds me of the British countryside.

• 3 Dec 2024 · UK Supply Chains: Uyghur Forced Labour · Hansard source

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  Like many, I was very concerned to see the report to which my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion) referred. Does the Minister agree that forced labour is a threat to supply chains and to the resilience of our economy not just in our food sector, but across our entire economy?

• 26 Nov 2024 · Project Gigabit · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure, as always, to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon (Gregory Stafford) on securing this debate—although the mention of Liphook in his speech confused me, as I was always under the impression that my aunt’s MP was the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds)—

• 26 Nov 2024 · Project Gigabit · Hansard source

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  Clearly, I have got something wrong. I want to address a few of the issues experienced in my constituency. As many Members here today will be well aware, it is the largest constituency in England, taking in large parts of Northumberland, going all the way up to the Scottish border and all the way across to the border with Cumbria. I am regularly contacted by constituents who are trying to enjoy the dream situation of living in England’s most beautiful county, but who are unable properly to work, attend meetings with clients or generate the economic growth that this country so sorely needs. I speak to people in villages such as Stocksfield, Riding Mill, Hedley on the Hill or even Darras Hall, who I know have had frequent issues with getting the appropriate broadband speeds delivered to them. Residents of those villages are continuously working to try to get the broadband speeds that they deserve. There is a real feeling that for the past 14 years many rural communities were left to sit in splendid isolation, abandoned by the Conservative party. As the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon eloquently said in his opening remarks, they were left to fend for themselves. I am absolutely proud to be part of the Labour party that won a swathe of rural seats at the last general election, that is committed to ensuring our rural businesses can grow, and that can ensure that the world-class businesses across my constituency are able not only to access high-speed internet, but to do so in the very smallest communities. When I go out and meet constituents across the north Tyne area, internet is one of the bugbears most commonly raised with me on the doorstep, alongside a lack of housing and the state of the NHS. I hope the Minister will consider how we can get high-speed internet to those most rural constituencies and the hill farms that the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron) mentioned, to ensure that they are given the opportunity to benefit from Project Gigabit.

• 21 Nov 2024 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T8. I am regularly contacted by constituents of mine who are concerned about delays and cancellations on the Tyne Valley line, which is so fundamental to my constituency. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss delays and improvements to that line?

