17 January 2012
Across the UK whilst some high streets continue to thrive, a third are degenerating or failing, and by 2014 less than 40% of retail spending will be on the high street. With town centre vacancy rates doubling in the space of two years this is something we are all starting to see across the country and it is hitting the rural economy too. In the Mid Norfolk towns of Wymondham, Attleborough, Dereham, and Watton we can see market towns facing the same problems: traffic congestions and inconvenient parking, the closure of popular high street shops and dominance of charity shops, loss of customers to superstores, and most importantly a loss of confidence.
Responding to the urgency of the challenges facing market towns, today George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, joined a Parliamentary debate in the House on the future of the high street.
Speaking in the debate George Freeman said:
“There is no getting around the fact that in our busy, modern working lives, time pressures increasingly mean that the ‘one stop’ shopping experience of the weekly supermarket visit is here to stay. We need to adopt a policy which combines this reality and invites visitors to our high streets, and towns like Wymondham, for different reasons. We need to capitalise on our heritage and bring in local trade to cafes and craft shops, but to achieve this vision for our towns we urgently need to rectify the issue of traffic and parking and offer a safe and, perhaps in places, pedestrianised town experience.”
Commenting after the debate George Freeman added:
“Whilst there are challenges facing our high streets, there ought also to be a lot of positives. We continue to see large shifts of people choosing to live in rural Norfolk and more people also deciding to work from home. They all need meeting places, particularly those working from home, and towns need to be looking at how to attract these new customers as part of their plans. As ever it’s a case of making the experience of visiting our towns easier, with better transport links, parking, and more choice. Learning lessons from around the country can help to show us what can be done.
Town centres are key to the rural economy and our community and important to us all. On Friday the strength of public feeling will be shown at a public consultation I am chairing for South Norfolk Council. That 300 people are expected to attend to discuss their priorities for Wymondham shows how much we care.”
FULL TEXT OF GEORGE'S SPEECH
George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con): I add my name to the list of those congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones) on securing this important debate and I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on arranging it. At this stage of the debate, there is little left to add to the excellent contributions of so many hon. Members, particularly of my hon. Friends. I want to highlight one or two of the concerns I share with others for my Mid Norfolk constituency, but as we move to the close I want to focus on some of the positives, as I believe there are a number of reasons for being positive about the future of our market towns, particularly our rural market towns.
Mid Norfolk is not an affluent constituency. We are not part of the celebrated Norfolk triangle, and we are not part of the “gold coast”; Burnham market is a long way from my constituency. Our average income is about £17,500 a year; we have four market towns and 114 villages. Many of the problems described today are all too evident as one travels in Dereham, my capital, the ancient heart of Norfolk. We have recently seen the closure of Chambers, the celebrated and historic store. I was recently delighted to receive a petition from the town’s residents to the Co-op, asking it to change its decision to close.
In Wymondham, home of the great abbey and the place of Robert Kett’s rebellion, I have the pleasure this Friday of chairing a meeting at which 400 residents are due to come to talk about the town’s plan, as it faces an application from Asda for a development in the middle of the town. There is a huge appetite to discuss issues around sustainable development, facilities for the young and the old, and ensuring that we have a genuine long-term plan that looks at the needs of Wymondham over the next 20 years—not just for Wymondham either, but for the surrounding villages that rely on it, too.
In Attleborough, zoned for development under Labour’s regional spatial strategy and to be doubled in size with 4,000 houses, the challenge is to come up with the right
17 Jan 2012 : Column 704
level of growth that can provide the infrastructure levy that will fund the bypass we need, while keeping Attleborough as the beautiful market town in which people want to live and work. In Watton, the heart of the Wayland valley, there are huge pressures on the high street, with closures of traditional stores and huge local concern that the town centre is losing its viability.
Why, then, am I optimistic? After several decades in which our town centres, in the words of my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Rory Stewart), have been “woefully badly catered for”, I believe that we have serious grounds to be optimistic. First, because people care—and such care has been demonstrated today in the level, strength and depth of opinion voiced in this debate, while our residents also care, as evidenced by the 300 or 400 people due to turn up on Wymondham on Friday evening.
Secondly, I am confident because around the country there are inspiring examples of enlightened local council leaders, town councils, residents associations and, indeed, of best practice, which have shown that it is possible to combine the one-stop shop convenience of an out-of-town supermarket that people with busy lives need with the heritage, community and authentic local community experience of a well run and well organised town centre. These things are not beyond the wit of man.
