15 March 2023
Science, Innovation and Technology Questions

George Freeman, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation answers MPs’ questions to the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Domestic Space Industry

Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) (Con)

1. What steps her Department is taking to support the domestic space industry. (904134)

The Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (George Freeman)

It is a great privilege to open the batting for the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Not since the white heat of technology under Harold Wilson have a Government put more money into research. I know the Opposition will welcome this Department.

No sector embodies the opportunity more than space. That is why, in the past 10 years, we are proud to have doubled the size of the sector to £16 billion. We set out a £10 billion plan for the next decade. Through regulatory leadership, insurance and finance in the City, £400 million in earth observation and our cluster programme, we intend to grow this economy all around the country.

Vicky Ford 

As a science geek, I love this new Department. The Chelmsford-based company Teledyne e2v is the world leader in space imaging. When the earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, its technology from way up there in space pinpointed the exact location of collapsed businesses, sent rescuers to the spot and saved lives. It also provides crucial monitoring of our planet’s air, oceans and volcanos via the Copernicus programme. The European Space Agency wants to continue to use e2v tech for the next generation of Copernicus satellites, so will the UK continue to participate in Copernicus post-2024 so that companies like e2v can continue to sell to—

Mr Speaker 

Order. The right hon. Lady, as much as she might be a science geek, ought to know that questions need to be shorter to give somebody else a chance. Put in for an urgent question. Come on in, Minister.

George Freeman 

I pay tribute to Teledyne, which is a great company. That is why we have put £1.8 billion through the European Space Agency, so that little companies like that here in the UK can benefit. On Friday, I visited Space East. We support the cluster it is a part of. Following the Northern Ireland protocol agreement, the Windsor framework, we are actively discussing with the EU the membership of Horizon, Copernicus and Euratom, and funding earth observation programmes in any case.

Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab)

I welcome anything that focuses on science and technology. It has to be good for our country. On the domestic space industry, I very much welcome what the Minister has just said. However, if we are to grow the sector, we need the next generation of mathematicians, scientists, engineers and computer programmers. What is he doing to ensure that the education and training system brings forward the workforce for tomorrow?

George Freeman 

That is an excellent question because skills are key. All around the country we are growing space clusters. Just yesterday we launched Leicester Space East, which is part of the national network. We prioritised skills in the science and technology framework, published last Monday. The UK Space Agency has an active skills programme and we are working with UKspace to set out a map of the jobs that are being created—380,000 in this economy over the next 10 years. We intend to ensure that our higher education and further education sector is supplying them.

Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con)

The Westcott Space Cluster in my constituency is a tour de force of innovative excellence, with a particular focus on ensuring small and medium-sized enterprises can use open access testing facilities, such as through the satellite applications catapult DISC. Does my hon. Friend agree that that open access support is essential? Will he visit Westcott to see it for himself?

George Freeman 

Yes and yes.

Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)

Next month, I will be joining the team from HyImpulse at the SaxaFord spaceport in Shetland to see the hot fire test of its new HyPLOX75 motor. Like many companies in the sector, it is very keen to know when we will get an announcement regarding the space flight phase 2 programme. When will we get that announcement? If we are not going to go ahead with that programme, what will the Government be doing to encourage companies like HyImpulse to do their business in Scotland?

George Freeman 

I was in Scotland just a few weeks ago meeting the team behind the Shetland and Sutherland launch. We are committed to launch in both Cornwall and Scotland. We are providing funding to support those two spaceports. I will happily come and visit when I am next up. In Scotland, Buckinghamshire and all around the country, we are growing space clusters to give jobs and opportunities to a new generation.

Commercialisation of Science and Technology Research: North-east England

Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)

2. What steps she is taking to support the commercialisation of science and technology research in North East England. (904135)

The Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (George Freeman)

We should all be incredibly proud that nowhere is driving the science and technology revolution more than the north-east economy. 