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister and everyone who has contributed to this very good and enlightening debate. To pick up on a point that my hon. Friend the Member for Cramlington and Killingworth (Emma Foody) made, I should point out that I did grow up in Hexham and am very proud to have grown up in Hexham, although I do support Sunderland. As I said to many of my constituents during the general election campaign, if I can grow up in the north-east and support Sunderland during the 15 and 19-point seasons, I think I can go down to Parliament and advocate for us quite strongly.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  I beg to move, That this House has considered increasing tourism in Northumberland. It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger. I am delighted to see so many other Members in Westminster Hall who share my interest in both the opportunities and concerns for tourism in my part of the world. I extend my thanks to organisations such as Visit Northumberland and the Vindolanda Charitable Trust, as well as Northumberland county council and many members of the public in my constituency, who made valuable contributions ahead of the debate. Before outlining the importance and the challenges of tourism for the region, it is necessary to acknowledge the deep history of my constituency. It is for that precise historic legacy that many tourists can, should, and indeed do visit. As I outlined in my maiden speech back in July, my constituency is named for the town of Hexham, a medieval town boasting Hexham Abbey, which dates from the 12th century, Hexham Old Gaol, which to my knowledge is the earliest purpose-built prison in England, the beautiful Sele Park, which opened to the public in the 18th century, and the legacy of the Victorian era. However, the constituency that I represent is so much more than just the town of Hexham. In the north we border Scotland, which is part of the legacy of the border wars between the kingdoms of Scotland and England in the 13th century, and in the south we take in the Allen valleys, which have some of the most stunning scenery in England. Near Bardon Mill, visitors may find out more about my area’s history from as far back as the first century at Vindolanda, which is the ruins of a Roman auxiliary fort and a UNESCO world heritage site. Hadrian’s wall runs from the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and Solway (Markus Campbell-Savours) to the namesake constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend (Mary Glindon). And I cannot forget to mention Prudhoe castle, which was built as part of a series of Norman castles after the 1066 conquest. It was the only Northumberland castle to resist occupation by the Scots. It should also be noted that although stars of the big screen recently walked the red carpet at the latest premiere of a film by Ridley Scott, my fellow north-east native, the headlines were stolen by the announcement that a 2,000-year-old knife handle depicting a gladiator had been found in the River Tyne, and that it will be displayed near to where it was found in Corbridge from next year. Visitors to my constituency will also find The Sill, which is the National Landscape Discovery Centre and a gateway to Northumberland national park. The park is home to the magnificent Kielder forest, which embodies the sheer beauty of the region and which was also the site of my first overnight trip with my school in year 4. Yet for all that the Hexham constituency boasts deep historic roots, the attraction and the allure for tourists should not be limited to our history. Visiting the region should be as much about the present as the legacy of the past, including the community spirit and the region’s facilities. Attractions include the regular Hexham farmers’ market, Hexham’s bluegrass festival, Ovingham goose fair, the Northumberland county show, a flock of illuminated sheep that can be found at locations along Hadrian’s wall, the Hexham lantern parade, Hexham spook night and the Corbridge Christmas tree festival. The culture of my constituency is an attraction for tourists in and of itself. That culture is not limited to festivals and markets; there should also be recognition of my constituency’s cuisine and its hospitality sector. For example, there are Restaurant Pine, The Feathers Inn at Hedley on the Hill, Bouchon Bistrot and Restaurant Hjem, to name just a few local inns and restaurants. The local pubs also contribute to the culture of the community. From the reopening of the Sampson Inn as a community pub in Gilsland to The Tannery in Hexham, where I was first served a pint, to my local pub, The Crown in Humshaugh, and The Falcon in Prudhoe, local pubs contribute immeasurably to the culture of the constituency. I will also briefly touch on some of the sports tourism available in my constituency. I am not a golfer myself, but I am told that there are world-class courses at Close House, Slaley Hall and Matfen Hall. Close House is a favourite haunt of many people I know; I also know that it draws many visitors to the region, but could draw many more. However, as I am sure the Minister and every Member present in Westminster Hall knows, despite the rich history and beauty of our region, tourism in Northumberland and the north-east still lags significantly behind tourism in other parts of the United Kingdom. Visit Britain, the national tourism body, has outlined that between September 2021 and October 2023 there were 860,000 domestic visits to Northumberland per year. In the same period, there were 49,000 international visits to Northumberland and 459,000 international visits to the north-east. By comparison, London had over 20 million visitors in 2023, even though, from a personal perspective, I would rather be in my constituency than in London on any given day of the week. Nevertheless, the north-east remains at the bottom of the league tables on international tourist spending and domestic tourist spending. When we compare tourist spending in London with that in the north-east, we see that London receives £16.7 billion of international tourist spend, while Northumberland received just £20 million of international tourist spend in 2023. That is a stark difference. So, I would like to see the Government prioritise increasing the proportion of overseas visitors to the region, particularly from Germany, France, Netherlands, the Nordic countries and the United States, which already have strong links with the region and which provide key opportunities to maximise the growth potential within Northumberland. In my constituency, we also have Newcastle airport. However, because my hon. Friend the Member for Cramlington and Killingworth (Emma Foody) is here in Westminster Hall, I am conscious that I only have two thirds of the runway in my constituency. We have had a few discussions about what constitutes constituency airspace. However, it is vital that we work with the airport to support the jobs that it underpins and international tourism in the region. It is crucial that the identity, culture and environment of Northumberland are protected, as is maintaining proper infrastructure, and increasing and investing in tourism in my part of the world. Although increasing tourism is crucial for boosting our rural economy and for increasing job opportunities, there are areas that require support if we are to expand tourism. Transport, roads and infrastructure must be invested in to handle an influx of domestic and international tourists. We regularly see long queues to visit Hadrian’s wall along the A69 in my constituency, particularly during school holidays, with known waits to see those wonderful sights. I am sure the Minister will agree that, when advocating an increase in tourism, we must not overlook the interests of local people who could be impacted by the influx of visitors. Local people who use roads for short journeys should not have to experience travel delay due to the tourist influx, but investing in public services and improving the condition of our roads will be a welcome investment for locals and tourists travelling to the region, resulting in a net benefit to our economy by growing it even further. We need to consider the interests of local people to ensure that there is proper infrastructure in place to support increasing tourism, allowing visitors to experience the stunning hills, the deep history and community culture of our region. I am proud that the new Labour Government have already committed to improving public transport to reduce delays, directing funding into improving the condition of the roads, such as the £500 million investment to deal with potholes outlined in the Budget. Such attention to investment is welcome following 14 years of austerity and neglect under the Conservatives. To preserve the rich history of Hexham and Northumberland we need to protect our heritage. This month, Historic England released its heritage at risk register that outlines historic sites in England at risk of decay and damage threatening their survival. The register revealed that 262 of the 4,891 entries at risk are in the north-east. My constituency has a concerning number of sites under threat. They include the Corbridge Roman site, multiple sections of Hadrian’s wall, the church of St Cuthbert in Haydon Bridge and the Kershope castle at Kielder. Vindolanda is further threatened by the possible risk of climate change. Those Roman ruins are preserved in waterlogged environments, but climate change could affect the chemical make-up of the soil and damage artefacts currently preserved in the ground. The work of Historic England and that of organisations such as the Vindolanda Trust to preserve our history is commendable. Improving infrastructure, investing in the preservation of those historic buildings and places, and restricting climate change, in collaboration with local and national organisations, will boost the regional economy, generate more job opportunities and preserve Northumberland’s rich history. I am sure the Minister will agree that England is a country with a rich historical tapestry, as is the UK, but we cannot overlook Northumberland’s contribution. Through preservation and protection of central heritage sites, we can lead the way for domestic and international tourism to flourish. A central issue in rural regions, as I outlined in last week’s rural affairs debate, is the skills shortage. Rural regions are used to under-investment and to seeing younger people leave due to an inability to find an appropriate job. That contributes to the migration of young people from rural areas in search of work, contributing to a skills shortage in the region, fundamentally affecting the tourist sector in Northumberland. Such a shortage of skilled workers has a significant impact on the provision of services that could encourage domestic and international tourism to the region. Sonya Galloway from the Vindolanda Trust outlined that one of the biggest challenges jeopardising Northumberland’s tourism is that skills shortage, and problems recruiting people in the hospitality and tourism sector. By investing in people, to create inclusive employment opportunities and develop skills, we can ensure that the tourism sector in my county flourishes. I am proud of the Labour Government’s advances in employment opportunities for the British workforce, through educational initiatives and reforms to apprenticeship schemes, granting young people the skills and opportunities to enter careers that align with their interests and benefit the British economy and the tourism sector more generally. The Skills England initiative will drive growth across the country and support people to get better jobs when they enter the job market. When we promote UK tourism abroad, I plead that we consider how to promote Northumberland to that wider international audience, through effective media and marketing of content-first and destination strategies that showcase the experiences of our county. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) planned to be here but could not make it, so I will quickly pay tribute to the magnificent coastline in his constituency. Collaboration between Visit England and Visit Northumberland would provide a valuable opportunity to promote domestic and international travel to the north-east. Further, increasing funding for national tourism boards would expand marketing, outreach and visibility for the region. The scenery of my constituency is no stranger to the homes of families across the UK and the world: TV’s “Vera” trekked across the region in a matter of minutes to solve a case; there have been a number of series by Hexham’s own Robson Green in which he shares his passion for the beauty of Northumberland; and famously it was on the big screen in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”, where Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman walk along Hadrian’s wall by Sycamore gap, which is an opportunity that has sadly been denied to future generations by an act of thoughtless vandalism. The continued depiction of Northumberland will continue to shine a light on one of our country’s hidden gems, and I welcome any support that the Minister’s Department can offer to achieve that. I also want to recognise and commend the incredible work that is already being accomplished on the expansion of the tourism sector in the north-east. The piloting of the destination development partnership was welcome, which saw a £2.25 million investment from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport over three years. Such a scheme has a positive impact in directing tourism towards the north-east, catalysing our north-east Mayor’s 10-year plan to double the size of the regional visitor economy. I would like to draw attention to the north-east Mayor, my good friend Kim McGuinness, and her announcement in September of her intention to double north-east tourists over the next 10 years, which would double our visitor economy from £5.2 billion and create more than 25,000 new jobs for locals. Those will be situated in not just my constituency in Northumberland but Newcastle-upon-Tyne and areas in the constituencies of Members across the House. I support Kim’s work and that of the North-East combined authority in its commitment to encouraging growth in tourist numbers. I believe that, through collaboration and co-operation, Northumberland can attract domestic and international tourism that can symbiotically benefit the local economy by creating more job opportunities, while providing an enriching, educational and relaxing holiday for visitors.