I am confident, thirdly, because of the Government’s measures, including the Localism Bill, community planning measures, the big society, the emphasis on the rebalanced economy, the localisation of business rates and the support for small business generally.
Fourthly, I am confident because the public themselves are showing in their retail habits a growing demand for the local, the artisanal, the authentic and for an increased interest and involvement in the retail experience seen as an authentic part of the community of which they are part. I am confident, fifthly, because of the measures on broadband.
In my Mid Norfolk constituency we might have been neglected by successive Governments for 30 or 40 years, but if we put all these measures together, along with the investment in the Cambridge-Norwich railway line, in the A11, in rural broadband and in science at the Norwich research park, I would submit that our area is on the cusp of a renaissance—a renaissance that we describe and seek to promote locally through a project called the Norfolk way, a renaissance of small businesses coming back to the countryside in converted barns and converted turkey sheds, empowered with globally competitive information technology and trading between the hubs of Cambridge and Norwich.
If we can have a vibrant rural economy, we will have a chance to have vibrant market towns. For no one are those market towns more important than for the people trading in the rural economy. I close with the suggestion that we can be optimistic provided that we take the energy of today and channel it into the enlightened policies of tomorrow.
| Hansard
Responding to the urgency of the challenges facing market towns, today George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, joined a Parliamentary debate in the House on the future of the high street.
Speaking in the debate George Freeman said:
“There is no getting around the fact that in our busy, modern working lives, time pressures increasingly mean that the ‘one stop’ shopping experience of the weekly supermarket visit is here to stay. We need to adopt a policy which combines this reality and invites visitors to our high streets, and towns like Wymondham, for different reasons. We need to capitalise on our heritage and bring in local trade to cafes and craft shops, but to achieve this vision for our towns we urgently need to rectify the issue of traffic and parking and offer a safe and, perhaps in places, pedestrianised town experience.”
Commenting after the debate George Freeman added:
“Whilst there are challenges facing our high streets, there ought also to be a lot of positives. We continue to see large shifts of people choosing to live in rural Norfolk and more people also deciding to work from home. They all need meeting places, particularly those working from home, and towns need to be looking at how to attract these new customers as part of their plans. As ever it’s a case of making the experience of visiting our towns easier, with better transport links, parking, and more choice. Learning lessons from around the country can help to show us what can be done.
Town centres are key to the rural economy and our community and important to us all. On Friday the strength of public feeling will be shown at a public consultation I am chairing for South Norfolk Council. That 300 people are expected to attend to discuss their priorities for Wymondham shows how much we care.”
FULL TEXT OF GEORGE'S SPEECH
George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con): I add my name to the list of those congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones) on securing this important debate and I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on arranging it. At this stage of the debate, there is little left to add to the excellent contributions of so many hon. Members, particularly of my hon. Friends. I want to highlight one or two of the concerns I share with others for my Mid Norfolk constituency, but as we move to the close I want to focus on some of the positives, as I believe there are a number of reasons for being positive about the future of our market towns, particularly our rural market towns.
Mid Norfolk is not an affluent constituency. We are not part of the celebrated Norfolk triangle, and we are not part of the “gold coast”; Burnham market is a long way from my constituency. Our average income is about £17,500 a year; we have four market towns and 114 villages. Many of the problems described today are all too evident as one travels in Dereham, my capital, the ancient heart of Norfolk. We have recently seen the closure of Chambers, the celebrated and historic store. I was recently delighted to receive a petition from the town’s residents to the Co-op, asking it to change its decision to close.
In Wymondham, home of the great abbey and the place of Robert Kett’s rebellion, I have the pleasure this Friday of chairing a meeting at which 400 residents are due to come to talk about the town’s plan, as it faces an application from Asda for a development in the middle of the town. There is a huge appetite to discuss issues around sustainable development, facilities for the young and the old, and ensuring that we have a genuine long-term plan that looks at the needs of Wymondham over the next 20 years—not just for Wymondham either, but for the surrounding villages that rely on it, too.
In Attleborough, zoned for development under Labour’s regional spatial strategy and to be doubled in size with 4,000 houses, the challenge is to come up with the right
17 Jan 2012 : Column 704
level of growth that can provide the infrastructure levy that will fund the bypass we need, while keeping Attleborough as the beautiful market town in which people want to live and work. In Watton, the heart of the Wayland valley, there are huge pressures on the high street, with closures of traditional stores and huge local concern that the town centre is losing its viability.
