Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Tuesday 9th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[James Cartlidge]

I absolutely recognise the trauma endured by victims and survivors and their need for answers. The Government continue to be clear that it is for local authorities in individual areas, which are responsible for delivering services, to commission local inquiries. However, we expect Bradford Council to take the most thoroughgoing approach to ensuring that all lessons have been learned and that local partners are doing everything possible to identify offending and protect children from harm.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

As a veterinary surgeon I really welcome the fact that the Government have listened to the calls that have been made and are introducing a new pet abduction law. Sadly, in rural areas such as Penrith and The Border, other animals are frequently stolen, including farm animal livestock, horses and ponies. Will my hon. Friend look to expand the legislation from pets to encompass all animal abduction offences, including those involving farm animal livestock and horses, so that we can put an end to the horrific and distressing crime of animal theft?

[James Cartlidge]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, and I do see the point he makes. As he knows, the focus has been on dogs and other pets that we keep in the home, but I am happy to speak to colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and to get back to him about what we think of his suggestion.

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Wednesday 15th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Yes. Since just 2012, when I think I was Mayor of London—I was—we have cut CO₂ massively and we have cut our dependence on coal from 40% to less than 1%. How about that, Mr Speaker?

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

Q8. Ullswater Community College, which is led superbly by headteacher Stephen Gilby, is a fantastic school in Penrith with 1,500 pupils, more than 200 staff and a 600 square mile catchment area. The school is in desperate need of redevelopment to keep the site fit for purpose. In partnership with Myerscough College, the school is providing a lifeline for land-based education in Cumbria, after the sad closure of Newton Rigg College in July. This is a great opportunity for the Government to level up rural areas, so will the Prime Minister join me in supporting the proposed rebuild of Ullswater Community College.

[The Prime Minister]

Yes. My hon. Friend is a great campaigner for the people of Penrith and The Border, and I can tell him that in addition to our support for 500 school-rebuilding projects in the next decade—we are doing 100 immediately—Cumbria County Council has been allocated £5.3 million for the financial year 2021-22 to improve buildings, including Ullswater Community College.

His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con) [V]]

It is a great honour and privilege to pay tribute today, on behalf of the constituents of Penrith and The Border, to His Royal Highness.

Prince Philip was a true public servant, serving the Queen, the country and the Commonwealth with humbling dedication. He had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, including active service in world war two. In many ways, he was a trailblazer in raising the profile and importance of looking after our planet and all that is on it, with his pioneering work with organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Australian Conservation Foundation.

In setting up the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, he influenced the lives of literally millions of young people through a life-affirming programme that exists in over 130 countries. Cumbria is blessed with natural settings that allow people to enjoy nature through schemes such as the DofE and in outdoor education centres such as Blencathra and the Outward Bound Trust centres, which Prince Philip visited as the trust’s patron. Sadly, the pandemic has halted many of the activities for our young people that are encapsulated by the DofE and outdoor education. It is heartening that those sectors are set to re-open; I know that they will once again play a big part in our young people’s lives.

Sadly, I did not have the honour of meeting Prince Philip, but a constituent, Debbie Wicks, whose family knew him well in the world of carriage driving, shared this with me:

“Prince Philip, the Royal family and carriage driving were (and remain) an important part of our lives. Prince Philip was an exceptional horseman, a keen competitor and liked to be treated as other competitors at events. I remember when he was driving his Fell ponies at Lowther in Cumbria and they came to the water obstacle—now obstacles are meant to be driven in the fastest speed possible, but nobody had briefed the Prince’s Fell ponies, who naturally thought they would stop for a drink. Prince Philip didn’t agree—and needless to say with his honest and frank approach the language was ‘ripe’!”

We have heard much today about Prince Philip’s humour and humanity. That should remind us above all that the royal family are humans just like the rest of us, grieving the loss of a much-loved family member. Our prayers are with Her Majesty and her family at this time. Rest in peace, Prince Philip; in your own words, you’ve done your bit.

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Wednesday 10th March 2021 Commons Chamber

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Union connectivity review.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the Union connectivity review.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Alister Jack)]

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on transport connectivity in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom. I welcome Sir Peter’s interim report and I look forward to his final report in the summer.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Jack]

I share my hon. Friend’s frustration, I really do. This review is part of our levelling-up agenda to improve the national infrastructure and create jobs and prosperity, and I think it is pathetic of the Scottish nationalist Government not to have engaged just because it is a “Union” connectivity review.

[Dr Hudson [V]]

As an MP for a borderlands region, I know that strengthening and enhancing our Union is of huge importance to my constituency of Penrith and The Border. Does my right hon. Friend agree that projects such as extending the Borders Railway down to Carlisle are a clear example of how the UK and Scottish Governments can work together to improve transport links in the region? Does he also agree that this would be a great boost to the economies of both the north of England and the south of Scotland, and provide a gateway to unlocking the potential of both regions?