• 19 Nov 2024 · Tourism: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  It certainly teaches resilience. That is one thing that supporting an underwhelming sports team does. The Minister mentioned music. I should mention Larry O’Donnell, one of my constituency members, who is a bassoonist in the north-east and has often spoken to me about the good work that he and his orchestra do in promoting access to music. I celebrate that. I have a few points to make as I wind up and thank everyone for their contributions. We need to make sure that tourism is sustainable—that is absolutely right. We need to make sure that the roads are intact, that buses and trains are turning up on time and that we bring local communities with us. I turn briefly to the landscapes of my constituency. I have been privileged in the past weeks, months and year since being selected as a candidate to engage with the farming community and the work that they have done to diversify, such as by bringing holiday cottages on to their sites. I pay tribute to them as the custodians of Northumberland’s landscape. They are fundamental to a lot of what we offer in Northumberland. It would not be right to talk about tourism without talking about the great work being done by the farming community. I thank English Heritage for welcoming me to Belsay Hall a few weeks ago. It remains my grandmother’s favourite day out. It was her birthday on Friday; I have got her the mention in Hansard that I promised. I thank everyone again for taking part in the debate. As the Minister says, we need to grow tourism, but we need to make sure that we grow it outside London and ensure that when people are coming from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles or Tokyo, they consider coming to Hexham spook night, perhaps when they are attending a Newcastle United home game—or a Sunderland home game, in fact. I look forward to welcoming the Minister to one of the many festivals and events in my constituency. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered increasing tourism in Northumberland.