Why, then, am I optimistic? After several decades in which our town centres, in the words of my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Rory Stewart), have been “woefully badly catered for”, I believe that we have serious grounds to be optimistic. First, because people care—and such care has been demonstrated today in the level, strength and depth of opinion voiced in this debate, while our residents also care, as evidenced by the 300 or 400 people due to turn up on Wymondham on Friday evening.
Secondly, I am confident because around the country there are inspiring examples of enlightened local council leaders, town councils, residents associations and, indeed, of best practice, which have shown that it is possible to combine the one-stop shop convenience of an out-of-town supermarket that people with busy lives need with the heritage, community and authentic local community experience of a well run and well organised town centre. These things are not beyond the wit of man.
I am confident, thirdly, because of the Government’s measures, including the Localism Bill, community planning measures, the big society, the emphasis on the rebalanced economy, the localisation of business rates and the support for small business generally.
Fourthly, I am confident because the public themselves are showing in their retail habits a growing demand for the local, the artisanal, the authentic and for an increased interest and involvement in the retail experience seen as an authentic part of the community of which they are part. I am confident, fifthly, because of the measures on broadband.
In my Mid Norfolk constituency we might have been neglected by successive Governments for 30 or 40 years, but if we put all these measures together, along with the investment in the Cambridge-Norwich railway line, in the A11, in rural broadband and in science at the Norwich research park, I would submit that our area is on the cusp of a renaissance—a renaissance that we describe and seek to promote locally through a project called the Norfolk way, a renaissance of small businesses coming back to the countryside in converted barns and converted turkey sheds, empowered with globally competitive information technology and trading between the hubs of Cambridge and Norwich.
If we can have a vibrant rural economy, we will have a chance to have vibrant market towns. For no one are those market towns more important than for the people trading in the rural economy. I close with the suggestion that we can be optimistic provided that we take the energy of today and channel it into the enlightened policies of tomorrow.
| Hansard
17 January 2012
Friday January 27th will mark the 67th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history – and in the weeks running up to the day, the Holocaust Educational Trust placed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, giving MPs the chance to honour those who were persecuted and killed during their Holocaust and encouraging constituents to actively speak out against prejudice and bigotry today.
In signing the Book of Commitment George paid tribute to the extraordinary men and women who having survived the Holocaust, work to educate young people about what they endured, through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach programme.
In the weeks around Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year, people will also be encouraged to take a stand against racism and prejudice today – and to speak out against hatred wherever they encounter it.
George said:
“Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and is an important opportunity to both remember the victims of genocide. I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to commit to ‘speaking up and speaking out’ against prejudice today.”
In signing the Book of Commitment George paid tribute to the extraordinary men and women who having survived the Holocaust, work to educate young people about what they endured, through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach programme.
In the weeks around Holocaust Memorial Day, thousands of commemorative events will be arranged by schools, faith groups and community organisations across the country, remembering all the victims of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. This year, people will also be encouraged to take a stand against racism and prejudice today – and to speak out against hatred wherever they encounter it.
George said:
“Holocaust Memorial Day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and is an important opportunity to both remember the victims of genocide. I encourage all constituents to mark the day and to commit to ‘speaking up and speaking out’ against prejudice today.”
16 January 2012
On Friday George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, joined Norfolk and Suffolk MPs, representatives from the five main banks, institutions such as the CLA, NFU, IOD, and Chamber of Commerce, and small business members for a forum event hosted by the FSB.
The event discussed how best to establish better rules on banking practice, and to clear avenues for lending and banking relationships with small businesses.
Speaking after the event George Freeman said:
“Banks continue to receive widespread criticism for the substantial bonuses they continue to pay themselves. What we want is to see them step up lending, particularly to small and medium-sized businesses. Quite simply, the banks need to live up to their side of the bargain. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and it is wrong for bankers in London to forget that.”
The event discussed how best to establish better rules on banking practice, and to clear avenues for lending and banking relationships with small businesses.
Speaking after the event George Freeman said:
“Banks continue to receive widespread criticism for the substantial bonuses they continue to pay themselves. What we want is to see them step up lending, particularly to small and medium-sized businesses. Quite simply, the banks need to live up to their side of the bargain. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and it is wrong for bankers in London to forget that.”
