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31
Oct 2023
MPs Watch: HS2, Yorkshire Water and maiden speeches
Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.
In October, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the northern leg of HS2 would be scrapped and Yorkshire Water unveiled a £7.8 billion investment plan.
Meanwhile, Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP which includes south Harrogate, made his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
We Selby and Ainsty MP Keir Mather if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but did not receive a response.
Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.
Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.
In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:
- On October 3, Mr Jones welcomed a £7.8 billion investment plan being submitted by Yorkshire Water.
- On October 4, Mr Jones attended the Conservative Party conference and was present for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s speech.
- Following the speech, Mr Jones said he was “disappointed” with the decision to scrap the northern leg of the HS2 project.
- On October 5, he met with the owners of the former McColls store in Starbeck who are expected to unveil plans for the building this year.
- On the same day, Mr Jones attended the opening of the Rachel Daly pitch at Killinghall Nomads JFC.
- On October 18, Mr Jones called for a 138-home development on Water Lane in Knaresborough to be cancelled. He also raised the issue in the House of Commons on October 16.
- On October 19, he hosted the Street Works UK awards in Parliament.
- Mr Jones announced on the same day that he would be objecting to a planned asphalt plan at Allerton Park near Knaresborough.
- On October 21, he visited Harrogate synagogue to discuss events in Israel and Gaza.
- On October 28, he met with the Harrogate Imam to discuss events in Isreal and Gaza.
When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent a list of his engagements for September.
They included attending a roundtable with the British Dental Association and a Northern Powerhouse Partnership Transport Reception. He also with members of Zero Carbon Harrogate and met a local dentist to discuss NHS dentistry.
Others included visiting Yorkshire Cancer Research’s new facility at Hornbeam Park, chairing a meeting of the European Statutory Instruments Committee and meeting leaders from Luminate Education Group at a reception in the House of Commons.
Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.
In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:
- Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons in October.
- On October 11, Mr Smith tweeted that he had met residents and North Yorkshire Council to discuss recent deaths on the A61 at South Stainley and to campaign for a lower speed limit.
- On October 16, Mr Smith visited the Ripon Inn ahead of its opening.
- Mr Smith posted on his website on October 22 that he had visited Sharow Church of England Primary School to meet with its headteacher and answer questions from pupils.
- Mr Smith updated his website 11 times in October, which included posts promoting government initiatives and visits within his constituency.
When we contacted Mr Smith's for comment, his office sent a roundup of his engagements for October.
Among them included visiting local schools and businesses in Skipton and Ripon, including Cundall Manor School.
Meanwhile, he also visited The Beer Engine in Skipton and met with Bentham resident, Viv Barclay, who will attempt to become the oldest woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.
In Selby and Ainsty, which includes rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Mather:
- Mr Mather posted 11 times on his Facebook page in October. None of the updates related to areas of his constituency which fall in Harrogate.
- On October 16, Mr Mather made his maiden speech in the House of Commons.
- On October 23, Mr Mather asked the minister for environment, Rebecca Pow, how she would be working with the Environment Agency to support people during Storm Babet.
- He joined a debate on the sustainability of rural post offices in Westminster Hall on October 25.
Read more:
- MPs Watch: New MP, River Nidd and Mayoral election
- MPs Watch: Climate change, NHS dentists and Harrogate Station Gateway saga
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