It was a powerhouse of the previous industrial revolution and is that again now. I was recently in Newcastle visiting the University of Newcastle and Northumbria University. Spinouts from Newcastle raised £47 million, which is a record. The NETPark North East Technology Park, home to 65 growing companies, has just announced its third phase. It is home to Kromek, one of our top sensor companies. We put £5 million into the Northern Accelerator, a collaboration between six universities, and we have nine catapult centres in the north-east. We are driving the north-east economic renaissance.

Liz Twist 

The north-east is a centre of science excellence in offshore wind, life sciences, batteries and much more. We are home to 3,500 tech firms, which bring £2 billion to our local economy. European structural funds provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises to start up, innovate and grow, but all that stops at the end of this month. What will the Minister do to ensure that that support for development continues?

George Freeman 

That is an excellent question. We have set out the shared prosperity fund, which is now fully deployed around the country. We have made the commitment to increase domestic research and development outside the greater south-east by 40% between now and 2030, and 50% of Government R&D in the old Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy was outside the greater south-east. I do not want to pre-empt the Chancellor, but this afternoon there will be announcements about how we support regional science and technology growth.

Mr Speaker 

How would you know that?

Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)

Nissan in Sunderland is one of the most productive plants in the whole Nissan network. What meetings has the Minister had with Nissan about its work?

George Freeman 

Since arriving in this new portfolio I have not had any meetings with Nissan, but as a Department we are actively picking up the clean tech piece and the future energy technologies piece, and we are working with a range of companies, as well as with the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Mr Speaker 

I call the shadow Minister.

Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)

Across the country, our regions are home to thousands of brilliant science start-ups and spin-outs, but they are being hit by a Tory quadruple whammy: slashing R&D tax credits, leaving with them an average of £100,000 less to spend on research a year; a £120-million cliff-edge loss of European regional development funding; lack of access to capital—the UK has the lowest business investment in the G7; and continuing uncertainty over association with the £95-billion Horizon Europe, the biggest science fund in the world. Which of those barriers to growth for our innovative businesses will the Minister sort out today?

George Freeman 

It is a great shame that the shadow spokeswoman is so determined to talk the UK down. The truth is that in the last 10 years, the life sciences sector has grown 1,000%. The north-east, where she is from, is driving that. I do not recognise that the UK sector is being held back in the way that she says, but the Chancellor will say more this afternoon about the tax and business environment. The reason that R&D tax credits are up so much is that our innovation economy has gone from 1.7% of GDP to 2.8%. That is a huge success over the last 10 years, and we are responsible for it.

Hansard

Topical Questions

Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)

T2. During the last Horizon Europe funding round, researchers, scientists and universities in London received nearly £2 billion, but the Tories have overseen two years of uncertainty, delay and broken promises, harming researchers and businesses in my constituency and across the capital. When will the Secretary of State do what Labour would do, and secure association to the world’s biggest science funding programme? (904150)

The Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (George Freeman)

Over the last two years, not only have we continued to negotiate in good faith to see through the agreement that we made to join Horizon, Copernicus and Euratom, but we have continued to fund the sector—with just over £1.2 billion, including £370 million this week and £480 million before Christmas—and we look forward to discussing the European associations shortly.

Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)

T5. The Government have announced that they are to create a wonderful new nuclear fusion centre at West Burton. This is the technology of the future, and West Burton is not five miles from the town of Gainsborough, so will the Government rename the research centre West Burton Gainsborough to celebrate our wonderful town? (904153)

George Freeman 

My right hon. Friend has made an excellent point. It is a very exciting facility, which will see this country lead in the industrial deployment of fusion connectivity to the grid.

Hansard

15 March 2023
Meeting with local GP practices

As a former Health Minister and someone with a close understanding of the incredible role our NHS plays each and every day, I am very aware of how difficult the past few years have been – especially for those working on the frontline.

I am also very aware of the growing concern and frustration of many when it comes to trying to get an appointment at their local GP surgery.

That’s why I welcomed the opportunity to follow up again with senior figures at a number of our local GP surgeries yesterday – joining them for another of their regular Teams meetings with the local Norfolk and Waveney NHS Integrated Care Board.