16 January 2012
Following its discussion during this week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, on Friday George visited the old Bowes family plant, newly run as Cranswick Country Foods, in Watton to tour the facilities, meet with employees, and consider the issue of unnecessary regulation blocking export to the Far East.
Despite Cranswick Norfolk being one of the largest pork processors in the United Kingdom, representing both household and gourmet brands such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s Finest, Jamie Oliver, Simply Sausages, and Weight Watchers, and having coveted US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval, the plant has been refused export rights by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) to the Far East on health and safety grounds.
Commenting after his visit on this discrepancy George Freeman said:
“Cranswick Norfolk is one of Europe’s premier pork butchery facilities and together with its group companies across the UK it has won multiple food industry awards. It is one of the biggest employers in Mid Norfolk with 900 staff, recently benefitting from a further £12 million in investment, and as I saw from my visit they hold the importance of health and safety and hygiene exceptionally highly.
The rising average income in countries like China in the Far East are opening up huge markets for the UK, with particular demand in China for what is called the ‘5th Quarter’ – effectively the parts we do not even commonly eat here in the UK. Agriculture and Farming are of major growth potential to Norfolk and it strikes me as ridiculous for the FSA to hinder growth to a company that already represents brands like Jamie Oliver. Red tape madness is not the way for us to create a sustainable recovery.
After discussing the issue with Chief Operating Officer, Adam Couch, and Site Managing Director, Chris Aldersley, I have decided to endorse the points raised by Graham Stuart MP in the House by writing to the Prime Minister and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I shall also be inviting the FSA Director to meet with me to see a solution can be found.”
| EDP
Hansard text of Prime Minister’s Questions 11/01/2012
Cranswick plc
Despite Cranswick Norfolk being one of the largest pork processors in the United Kingdom, representing both household and gourmet brands such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s Finest, Jamie Oliver, Simply Sausages, and Weight Watchers, and having coveted US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval, the plant has been refused export rights by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) to the Far East on health and safety grounds.
Commenting after his visit on this discrepancy George Freeman said:
“Cranswick Norfolk is one of Europe’s premier pork butchery facilities and together with its group companies across the UK it has won multiple food industry awards. It is one of the biggest employers in Mid Norfolk with 900 staff, recently benefitting from a further £12 million in investment, and as I saw from my visit they hold the importance of health and safety and hygiene exceptionally highly.
The rising average income in countries like China in the Far East are opening up huge markets for the UK, with particular demand in China for what is called the ‘5th Quarter’ – effectively the parts we do not even commonly eat here in the UK. Agriculture and Farming are of major growth potential to Norfolk and it strikes me as ridiculous for the FSA to hinder growth to a company that already represents brands like Jamie Oliver. Red tape madness is not the way for us to create a sustainable recovery.
After discussing the issue with Chief Operating Officer, Adam Couch, and Site Managing Director, Chris Aldersley, I have decided to endorse the points raised by Graham Stuart MP in the House by writing to the Prime Minister and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I shall also be inviting the FSA Director to meet with me to see a solution can be found.”
| EDP
Hansard text of Prime Minister’s Questions 11/01/2012
Cranswick plc
11 January 2012
Say yes to better Broadband
After £30m of public funding was secured to improve the county’s broadband, it is now up to the people of Norfolk to prove the demand which will attract private investment.
The right bidder will only come forward if Norfolk can convince them there is enough demand to make the scheme viable – which is where your help is vitally needed.
The EDP has teamed up with Norfolk County Council to launch the Say Yes to Better Broadband campaign aiming to generate a “critical mass” of interest from every section of society.
Today the council launched a demand registration website to collect details from tens of thousands of individual users before the procurement process begins in April.
Campaigners are urging the whole of Norfolk’s population to help the project team’s ambitions to unlock broadband speeds of 30Mbps (megabits per second) for as many people as possible – and provide a minimum standard of 2Mbps for all.
That will instantly make it possible for families to speed up basic tasks like shopping, banking, entertainment and conversation – as well as providing a network capable of dealing with the technological advances of the future.
You can register your interest in superfast broadband through the county council’s new website from Wednesday.
Norfolk County Council Broadband page: http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Council_and_democracy/Online_services/NCC093425
10 January 2012
Today George joined a Westminster Hall Debate on School Transport to highlight the growing danger of children walking to school in rural counties like Norfolk. The debate comes after data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) in December of last year revealed that almost three-quarters of England's councils are reviewing or making cuts to optional school transport services.