[Mr Jack]

I agree with my hon. Friend, and I hope he will be aware that next week we are signing the full borderlands growth deal, which will include funding for the feasibility study into reopening the Borders Railway link between Carlisle and Tweedbank.

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Wednesday 24th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con) [V]]

Penrith and The Border struggles with poor broadband and phone signal connectivity, with download speeds around 56% of the UK average. Many of my constituents have been quoted large and unfeasible sums for new cables to be installed, which is often their only option to improve coverage. I welcome the potential of the shared rural network, the gigabit voucher scheme and the universal service obligation to help, but what reassurance can my right hon. Friend give my constituents that Government are striving to address these broadband and phone signal notspots in rural Cumbria?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for all he does to campaign for the hardest-to-reach areas in rural Cumbria. I know that we are doing all we can because I raise it virtually every day, and we are rolling it out as fast as we can. We have committed about £5 billion to connect those areas, £1 billion for the shared rural network agreement and a voucher scheme to target predominantly rural areas, but we are intending to get everything we can possibly done in the next five years.

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Thursday 11th February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. My colleague, the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution, is looking at exactly how we can ensure that we have effective voter registration so that either confusion or, indeed, an outright attempt to subvert the integrity of the poll can be dealt with, and we will be bringing forward more detail in due course.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to strengthen the Union.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Michael Gove)]

The Government are committed to protecting and promoting the combined strengths of our Union, building on 300 years of successful partnership. It is vital that we continue to work across the United Kingdom on common challenges that we all face, such as the roll-out of the covid-19 vaccination programme. We also need together to focus on issues such as protecting jobs and supporting our NHS.

[Dr Hudson [V]]

As the MP for a border region, I am acutely aware of the importance of our great Union, physically, economically and historically. I welcome the Government’s plans to establish 10 free ports across the United Kingdom—a move that will help to secure thousands of jobs and regenerate communities. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the exciting Cumbria free port multi-centre proposal, involving Carlisle airport, Barrow and Workington, with its specific strengths in Union connectivity and clean energy, would help to propel our region’s economic recovery and play a key role in the Government’s levelling-up agenda by attracting investment and jobs to our region?

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Carlisle, Barrow and Workington working together can ensure not just that Cumbria and the north-west of England benefits, but that the borders region as a whole benefits. The support that this Government have given to the borderlands growth deal is an example of the way in which the interrelations between Carlisle, Dumfries, Hawick and other significant parts of this United Kingdom mean that we are stronger together.

Covid-19: Winter Plan

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Monday 23rd November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

The whole country knows that we are going through very difficult times, but I hope that the news, especially on vaccines, that we have seen over the past fortnight offers some hope about the way out. The hon. Lady mentions the test and trace system, as did the right hon. and learned Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer). I am very glad to say that not only is the testing regime and the opportunities that we have to roll out testing expanding very rapidly—I pay tribute to the team for that—but the contact tracing is improving. I am really pleased about that and pay tribute to all those who have been working to make that happen.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con) [V]]

Quite rightly, we are keeping young people in full-time education at this time. The outdoor education sector provides an amazing parallel education for children, and there are many centres in Cumbria and across the UK. These centres are ready for covid-secure programmes where pupils who are in bubbles at school can be safely accommodated. Will my right hon. Friend work across Government to look at reopening these centres as soon as possible for residential visits, so that whole cohorts of young children do not miss out on this vital and life-affirming educational opportunity?

[Matt Hancock]

My hon. Friend makes a powerful case for a sector that is obviously prevalent in his beautiful constituency, and I look forward to working with him to see what progress we can make.

Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Wednesday 1st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

This is becoming quite a theme this morning, and quite rightly too. I am a fan of Chickenshed Theatre and I know its work. We will do everything we can to assist; the economic case for doing so is overwhelming. I would just say to people, “Keep supporting your workers with the furloughing scheme. It is much better now to wait for times to get better rather than laying people off.” That is my message.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con) [V]]

Newton Rigg College is a land-based further education college in Penrith that has been listed for possible closure next year by its host institution. Will my right hon. Friend ask Government Departments to work with me and local stakeholders to secure a sustainable future for this vital institution, and, if we are successful, may I invite the Prime Minister to come to Penrith to see this fantastic college and the opportunities it provides to upskill, strengthen rural economies and support this Government’s levelling-up agenda?

[The Prime Minister]

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend. I know that this will be a difficult time for the community and all those who care about this Penrith college. May I propose that he and I have a proper conversation about what we can do to help, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education, and see whether we can find an appropriate solution? I thank him very much for the work that he is doing.