Richard Holden MP for North West Durham will be answering local people’s questions for a Consett Magazine Q&A feature.
Have you got any questions you’d like to ask your local MP?
“We hope the Q&A Feature will be a transparent way for readers to raise awareness and to inform their local Member of Parliament about important issues which matter to them and people in their community. My hope is to have local issues potentially brought up in the House of Commons. It would be great for local people to become part of a broader national discussion on how to run our country and improve the area.” – Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine
If you’ve got something you’d like to ask your MP, send us an email editor@consettmagazine.com
We’ll be reviewing the questions asked via social media channels and consettmagazine.com comments and the Q&A feature will be published in a future edition of Consett Magazine (print) and online at consettmagazine.com – if you have any questions or would like to have your own Q&A feature – get in touch editor@consettmagazine.com
What is an MP?
Here in the UK the public elects Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons. MPs consider and can propose new laws as well as raising issues that matter to you in the House. This includes asking government ministers questions about current issues including those which affect local constituents.
Does our MP Richard holden agree with the U-turn its government (brought to attention by a young footballer) on assisting families with school meals over this School Summer holidays and how will families in North West Durham be assisted if there is a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in a local school or nursery in coming months?
I’ve not seen my grandchildren in months and have done my very best to shield myself and my family from the virus (as per government instructions).
What is Richard’s thoughts on senior government adviser Dominic Cummings coming here to County Durham from London (when the virus was spreading rapidly in the Capital) during the lockdown, potentially bringing the virus into County Durham?
I love the train line idea to be opened up again. But I think we need to get the buses to all surrounding villages to be more consistent. If I have to get to the hospital in Durham, I have to spend almost 2 hours to get there and two hours to get home. That’s with the connections of the buses and the waiting around you have to do.
Sure Start centres offered a lifeline for new parents and were a valuable part of the community, but were sadly closed. Could they be brought back?
What provisions have your government put in place to replace the money we currently receive from the European Social Fund after we leave the EU? This money helps support thousands of people in your constituency and funds a lot of organisations that do good work in the community, so some clarity on the plan to support them would be greatly appreciated.
What improvements and additions can be created for youth facilities, clubs and free recreational activities around the area, appealing to younger and older children, giving a place to safely congregate? This would include the upkeep of existing areas such as tennis and basketball courts, that sadly have been left to degrade over the years.
Why did you feel it acceptable to publicly claim that 72% of constituents supported a feasibility study into a rail link between Consett and Newcastle when actually you only received around 500 responses to a survey which never asked the question ‘do you support a feasibility study’. This is actually around 0.5% of your constituents and only represents your own subjective view of what constitutes support for your scheme?
Guidelines for schools reopening in September is to create “year groups bubbles”.
What are the caretakers, cleaners, dinner ladies, and all support staff advised to do?
86% of school staff in Scotland surveyed felt worried about a reopening, has there been similar a survey undertaken in England?
In the School, I work in we are all worried about the lack of info and proper guidance.
The official guidance is that masks shouldn’t be used in our School?
What about people not in the year group bubbles?
Should cleaners wear PPE? Should dinner ladies wear PPE? Should receptionists and caretakers wear PPE?
Do you think trying to work with councils, businesses and schools would be a better approach rather than just slandering them on Twitter?
Do you think you’re the right person to represent NWD when your not even from here? (All of our past MP’s have been either from the area or close by!)
Was the recent survey about transport links from Consett to Newcastle really about the transport links or was it just another political agenda?
I am a dialysis patient whom is desperately trying to maintain a working role through my illness but finding it increasingly difficult. What financial sense does it make to remove the assistance afforded in such situations (working tax credits)? Such assistance would have permitted me to work longer before having to consider withdrawing from work and claiming ESA.