Despite the Department of Transport committing an extra £10 million for community transport in rural areas, the disproportionately high casualty rates on country roads mean walking to school is not a safe or realistic option for many rural families.
Speaking in the debate George raised the issue of rural discrimination, and changing traffic and work patterns, to call for a review to current free school transport criteria, also highlighting the issue of school pupil safety and the importance of school bus services in making the school commute convenient, safe and affordable for families in Mid Norfolk.
Commenting after the debate George said:
“It is simply not fair to rely on rural families to drive children to school. This is expensive, bad for the environment and personal health, causes congestion, and is simply impossible for many single parents and working families. We all understand the pressure on public finances, and cuts to school buses may be feasible in cities, but not in the rural UK.
We want to be promoting walking and cycling, but this cannot be done without being sure that the routes we will be sending our children off on are safe and well lit. Wandering down dark country lanes without a footpath is not an option and the Departments for Transport and Education need to make sure rural schools are treated fairly. In the past there has been too much passing the buck of responsibility.
Norfolk County Council currently transports 24,000 children to school per day who fit the current criteria for school transport, but many more thousands are forced to walk round trips of up to four miles per day along unlit country roads without footpaths. This legislation remains virtually unchanged since the 1940s and is simply out of date. It does not fit with today’s lifestyle, is unsafe, and unfair on rural areas. Living in the country is different. One size does not fit all.
Transport to school is a major challenge facing rural areas and getting this right is crucial to allow Mid Norfolk to remain a place where families want to live, work and raise children. I recently visited Wymondham College to meet with teachers, parents and Morley Saint Botolph village residents who are campaigning for a footpath for school children in their area. Together they reiterated to me just how pressing this issue is for families in rural Norfolk and I am pleased to have been able to discuss this in the House.”
FULL TEXT:
George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con): Does my hon. Friend agree that at the heart of the question is the issue of one size not fitting all, and legislation not working in rural areas in the same way that it does in urban ones? In cities, many of us will have seen happy gangs of schoolchildren walking and cycling safely to school in a morning. In rural areas, increasingly both members of couples are working, and at rush hour families who commute are affected by the cost of fuel and the higher speed of traffic. There is much more traffic on rural roads, and many people in mid-Norfolk live more than two or three miles from a local school. School rush hour in rural areas is a real problem. Norfolk now provides 24,000 free journeys a day, which has been described as the tip of the iceberg. That is a problem across rural areas, and I urge the Minister to see whether the criteria can be reviewed to take account of the important change that has taken place in the past 40 years.
| Hansard
Despite the Department of Transport committing an extra £10 million for community transport in rural areas, the disproportionately high casualty rates on country roads mean walking to school is not a safe or realistic option for many rural families.
Speaking in the debate George raised the issue of rural discrimination, and changing traffic and work patterns, to call for a review to current free school transport criteria, also highlighting the issue of school pupil safety and the importance of school bus services in making the school commute convenient, safe and affordable for families in Mid Norfolk.
Commenting after the debate George said:
“It is simply not fair to rely on rural families to drive children to school. This is expensive, bad for the environment and personal health, causes congestion, and is simply impossible for many single parents and working families. We all understand the pressure on public finances, and cuts to school buses may be feasible in cities, but not in the rural UK.
We want to be promoting walking and cycling, but this cannot be done without being sure that the routes we will be sending our children off on are safe and well lit. Wandering down dark country lanes without a footpath is not an option and the Departments for Transport and Education need to make sure rural schools are treated fairly. In the past there has been too much passing the buck of responsibility.
Norfolk County Council currently transports 24,000 children to school per day who fit the current criteria for school transport, but many more thousands are forced to walk round trips of up to four miles per day along unlit country roads without footpaths. This legislation remains virtually unchanged since the 1940s and is simply out of date. It does not fit with today’s lifestyle, is unsafe, and unfair on rural areas. Living in the country is different. One size does not fit all.
Transport to school is a major challenge facing rural areas and getting this right is crucial to allow Mid Norfolk to remain a place where families want to live, work and raise children. I recently visited Wymondham College to meet with teachers, parents and Morley Saint Botolph village residents who are campaigning for a footpath for school children in their area. Together they reiterated to me just how pressing this issue is for families in rural Norfolk and I am pleased to have been able to discuss this in the House.”
FULL TEXT:
George Freeman (Mid Norfolk) (Con): Does my hon. Friend agree that at the heart of the question is the issue of one size not fitting all, and legislation not working in rural areas in the same way that it does in urban ones? In cities, many of us will have seen happy gangs of schoolchildren walking and cycling safely to school in a morning. In rural areas, increasingly both members of couples are working, and at rush hour families who commute are affected by the cost of fuel and the higher speed of traffic. There is much more traffic on rural roads, and many people in mid-Norfolk live more than two or three miles from a local school. School rush hour in rural areas is a real problem. Norfolk now provides 24,000 free journeys a day, which has been described as the tip of the iceberg. That is a problem across rural areas, and I urge the Minister to see whether the criteria can be reviewed to take account of the important change that has taken place in the past 40 years.
| Hansard
4 January 2012
On Boxing Day George, the son of Grand National winning Jockey, Arthur Freeman, described the Hunting Ban as “illegitimate, unenforceable and ill-conceived” and called for a Parliamentary Committee of Enquiry to be set up to examine the evidence for it being repealed.
Speaking at Fakenham Racecourse at the Boxing Day Meet of the West Norfolk Fox Hounds, England’s oldest pack, George, whose father Arthur rode for HM The Queen Mother in the 1950’s and won the 1958 Grand National on Mr What, made the case for a detailed Parliamentary Enquiry into the impact of the 2005 Hunting Ban before a vote on Repeal. Highlighting the importance of Hunting to the viability of National Hunt racing and the wider rural economy, as well as to rural communities and rural heritage, Mr Freeman described the Hunting Ban as an ‘Act of ignorance and intolerance which stains the reputation of Parliament”.
George Freeman said:
“The annual Boxing Day meet is a part of our national heritage. Tens of thousands of people across Britain – from the upland Fell packs to the West Norfolk here today – showed their support for their local hunts. Through their employment of people in often remote areas, their membership and events, support for Pony Clubs and the wider equestrian economy, local hunts play a vital role in the rural economy. Horseracing in particular is dependent on the hunts for the network of Point to Points which underpin National Hunt Racing. I was proud to be at Fakenham racecourse as the son of a jockey and grandson of a huntsman, to highlight the importance of local hunts to racing and rural communities.
Hunts are only surviving because the Ban passed by Tony Blair is unenforceable. Their survival is fragile and unsustainable. The Ban is having a hugely damaging impact. At a time when we need all the jobs and growth we can get, we should repeal the Ban and bring hunting back within a new regulatory Code of Conduct for Country sports and with proper evidence based monitoring of the many and various animal welfare and environmental impacts of hunts.
I am pleased that the Coalition Government has committed to a free vote on the ban in its Coalition Agreement. But before we have that vote let’s set up a Parliamentary Committee of Enquiry to find out what effect the Ban is really having. All the anecdotal evidence is that the Ban is bad for animal welfare, bad for the countryside, bad for the rural economy and a waste of police resources. Let’s look at the evidence properly so we can decide on Repeal on the basis of the facts rather than political bigotry and class war against the countryside.”
Press Coverage:
EDP Norfolk MP calls for review of Hunting Ban, as thousands attend Boxing Day meets
Telegraph Record numbers turn out for Boxing Day hunt after boost for campaign to overturn ban
Guardian Fox-hunting ban: call for repeal gets lukewarm response
Speaking at Fakenham Racecourse at the Boxing Day Meet of the West Norfolk Fox Hounds, England’s oldest pack, George, whose father Arthur rode for HM The Queen Mother in the 1950’s and won the 1958 Grand National on Mr What, made the case for a detailed Parliamentary Enquiry into the impact of the 2005 Hunting Ban before a vote on Repeal. Highlighting the importance of Hunting to the viability of National Hunt racing and the wider rural economy, as well as to rural communities and rural heritage, Mr Freeman described the Hunting Ban as an ‘Act of ignorance and intolerance which stains the reputation of Parliament”.
George Freeman said:
“The annual Boxing Day meet is a part of our national heritage. Tens of thousands of people across Britain – from the upland Fell packs to the West Norfolk here today – showed their support for their local hunts. Through their employment of people in often remote areas, their membership and events, support for Pony Clubs and the wider equestrian economy, local hunts play a vital role in the rural economy. Horseracing in particular is dependent on the hunts for the network of Point to Points which underpin National Hunt Racing. I was proud to be at Fakenham racecourse as the son of a jockey and grandson of a huntsman, to highlight the importance of local hunts to racing and rural communities.
Hunts are only surviving because the Ban passed by Tony Blair is unenforceable. Their survival is fragile and unsustainable. The Ban is having a hugely damaging impact. At a time when we need all the jobs and growth we can get, we should repeal the Ban and bring hunting back within a new regulatory Code of Conduct for Country sports and with proper evidence based monitoring of the many and various animal welfare and environmental impacts of hunts.
I am pleased that the Coalition Government has committed to a free vote on the ban in its Coalition Agreement. But before we have that vote let’s set up a Parliamentary Committee of Enquiry to find out what effect the Ban is really having. All the anecdotal evidence is that the Ban is bad for animal welfare, bad for the countryside, bad for the rural economy and a waste of police resources. Let’s look at the evidence properly so we can decide on Repeal on the basis of the facts rather than political bigotry and class war against the countryside.”
Press Coverage:
EDP Norfolk MP calls for review of Hunting Ban, as thousands attend Boxing Day meets
Telegraph Record numbers turn out for Boxing Day hunt after boost for campaign to overturn ban
Guardian Fox-hunting ban: call for repeal gets lukewarm response
4 January 2012
There was sad news over the Christmas break as Dereham institution, Chambers Stationers, finally closed its doors.
There were emotional scenes on the final day as many loyal customers thanked staff for their service over the years with George accepting a petition from residents in support of local shops.
Speaking about the closure George said:
“The increasing trend of national chains dominating our high streets and the loss of historic shops undermines our sense of local identity. I will take this petition as an opportunity to feed into the district council’s consultation on the importance of historic shops in our high street.”
EDP coverage of the closure
There were emotional scenes on the final day as many loyal customers thanked staff for their service over the years with George accepting a petition from residents in support of local shops.
Speaking about the closure George said:
“The increasing trend of national chains dominating our high streets and the loss of historic shops undermines our sense of local identity. I will take this petition as an opportunity to feed into the district council’s consultation on the importance of historic shops in our high street.”
EDP coverage of the closure
4 January 2012
George awards Chapel Road Christmas Prizes
Before Christmas George joined Head Teacher Karin Heap, staff, pupils and parents for the end of year Christmas Assembly at Chapel Road Special School.
George handing out the end of year certificates and stayed on after the assembly to chat with children and visit classes.
It’s been a big year for Chapel Road with a visit from the Secretary of State for Education and a move to Wymondham College in the pipeline. This was a great end to the year.
16 December 2011
On Thursday George joined regional MPs, local councillors, representatives from Local Enterprise Partnerships, Network Rail, the Train Operating companies and the Department of Transport, for an Eastern region rail summit.
The summit looked at the pressures facing the Norwich and East Anglia rail networks, with each MP leading on a different issue.
George said:
“By gathering together the key stakeholders this summit provided us with a great opportunity to set out our vision for the next 25 years of Eastern rail. It was a productive session and provided the chance to set out my case for improvements to the Norwich-Cambridge line. By increasing the line’s speed and frequency we can unlock the full economic potential of our world class science research facilities and businesses which make up the Norwich-Cambridge innovation corridor.
“We also had time to discuss the importance of our community and heritage lines which are so vital to the character of our region which followed up points raised during successful meeting with Abellio earlier in the month when I spoke about the role of station improvements to Wymondham to maintain its heritage and the town’s picturesque tourism appeal.”
EDP: MPs and business leaders gather for East Anglia rail summit
The summit looked at the pressures facing the Norwich and East Anglia rail networks, with each MP leading on a different issue.
George said:
“By gathering together the key stakeholders this summit provided us with a great opportunity to set out our vision for the next 25 years of Eastern rail. It was a productive session and provided the chance to set out my case for improvements to the Norwich-Cambridge line. By increasing the line’s speed and frequency we can unlock the full economic potential of our world class science research facilities and businesses which make up the Norwich-Cambridge innovation corridor.
“We also had time to discuss the importance of our community and heritage lines which are so vital to the character of our region which followed up points raised during successful meeting with Abellio earlier in the month when I spoke about the role of station improvements to Wymondham to maintain its heritage and the town’s picturesque tourism appeal.”
EDP: MPs and business leaders gather for East Anglia rail summit