As with the previous meeting I had with this key group back in December (see more here), I found yesterday’s conversation incredibly helpful. It was another invaluable opportunity to learn more about the challenges our frontline General Practice staff are facing on a daily basis, as well as a chance to discuss possible solutions in greater depth. I was also able to report back on my work since our previous meeting, which has seen me highlight the group’s feedback with the Department of Health and Social Care ministerial team, in addition to continuing my efforts to speak up on behalf of constituents with concerns.

The Government has showed that it is listening to the views being raised by the NHS and constituents alike. Indeed, it renewed its commitment to our NHS by making a further series of announcements (including £8 billion of funding for the NHS and adult social care in England by 2024-25) in the Autumn Statement – announcements I welcomed as they will ensure our NHS is receiving historic levels of funding, which will not only tackle the Covid backlog but will also enable rapid action to improve urgent and emergency care, as well as primary care so that our NHS is able to deliver even more than it did pre-pandemic, and to higher standards.

I also understand that, in line with the commitment made by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will also be published soon too – and welcomed the news in today’s Budget that pension tax reforms are set to be implemented to remove legislation that disincentivises doctors from working full hours or from working right the way up to retirement age.

My hope is that I can bring key DHSC and NHS England officials to my next meeting with this key group of senior GP surgery figures – who I have committed to joining quarterly moving forwards (with conversations ongoing in between as we work together on any specific issues).

Rest assured, I remain committed to doing all I can to speak up for and represent Mid Norfolk – both on behalf of my concerned constituents and those working in our local NHS.

14 March 2023
Future Breckland Board – Update

All of our market towns face the familiar challenge of balancing new growth and development with the needs of the communities living in, and around, them – all the while preserving the unique rural heritage and way of life that we all cherish, and that makes our part of the world such an attractive place to visit.

That’s why, alongside my support for Breckland Council’s ‘Future Breckland Plan’ initiative (see more here), I am delighted to continue my involvement in the ‘Future Breckland Board’, which met again this past Monday.

This group is a collection of leaders from across Breckland’s public and private sectors, straddling a wide variety of industries and sections of society. Led by Breckland Council Leader Sam Chapman-Allen, it is already inspiring the efforts of other district councils across the country through its work exploring how funding (through the likes of the Shared Prosperity Fund) can be used to maximum effect, even attracting additional private investment, in order to boost local services, strengthen community resilience and target support at those households that need it most.

Much positive work has already taken place, with progress being made in each of Attleborough, Dereham and Watton – and I am determined to do all I can to help Breckland deliver even more in the months and years ahead.

Over the years, I have worked closely with Breckland councillors and other partners on:

  • Town Plans for Watton, Dereham and Attleborough
  • Health and Wellbeing Hubs
  • Support for local SMEs on decarbonisation, reducing energy costs and the Road to Net Zero

I am therefore particularly excited about the Board’s work to drive forward Health and Wellbeing Integration in our local communities, low carbon regeneration for our local businesses and improved skills and community offers in our area.

There is much still to do, but I am certain we have the great local leadership required to help bring about the positive progress our local towns and villages deserve.

Rest assured, I will post further updates as this important work progresses.

To learn more about my work to date with the ‘Future Breckland Board’, please click here and here.

13 March 2023
New Anglia Cluster Visit

Having spent fifteen years as an entrepreneur in the Eastern region, I have always been passionate about supporting the Innovation Economy.

That’s why I was so delighted to visit the New Anglia Cluster as Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology last week to meet innovators, entrepreneurs and scientists, including:

  • Visiting Freeport East for a roundtable on its role as a facilitator of innovation (focusing on green hydrogen, AI, robotics) and to see first-hand the port’s autonomous vehicles.
  • Speaking at the New Anglia LEP’s Connected Innovation Conference at BT’s Adastral Park near Ipswich to highlight the global importance of the New Anglia Agri/Bio/CleanTech Cluster of Innovation.
  • Visiting Norwich Research Park to meet researchers, participate in a roundtable and showcase the pioneering work being done in Gut Medicine (Quadram Institute), Genomics (Earlham Institute), Plant Breeding (John Innes Centre and the Sainsbury Laboratory), Biomedical Research (the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital) and Clinical Trials (National Institute for Health and Care Research).
  • Visiting the Hethel Engineering Centre to highlight the 60 high-growth start-ups across the Advanced Manufacturing, Materials Science, Automotive, Digital and Space Tech sectors.
  • Catching up with the New Anglia LEP team on all things enterprise and innovation across the region.

