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 December, Harrogate’s MP met with ministers over the future of River Nidd’s water quality. Meanwhile, Ripon MP Julian Smith focused much of his tweets this month on matters in Northern Ireland.

We asked Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, Ripon MP Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

• At the start of the month, Mr Jones urged pensioners to look at pension credit eligibility amid the cost of living crisis.


• On December 7, Mr Jones announced he had raised matters of bathing quality status for the River Nidd in Knaresborough with environmental quality minister Rebecca Pow.


• Following the meeting, Mr Jones said he was “confident” of achieving the status.


• On December 22, he wrote on his Community News website that he intends to work with businesses and residents to submit a case to government for the status in 2023.


• Mr Jones made four spoken contributions in the House of Commons on skills, planning decisions in West Cumbria, biodiversity and alcohol duty.

Read more:

• MPs Watch: A new Prime Minister and government U-turns


• MPs Watch: ‘Wrong’ tax cuts and the death of the Queen

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• Mr Smith visited Nidderdale Museum on December 13 for a guided tour around the volunteer-led facility.


• On December 15, Mr Smith tweeted that he was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was visiting Northern Ireland.


• On December 18, he tweeted that it was important that concerns in the Unionist community were addressed and that “here is full focus on ensuring that the EU & UK rework the post Brexit trading arrangements” in order to restore stability in Northern Ireland.


• Mr Smith met with the chief executive of Airedale Hospital on December 22 to discuss “the challenges that the hospital is facing”.


• Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons this month.

In rural south Harrogate, he is what we found on Mr Adams:

• Mr Adams tweeted just twice in December. One was to congratulate a Ukraine-related charity and another was about a beer brewed in Tadcaster.


• On December 6, Mr Adams advertised a consultation on a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York.


• The following day he visited a new NHS diagnostics centre in Selby.


• He made three news posts on his website throughout December.


• Mr Adams made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons.