Author Archives: Rory Stewart

RORY MEETS CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL’S NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Penrith and The Border MP Rory Stewart has met with Cumbria County Council’s new Chief Executive, Katherine Fairclough.Rory Stewart MP said: “It was great to finally meet with Katherine and discuss the challenges we need to overcome in Penrith and The Border – particularly around the lack of reliable broadband – and our ideas and ambitions for the region and its economy. I was incredibly impressed by Katherine’s positive but pragmatic approach. I believe she is a real asset to the Council, and I look forward to working together for the benefit of Cumbrian people and Cumbrian business.”

RORY APPEARS BEFORE THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE

Rory appears before the Justice Committee in his capacity as Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice on 24 January 2018 to answer questions on HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ report on HMP Liverpool. Pia Sinha, Governor, HMP Liverpool, Michael Spurrr, Chief Executive, HM Prisons and Probation Service, Kevin Miller, Director of Facilities Management, Amey, Kate Davies, Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Services Commissioning, and Jule Dhuny, Head of Commissioning, Health and Justice, North Region, NHS England, also appear.

RORY COMMENDS PENRITH PUB CHEF

Penrith and The Border MP Rory Stewart has commended local pub chef Stephen Tierney, from The Cross Keys Inn, Penrith, as part of the Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year award. Although Stephen was not selected as one of the national finalists, he was selected by the local MP as a superb chef offering great food in the local area. The award, sponsored by Nestlé Professional, is run by the British Beer & Pub Association and the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group.

Pubs serve almost a billion meals a year, with more and more pubs recognising that great food will attract more customers. Pubs are also vital to the local economy in every part of the country, offering valuable and flexible employment. With a national shortage of pub chefs, the BBPA, in conjunction with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) launched the Pub Chef Passion initiative, aimed at promoting the pub chef as a career option. The Pub Chef of the Year award seeks to build on that work, and encourage young chefs towards a career in the pub trade.

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “I am delighted that Rory Stewart MP nominated a local pub for this award. We received so many brilliant entries and while not everyone could be a winner, we were extremely impressed by the quality of food on offer.

“A career as a pub chef is exciting and demanding, and it offers young people development, rewards and a great working environment. Pubs are increasingly serving very high quality food, and for ambitious chefs, it’s a great chance to quickly take control of your own kitchen. I think it is time that we recognise the efforts of superb chefs up and down the country.”

Rory Stewart MP said: “Pubs, as an industry, are of huge importance to our communities, and both the local, and national economy, and we are lucky enough in Penrith and The Border to have so many of such great quality. It was very hard to choose who to nominate, but I am delighted to be able to present Stephen with this certificate in recognition of his superb talent and hard work.”

RORY INVITES LOCAL PRODUCERS TO THIRD ‘CUMBRIA DAY’ EVENT IN HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

Penrith and The Border MP Rory Stewart has selected two local food producers to attend the annual ‘Cumbria Day’ event in The Houses of Parliament on 24^th January 2018. The event is now in its third year and aims to provide an opportunity for high-profile business networking in the heart of Westminster.

Cumbria’s six MPs will be co-hosting the event, and each has been asked to invite two foodie businesses from their constituency to represent the County and show off their products.

With such a huge number of high quality producers to choose from, Rory ran an online poll, asking constituents to nominate two of their favourite businesses. A total of 18 businesses from across Penrith and The Border received votes, but when the poll closed, Cranston’s and The Toffee Shop had received the most nominations and were asked to attend the event in London.

Neil Boustead of The Toffee Shop, Penrith said: ”I am thrilled to have been invited by Rory Stewart to represent Cumbria’s vibrant food and drink industry at Westminster on Cumbria day, particularly as Rory asked his constituents to nominate their favourite Cumbrian businesses to attend. Cumbria’s food and drink scene is thriving at the moment with both traditional brands like my own and exciting new start-ups. Getting the chance to promote our counties great produce at Westminster is a real privilege.”

Peter Potts of Cranstons Quality Butchers said: ‘’I am excited to have been asked to represent Cranstons and indeed the wider Cumbrian food industry on Westminster’s Cumbria Day. It will be great to showcase Cranstons produce and to talk to MP’s and civil servants about Cumbria’s strong food offer. In my role as Cranstons Retail Manager I am lucky to work with over 50 Cumbrian food and drink businesses all passionately producing great tasting products from traditional products like our own Cumberland sausage, Country Pudding’s sticky toffee pudding and Paddigill Farm’s rum butter to more innovative products like Gingerbread Vodka, Mr Vikki’s fusion pickles and Hawksheads Black Garlic Ketchup. Any event which highlights the strength of Cumbria as a foodie destination is to be applauded’.”

Rory Stewart MP said: “Small business and food production both play a crucial part in the Cumbrian economy, and that is why I am so pleased that the Cumbria Day initiative has been such an incredible success. This opportunity to network on a national stage helps Cumbria, and Cumbrian businesses, to connect and grow, and I am thrilled to be taking Neil and Peter to London to be part of that.”

Peter Potts of Cranstons, Rory Stewart MP, Neil Boustead of The Toffee Shop)

Following the success of his long-running campaign for better access at Penrith Railway Station, Rory Stewart MP is lending his support to a local campaign to improve access for disabled people at Kirkby Stephen Railway Station.

The MP for Penrith and The Border has visited the station with local disability campaigners Debbie and Andy North, Upper Eden Community Plan steering group member Libby Bateman, and Glenys Lumley, Director of Upper Eden CIC to see for himself the current problems around accessing the northbound platform, which involves a dangerous gravel slope down to a busy road, with no parking facilities or safety measures for the disabled, the elderly, or those with children.

Rory said: ” I am committed to obtaining for Kirkby Stephen station the sorts of upgrades that we received for Penrith Station, which has made a huge difference to locals, travellers, and tourists. These are the sort of important improvements that the people of my constituency deserve. We must make this station an accessible, modern, comfortable place to spend time, and I will be contacting all relevant parties to convene a meeting to make this happen.”

Upper Eden Community Plan steering group member, Libby Bateman said: “Kirkby Stephen Station is a vital transport link for communities across the Upper Eden Valley. It is absurd that the Northbound platform is inaccessible to wheelchair users and I’m pleased that Rory is helping us to tackle this issue as a matter of urgency. With the extension of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, more and more people are visiting the area and it isn’t acceptable that some are excluded from travelling on the iconic Settle to Carlisle line simply because they have limited mobility.”

Campaigner Debbie North said: “It’s brilliant to have Rory’s support. It is unfortunate that at a station as lovely as Kirkby Stephen the path on the northbound platform is at best in very poor condition and at worst fraught with danger for wheelchair users and parents with prams.”

RORY URGES CONSTITUENTS TO STAY WELL THIS WINTER

Penrith and The Border MP Rory Stewart is urging constituents to take care of themselves and their neighbours this winter.

Every year, winter puts increased pressure on our NHS and emergency services, due to the combination of cold weather, increased levels of flu, sicker patients and staff illness, and the ‘Stay Well This Winter’ campaign has been launched to help communities understand how to use the NHS effectively.

People can help ease pressure on the NHS by:

Getting a flu jab – the most effective way to protect yourselves and your loved ones from flu. All NHS Staff and those most at risk (those with long term conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, those over 65 and pregnant women) are entitled to a free flu jab. Carers and those with certain medical conditions are also entitled to a free vaccination.

Choosing wisely – know which NHS service is best for your needs. Check North Cumbria CCG’s website for a range of winter advice.

If you care for children – download the free NHS Child Health app for advice and support.

If you have a long term health condition such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – speak to your care coordinator about how best to manage your symptoms and conditions over the winter.

Stocking up the medicine cabinet.

Only using antibiotics which are prescribed – they are no good for coughs and colds.

Norovirus – stay away from hospitals, care homes and schools if you have the winter vomiting bug. Wait until you are symptom free for 48 hours before you visit any public places or relatives.

Keeping warm – make sure your home and those of your loved ones are warm this winter. At least 18°C

In an emergency call 999

Furthermore, patients will be able to access GP appointments out-of-hours, throughout the Christmas and New Year period, through the CHoC service, which is accessed by calling the NHS 111 number, and all pharmacy opening hours are available on the Cumbria CCG website – www.northcumbriaccg.nhs.uk/health-services/Pharmacy-Bank-Holiday-Opening/pharmacy-opening-time-cumbriachristmas2017.pdf.

To support the health service through this challenging time, the Government has provided extra funding to support schemes aimed at ensuring people are only admitted into hospital when necessary and also that discharges are not delayed. The funds (around £300,000) will be used for the following projects:

A successful pilot in Eden will now be rolled out across Carlisle in which therapy teams work with paramedics to assess patients in their own home. This is particularly important for older people who have suffered a fall, who may need medical attention but not necessarily a stay in hospital. By assessing patients in this way the teams can avoid a hospital admission as the support the person needs is actioned in their own home by the experts who provide it.

There will be an increase in availability of therapy teams over a weekend to support discharges. This is because we know that some patients can be delayed going home over a weekend because access to therapy team to support the discharge is usually reduced.

To support both discharges and admissions, patients who are ready for discharge but waiting for medication to take home for example, will be taken off the ward to an area where they can be supported by a medical team on the ground floor. This means that the nursing staff from the ward can remain there and the bed space is freed up quicker for other patients.

Health teams across Cumbria have been working together to ensure the health system is working as smoothly as possible, and to provide appropriate support and advice to those who are at risk of illness over the winter and thereby reduce the numbers of people who need to be in hospital.

Rory Stewart MP said: ‘It is absolutely crucial that people help to take the strain off the NHS this winter, by taking good care of themselves and those around them, being prepared and making sensible decisions relating to their health. Increased resources, information, and guidance on self-help have been made available to make this easier, and help relieve pressure, and staff will be working as hard as ever to ensure patients continue to receive the same high standard of care. And I am immensely grateful to all our NHS staff for their care and commitment during this incredibly busy period.”

“However, physical health isn’t the only important factor in staying well. Christmas can be a very difficult time for many people, and it is important, if you are feeling down, that you speak to a friend or family member, or an organisation such as the Samaritans or Carlisle and Eden Mind for support. And please remember to reach out to friends or neighbours who might be feeling lonely this Christmas”.

RORY APPEARS BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Rory, in his capacity as Minister of State for the Department for International Development and Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, appears before the International Development Committee on 19 December 2017 to answer questions on the humanitarian response in South Sudan.

RORY HEARS ABOUT CUMBRIA’S TEACHING CHALLENGES

Rory Stewart MP has met with some of Cumbria’s key Education figures to discuss some of the challenges facing the teaching system. The group included Graham Frost, Cumbria Branch Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), Sue Sanderson, Cumbria County Council Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, and Kathryn Fox, Head of School Partnership and External Engagement at the University of Cumbria.

During the meeting they discussed issues such as support and funding for inclusive practice, recruitment and retention of school leaders, and the training, recruitment and retention of teaching staff.

Following the meeting Rory Stewart said: “I am pleased to have had the opportunity to discuss Cumbria’s teaching challenges with Sue, Kathryn and Graham, and am very grateful to them for sharing their knowledge and insight. We should remember that more people came back into teaching in 2016 than in 2011, and more people came into teaching than left last year, and that is encouraging, but it is absolutely right that teacher retention and professional development is prioritised, and I am pleased that the Government is investing £42 million to pilot a Teacher Development Premium, which will test the impact of a £1,000 budget for high-quality professional development for teachers working in areas that have fallen behind.”

“I am also encouraged by plans to introduce extensive measures to boost teacher recruitment and retention, as well as the investment in teacher support and training. A new style maths bursary will also be piloted, with 1,500 – 2,000 maths trainees expected to benefit from this in 2018-19. Over £30 million will be invested in supporting some of those schools that face the biggest challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers, and Northern Powerhouse funding will be used to support the best teacher trainer providers to expand their reach in northern areas. I welcome the £75 million investment in the Teaching and Leadership Innovation Funding over the next three years. This will support high-quality professional development for teachers and school leaders in the parts of country and the schools that need it the most.”

“All this news is very encouraging, but we absolutely need to make sure that any scheme will benefit rural areas like Cumbria, where our unique geography can often put us at a disadvantage, and so I will be keeping a close eye on how things develop and push for improvements where necessary.”

Image attached (Sue Sanderson, Rory Stewart MP, Kathryn Fox, Graham Frost)

RORY MEETS WITH NFU MEMBERS TO DISCUSS CUMBRIA’S FARMING CHALLENGES

Penrith and The Border MP Rory Stewart last week attended a meeting of farmers from North Cumbria, organised by the National Farmers Union (NFU) and held at Low Wood Farm, Warwick Bridge, to discuss the challenges around Bovine TB (bTB) and Brexit, and hear the concerns of local farmers.

Acknowledging the potentially catastrophic effects of the spread of bTB in Cumbria, there was a strong consensus that more must be done to contain the disease, in order to protect the Cumbrian agricultural economy. Similarly, it was agreed there must be a move towards more efficient testing of cattle, along with stronger sanctions on the movement of cattle, to prevent bTB becoming endemic in the area. Rory Stewart said he was confident that through continued dialogue between Defra, APHA, the NFU and local farmers, and strong, timely action, the effects of this disease could effectively be mitigated.

The group also voiced concerns about the ongoing Brexit negotiations, as the agriculture sector is likely to be impacted in a number of ways; particularly by the seasonal migration of workers and the effect of any new trade relationships.

After the meeting Rory Stewart said: “Agriculture is vital to Britain’s economy, landscape, health and security, and is part of our iconic Cumbrian heritage. We must look to ensure its success at all costs, and dealing with the very real threat of bovine TB, and the challenge of Brexit, is integral to achieving this. After Brexit, I personally hope for more freedom for our farmers – freedom to deliver as a world-leading food and farming industry, to grow more, sell more, and export more, and I am committed to supporting our farming community through this uncertain time.”

Rory’s comments on the release of Wigton constituent John Armstrong

“John has now finally flown out of India, following his almost four-year ordeal in India. I cannot overstate how pleased I am for John and his family, in particular his parents and sister Joanne Thomlinson, who have done so much to bring about this result, and whose courage and patience throughout has made a huge impression on me personally both when I flew to India to visit John and in our many meetings in Cumbria and parliament. I know that John will be spending the immediate period of time re-acclimatising to ‘normal’ life and will appreciate the respect of his privacy from the media and others. And I look forward to seeing John back home in Wigton very soon. I wish everyone who has been affected by the Chennai 6 case a peaceful holiday period together with their families.”