To learn more about my previous work on innovation, please visit my website here.

 

10 March 2023
East Anglia Green – Offshore Alternative Consultation

Having been a leading figure calling for a proper offshore solution over several years, I recognise that the East Anglia Green proposals put forward by National Grid (although not directly impacting upon Mid Norfolk) are a big part of that wider campaign.

That’s why I added my name to the letter submitted to my former BEIS colleague the Energy Minister by OffSET MPs last summer criticising the lack of proper public consultation conducted by National Grid over the EAG plans (see more here) – and why I now welcome the news that National Grid ESO have listened to the concerns of MPs and campaigners and are now launching a review that will consider “offshore routes” for energy transmission in our region as well.

As has been widely publicised in recent years, the East is at the forefront of the offshore wind revolution that is already strengthening our UK energy resilience and driving forward the decarbonisation of our energy network. However, our region must have a proper say in how the necessary infrastructure is delivered, with all of the available options up for consideration.

As local MPs, we disagreed with National Grid’s assertion that they DID properly consult the public on whether or not this infrastructure should go ahead onshore (with new pylons running from Norwich to Tilbury) or be included in an offshore solution.

The news of this review is therefore a positive step in the right direction and I would encourage all of my constituents to take the time to have their say.

Rest assured, I will continue to work with parliamentary colleagues and local campaigners on this key campaign.

To learn more about the announcement, please click here.

To stay up to date with all of my work on this issue, please visit my website campaign page here.

9 March 2023
Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust – Update

Mental health provision has long been an issue very close to my heart. I have seen first-hand how mental health issues affect friends and family members and can destroy lives.  

As many of constituents have seen, the CQC have recently upgraded the overall rating of Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’. The Trust’s ratings for being safe, effective and well-led also improved from ‘inadequate’ to ‘requires improvement’.

This is positive news – but it is simply not enough.

That’s why, as part of my ongoing work alongside fellow parliamentary colleagues in the East to hold Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) officials to account and to try and drive forward the significant and urgent improvements required to mental health provision in our region, I welcomed the updated provided to us as regional MPs earlier this week by the minister responsible for mental health, Maria Caulfield MP.

While the Minister recognises the progress that has been made over recent months, she has been clear that she still sees very significant challenges at the NSFT which must be addressed. NHS England will therefore continue to provide close support to the NSFT as they continue with the package of improvement measures that are being implemented, with a full-time improvement director in place and representation on the Trust’s governance meetings so that they have full visibility of the latest data on improvements needed.

NHS England will also work closely with the NSFT and the two county Integrated Care Boards as work continues to drive forward the speed and level of improvements needed for mental health provision in the region.

I will be following progress very closely – and look forward to the next Norfolk and Suffolk MP meeting with the Minister so that we can continue to scrutinise the progress being made.

Rest assured, this remains a key focus on mine at this time.

To learn more about my work ‘speaking up for mental health services’, please click here.

8 March 2023
George Freeman responds to debate on Genomics and National Security

George Freeman, Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, responds to a Westminster Hall debate on genomics and national security and outlines how the Government is putting research security right at the heart of our international collaborations.

The Minister of State, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (George Freeman)

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Davies. I thank the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) for bringing this important issue to the House. He and I both know how important the subject is and that the Chamber is not full because of the business going on elsewhere. I reassure him that we take this issue very seriously. Some of things that we are doing are not in the public domain, for obvious reasons, but I will answer his questions. I agree with just about everything that he said, so we are very much on the same page.

Let me start, as the right hon. Gentleman did, by reminding listeners and viewers of what a success story British genomics has been, going right back to Watson and Crick’s famous pint in the Eagle in Cambridge—and, in this International Women’s Week and week of women’s science, let us not forget the third discoverer of DNA, the great Mary Black at King’s College London, who often gets left out of the story—through the work that Fred Sanger and his team did at the University of Cambridge on the structure of DNA and how it works, and right up to our leadership in genetic research and medicine in the UK.