• 12 Nov 2024 · Clean Energy by 2030 · Hansard source

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  Last week’s report from the National Energy System Operator showed that not only is clean power by 2030 achievable, but it can lead to lower bills and more secure systems. Does the Minister agree that the only way to protect bill payers permanently is to go as far and as fast as possible towards our clean power mission by 2030?

• 12 Nov 2024 · Clean Energy by 2030 · Hansard source

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  20. What progress he has made on achieving clean power by 2030.

• 12 Nov 2024 · School Transport: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for his intervention and for his attendance. I think he has attended every Westminster Hall debate that I have spoken in. I completely share his assessment. The provision of appropriate bus routes is important, and it comes up in my casework. I have spoken to families in villages such as West Woodburn, where they allegedly have a choice of school, but the only available routes go to one single school.

• 12 Nov 2024 · School Transport: Northumberland · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her response and thank her ministerial team, the other Ministers in her Department and the Secretary of State for their continued proactive engagement with me and other rural MPs. For the first time we have a Government that truly get the challenges of rural Britain, aided in no small part by the new Labour intake. I do not want to finish the debate with a political point; I want to finish with the words of some of my constituents. One of my constituents wrote to me saying that she has a daughter who travels from Stocksfield to Prudhoe community high school, which is a wonderful school that I look forward to visiting. The only way to get there is to walk 2.9 miles along a busy road, and that would be unsafe. That was one of the many emails that led to me requesting this debate. The son of a constituent had to move school due to bullying and sadly does not qualify for school transport. That is the reason why I brought the debate: those stories that make up portions of my constituency surgeries that bring me here every day to fight the corner of my constituents. I hope people across my constituency feel that we have given voice to their concerns. I hope those at County Hall who have the power to intervene or look again at certain cases are watching and take notice. It is a privilege to represent the people of the Hexham constituency, whether that is Throckley and Callerton, ably represented by my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) for many years, or the Northumberland part. I thank all Members from across the House for their contributions, particularly the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), who sent me a wonderful note, and the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), who paid me a wonderful compliment by comparing me to the hon. Member for Strangford. Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House has considered school transport in Northumberland.