It is worth saying that that leadership is not just in human genomics but in animal and plant genomics. I was recently up in Scotland visiting the Roslin Institute and the James Hutton Institute. Across the UK, we have such an understanding of not only genomics across humans, animals and plants, and their diseases, but the application of those genomics to help to develop drought-resistant crops for Africa and disease-resistant crops that do not need to be sprayed with highly carbon-intensive pesticides. The underpinning technology is fundamental to net zero and global sustainability, to allowing agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and to improving nutrition and health around the world. The front end now is cancer and rare disease, but the revolution in technology will drive sustainability and prosperity around the world over the coming decades.

I am delighted to respond to this debate, not least because, when I was the Minister for Life Science in the coalition Government, I had the great privilege of setting up Genomics England, which was our first big move to capture our leadership in this global race. I remind the House that we set up Genomics England very carefully as a reference library, not a lending library. Some 100,000 NHS volunteers and patients offered to be sequenced—it was not just the snip, which is the bit of DNA segment that we know is implicated in disease, but the whole of their genome. We could then look at whole-genome analysis at scale and link it to someone’s phenotype, life cycle and hospital records, and start to shine a light on the real insights into the mechanisms of disease. We might discover that men over the age of 55 with red hair, a beard and early-onset diabetes are more likely to respond to a particular drug than others. The work transforms not only the business of drug discovery but diagnosis, and it accelerates access for patients to treatments.

We originally focused GEL—Genomics England—on cancer and rare disease, which is where the appliance of genomics is most urgent and transformational, but we were clear that it was never going to be a lending library, so nobody would ever have access to an individual patient genome or an individual patient record. Researchers could interact with the database for the basis of research, but they would never be able to take out of the library any of the core data. I pay tribute to all the people at GEL, because in the 10 years since it was launched there have not been huge debates in Parliament or any scandals. People have not been marching up and down. In fact, thousands of NHS patients have happily enrolled and, through Biobank, we have taken the number of NHS volunteers to half a million. I pay tribute to the team behind that work. It is possible to build these datasets. We were absolutely clear that it was embedded in the values of the NHS: one for all, all for one, and shared data for national as well as personal good.

Alongside GEL, there is the UK Biobank, the National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, and now Our Future Health, which is looking at longitudinal datasets. We have not just done the deep science; we are building an ecosystem of genomically informed medical research and medicine in the NHS. I was particularly proud that we launched the NHS genomic medicine service. It is about not just science but research to drive better medicine in the NHS. In the NHS around the country, genomic medicine clinics are now accelerating access for researchers and patients.

The right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland is right, as was the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), that we are in a global race in so many of these technologies, and particularly in genomics. In my recent speeches, I have set out what we mean by being a science superpower. It is not just a glib phrase. I define it not just as, first, world-class science—and with two of the world’s top three universities, we are a world-class research centre. To be a science superpower we need, secondly, to go out and solve some of the problems in the world, not just study them; thirdly, to recognise that science is conducted in international, global career paths and put the UK at the hub of those networks; fourthly, to insist on attracting much more industrial research and development, to help to drive this country out of post-pandemic recession and get long-term investment; and fifthly, and crucially, to insist on and stand up for the values on which science is conducted: free speech, critical thinking, respect for intellectual property and respect for law, in a collaborative setting. That is true on our own campuses—we will never be a science superpower if we have a cancel culture calling out and preventing free speech—and is equally true internationally. We will not be a superpower unless we take a stand against other countries that aggressively use science and steal intellectual property.

I have put the research security agenda right at the heart of our definition. Here in the UK, in 2020 we set out the Genome UK 10-year genetic healthcare strategy, with £175 million for life-saving programmes around cancer and rare diseases. We have set out the UK biological security strategy, recognising exactly the points made by the right hon. Gentleman about biosecurity in an interconnected world. In the pandemic, we saw the cost of disease to the global economy, as well as to our own, and we glimpsed the value of health and strong health resilience. That is biosecurity in terms of human health, but we are also in a world in which more and more food products and animal products are transported, and where climate change is driving new patterns of migration in insects and animals. There is a growing threat of infectious disease—pathogen biosecurity—which is one of the issues that our new economic security cabinet has looked at. We have now refreshed our biological security strategy.

Research security is at the heart of our international collaborations. Last year, I signed an agreement with Sweden, and there is a similar one with Thailand. In my work internationally, at the G7 Science Ministers summit in Japan this year and at the G20, we have led in putting research security on the table internationally as a key issue that we must all work on.

Mr Carmichael 

I want to bring the Minister on to the point about BGI. I think we are aggressively agreeing with each other here, essentially because we are talking on parallel lines. Will he address the point about BGI and similar companies, and their need to comply or else be treated differently?

George Freeman 

Absolutely; it is as if the right hon. Gentleman has read my notes.

Here in the UK, we are toughening up our regime. The National Institute for Health and Care Research has a set of very clear principles, as does UK Research and Innovation. We have set up the research collaboration advice team—RCAT—which is a new system to help all our researchers across the UK ecosystem with advice and support. We insist that they exercise due diligence if they sign a collaboration with, say, the “South China Sea research collaboration company”. We do not expect all our researchers to be policemen and women, but we do expect them—and they are now required—to show due diligence before they sign some lucrative research agreement.

We have set up RCAT as a specialist advisory group in the Cabinet Office, connected to our intelligence agencies, so that it can check quickly whether a partner is benign, hostile or dangerous. That system has been working well since we set it up a year ago. The team is in the Cabinet Office, 350 queries have been handled, and we are getting international visits from people who congratulate us on getting it right, although a lot more remains to be done.

I reassure the right hon. Gentleman that we have an economic security cabinet, which I joined three weeks ago. It looks much more strategically and in granular detail across exposure to hostile actors in the UK economy. That includes everything from genomics to the biosecurity piece that I have discussed, along with semiconductors, space and cyber-security—the whole piece. We are now in a global race not just with our benign competitors but with hostile actors who wish to use science and technology to hold us back and undermine us, or to steal our science and technology for their own use.

BGI is clearly one of those danger points in the ecosystem. I share with the House the fact that, in 2014, I was wheeled out to give a speech on the occasion of the visit of President Xi to the Guildhall. When President Xi and then Prime Minister Cameron were wheeled in, I was speaking to around 1,000 Chinese delegates about Genomics England. I had been prepared to pay tribute to the work of BGI when my officials pointed out that at that point Genomics England was suffering several hack attacks from BGI each week. That was a wake-up call for all of us.

We are well aware that we have to manage such risks properly. On that point, I commissioned and have literally just received from UKRI a detailed assessment of all the China research and innovation links across our system—we did the same last year for Russia. I have passed that through to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Security. He and I, and our officials, will go through it shortly in detail, looking in particular at some of the actors such as BGI that we know to be aggressive in their international acquisition of intellectual property.

I reassure the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland that we have put research security at the heart of discussions at the G7 and G20. If we are to harness science and technology for global good and to deliver that extraordinary opportunity of helping to feed, fuel and heal emerging populations safely, international collaboration will be required. However, we have to ensure that we defend not only the values of good and open science but our own economic security, and that we get the balance right. We do not want to conduct research only with our strong, strategic, military partners, but we want to defend our values.

The right hon. Gentleman made an interesting point about critical national infrastructure that I will pick up in the economic security cabinet. It is a point that I have made in connection with another bit of our science infrastructure. We all recognise that the threats now mean that we need to think about the value of other infrastructure. I will come back to him on that.

The right hon. Gentleman made an important broader point about how the Government handle data. It is fair to say that the pandemic revealed the best and the worst, in a way. The NHS put together the world’s biggest clinical trial—not just bigger than the next one but bigger than the next 10, and faster than any of them—which was an incredible operation, embedded in the values of the NHS, and it worked brilliantly. Equally, the clunkiness of some testing data feedback from different towns and regions held back some decisions. I think the role of data will be rightly highlighted in the covid review.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for bringing this subject to the House. I will come back to him on the CPNI point. I look forward to pursuing the subject with him in future.

Hansard

8 March 2023
Zero Emission Buses – Norfolk

If we are to achieve the UK’s Net Zero targets and move towards a greener, cleaner, healthier 21st century model of life, it is imperative that we continue to make steps towards decarbonising our transport network.

That’s why, having previously served as Minister of State at the Department for Transport with a responsibility for transport decarbonisation, I am delighted to learn that Norfolk has been awarded a further £11.5million from the Government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme – which will support an additional 55 zero emission buses in our county.

These buses will be built by UK bus manufacturer Wrightbus, supporting hundreds of high-quality jobs in the UK, and this new funding will also mean that First Bus’ Norwich depot will become one of the first all-electric bus depots in the country outside of London.

There is still much more to do but this latest funding (in addition to the previous £3.3million awarded to Norfolk under the scheme to support 15 zero emissions buses) marks another key step on the road to decarbonising Norfolk’s bus network. Furthermore, it will help us reduce pollution and improve air quality in our local communities.

The Chancellor’s announcement of a further £355 million for zero emissions buses in the Autumn Statement was the latest signal of the Government’s commitment to Transport Decarbonisation (part of a £5billion package of investment during the current Parliament) and I look forward to seeing more progress in the coming months and years.

Rest assured, I will be doing my utmost to ensure Norfolk continues to get its fair share of any future funding – and to help everyday Mid Norfolk households and businesses get on to the ‘Road to Net Zero’ in a cost efficient and effective manner.

To learn more about my work on environmental issues, please visit my ‘Food, Farming and the Environment’ campaign page here.

To learn more about this new £11.5million into Norfolk, please visit the EDP article here.

7 March 2023
Fred Nicholson School

Following my webstory update last week, I am delighted to hear that NCC’s Cabinet have indeed given the greenlight for the purchasing of the necessary land in Swaffham required for the construction of a new home for Fred Nicholson School.

This is great news! And sends the clearest possible signal to the SEND community that NCC are committed to doing all they can to ensure Norfolk has the support it needs.

While there is much work still to be done, this is a huge step forwards locally – and I commend Jane Hayman and her wonderful team at Fred Nichs for all the hard work they’ve put into this campaign to date. I remain firmly committed to doing all I can to help them drive it forward – and look forward to the day (not in the too distant future) when I can visit in person the brand new, fit-for-purpose home of this truly inspiring and much valued school.

Please see here the EDP article sharing the news.

To read last week’s webstory, please click here.

To learn more about my work with Fred Nichs, please visit my website here and here.

To learn more about my work on SEND more generally, please visit my website here.

6 March 2023
A11 Improvement Works and Rat-Running

When I was first elected in 2010, Norfolk was the only UK county not connected to the motorway and dual carriageway network. Not only had this held back businesses and families for too long, it had also proved dangerous for thousands of commuters travelling down unsafe single-carriage roads. 

That’s why I vowed to get this sorted and was delighted to work alongside my fellow parliamentary colleagues, local councillors, businesses and community groups to secure the dualling of the A11 – a key first step. 

While the current A11 improvement works close to Wymondham are to be welcomed, I am acutely aware that many local communities are suffering from a spike of “rat-running” by motorists aiming to quickly move around Wymondham to continue their journey, or who instead wish to cut through the Wymondham-Kimberley/Carleton Forehoe-Barnham Broom-Honingham corridor to join the A47. 

I raised this issue with National Highways and Norfolk County Council Highways back in the autumn – and welcomed their acknowledgement of the problems being faced, as well as their commitment to go away and work together to explore what more they could do to mitigate rat-running during these improvement works and improve signage. However, from conversations with local councillors and constituents, I am aware that the issues have arisen once again since the Christmas period.

This week, I have been in touch with both National Highways and Norfolk County Council Highways again – and I am now awaiting a further update as to what they plan to do.

Rest assured, I will continue to do all I can to speak up for our Mid Norfolk communities.

To learn more about my work on this issue, as well as on rat-running more generally (including my work with the South of the A47 Taskforce I set up), please visit my website here.