This newsletter is one of the regular updates I send out to residents in Scunthorpe. You can sign up on the left. If you would like to unsubscribe, please click here.
Dear Resident,
Westminster has been a tumultuous place over the past few weeks, with the resignation of the Prime Minister at the start of the month and the ongoing leadership contest that is set to end on 5th September. I gave my thoughts on the situation in a Look North interview with Peter Levy, and on BBC Humberside with Andy Comfort. I am keen to hear residents' thoughts on who they think the next Prime Minister should be, so please have your say on my website. As you would expect, my priority is to ensure that the next Prime Minister champions areas like ours, harnessing the successes we have had over the past two years including consistent support for our steelworks, investment in our A&E as well as over £30 million from the Towns Fund and High Street Fund.
The winds of change sweeping through Westminster did not disturb the Lincolnshire flag, which flew proudly in Parliament Square during July as part of Historic County Flags Day.
In the couple of weeks before Recess I was taking part in a Bill Committee, which is one of the crucial stages that legislation goes through to become an Act of Parliament. A small group of MPs are selected and we come together, cross-party, to scrutinise the Bill. We go through it line-by-line, hearing evidence from outside Parliament and making suggested changes that the rest of the Commons will vote on.
The Bill I've been scrutinising is the National Security Bill. This is, of course, a really important piece of legislation that will address national security threats to the UK. The Committee met on Tuesdays on Thursdays before Recess, usually in the morning and the afternoon, and the work should be complete around the end of September. Unfortunately, this has meant I have missed some constituency events that I would have loved to attend, however it is important that MPs carry out these roles. You can read more about the Bill here.
In July, I met with the Minister for Energy, Greg Hands, to raise residents’ concerns about standing charges on energy bills. Everyone will be feeling the pinch as energy prices have increased, and many people have contacted me about how increases in standing charges are making things more difficult. I pushed him on how the Government can help fix this. We had a good discussion, and this is an issue that I’m going to keep working on.
Just because Parliament is in recess, it does not mean the work stops! Far from being a summer holiday, the next few weeks will allow me to visit local organisations, talk to people in our area about their priorities as we welcome a new Prime Minister and support bids for local investments. Current bids include a £350 million bid for a new Hospital in Scunthorpe, and a £70 million bid to the Levelling Up Fund. Read more about these below!
Please also find below my progress reports on key local issues:
Progress reports:
- Protecting and promoting our world-class British steel
- Improving our local health provisions, upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
- Improving Our Local Roads
- Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our high street
- Working with our schools
Progress Report:
Protecting and promoting our world-class British steel
What is being done?
In my ‘Special Steel Update’ last month, I delivered the exciting announcement that the Government had retained tariffs on foreign steel products that we make here in Scunthorpe. This was preceded by two further pieces of good news; first, British Steel’s £80 million investment in our steelworks, and second, a Memorandum of Understanding between British Steel and Drax to use British steel in future carbon capture projects.
Whilst there is much more to be done, I am immensely grateful for the unrelenting support this Government has given to our steelworks. They have protected our market share by retaining safeguards, encouraged the US to remove tariffs on Scunthorpe steel products, increased the aid available to steel producers to deal with high energy costs and put up with me going on about steel over 140 times in the Commons Chamber! I thanked the Prime Minister for his support for steel in his last PMQs recently.
I also held a meeting with industry group UK in July in relation to the issues facing local steel producers when distributing to Northern Ireland. We must ensure that our products are able to be delivered, and I will continue to work between stakeholders and the Government to ease any problems.
I have spent the past few weeks grilling potential leadership candidates on what they are going to do for steel. Just recently, I also co-signed a letter to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy which asked them to ensure that the UK remains the best place for carbon capture projects to take place, providing ample opportunity for steel producers.
What's Next?
At the end of June, the Government released a paper detailing the amount of UK steel purchased for public sector projects. Whilst the UK steel industry has obtained some business, there is still plenty more to be done in this area. Not only should we be making it easier for public procurers to buy local steel through legislation, but we should be closing the gap in electricity costs with other steel-producing countries so that we can compete. I look forward to working with the next Prime Minister on these issues.
Progress Report:
Improving our local health provisions, upgrading Scunthorpe Hospital
What is being done?
Residents may be aware that the local NHS governance structure changed at the start of July as a result of the Health and Care Act, passed in spring. The North Lincolnshire and Goole Clinical Commissioning Group no longer exists and local NHS services will now be commissioned by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs)- in our case the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB. The ICB will also work within an Integrated Care Partnership with Local Authorities, like North Lincolnshire Council, and other local stakeholders to develop a health and care strategy for the area. Our local ICB has also confirmed that six 'Place Committees' will be developed, including one for North Lincolnshire, where powers will be delegated for more local decision-making.
The aim of this new structure is to promote greater collaboration between health, social care and third-sector bodies after the pandemic. I look forward to working with the new groups to improve our local health offer. I also want to reassure you that my team and I will continue to be able to make representations on your behalf if you run into any problems with our NHS.
On another note, several residents have been in touch with me to raise the long waitlists for NHS dentistry in our area. This is something I have raised in consecutive meetings with the Government this year. Last month, the Government announced the first reforms to the NHS Dental Contact in 16 years, with the aim of improving dentists’ capacity to see patients. As a result of these changes:
- NHS dentists will receive more funding for complex work, giving them more resources to get through the backlog
- Dental therapists will be able to conduct NHS treatments like fillings so that dentists have more time for urgent cases.
- Successful practices will be able to increase their activity by a further 10% above existing contracts, increasing capacity further.
- Dental practices will be obliged to update the NHS website with their availability so patients can determine capacity in their local areas.
You can find out more information on the NHS England website. This is an important first step to improving local dental provision, and I hope dentists will be able to make use of these changes as soon as possible.
As ever, I have been raising residents' health concerns with Government. Written Parliamentary Questions provide MPs with the opportunity to request information from the Government, feel out the direction of future policy or suggest potential policies to Ministers. As you can see below, I have received answers from the Minister for Health regarding Epidermolysis Bullosa, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the NHS's Breast Cancer Screening Programme.
I am delighted that work is now underway on the new £6 million multi-purpose facility on Alvingham Road. The facility will offer short-break care, similar to that available at the Cygnets. It will welcome families and young people with complex disabilities to enjoy activities and health facilities, providing carers with some much-deserved respite. Having told carers about this project in response to Carers' Week in June, it is great that spades are now in the ground.
Last month, I attended a reception held by my colleague Jo Gideon MP to highlight the risks of button and coin battery ingestion among children in local communities. There have been some tragic accidents and deaths caused by children swallowing these small battery cells, and so I signed the ‘button battery pledge’, promising to help raise awareness of this risk in our area.
What's Next?
I want to reassure residents that I have not forgotten about our £350 million bid for a new Hospital in Scunthorpe. I wrote to the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care last week outlining our case for new infrastructure to make sure it remains high on the agenda, and look forward to the Government announcing the eight chosen projects later in the year.
Progress Report:
Improving our local roads
What is being done?
Towards the end of last year, it was announced Scunthorpe Ridgeway would be extended from Burringham Road to Hammerton Road, thanks to £500,000 investment from the Government via Sustrans.
I’ve monitored development works closely, and it is great to see that the Ridgeway is now open and ready to be used by local residents – whether that be for a family bike ride or a commute to work.
As mentioned earlier, North Lincolnshire Council have put forward a £70 million bid to the Levelling Up Fund, and I have put on record my support for this bid. Central to these plans are our ambition to revitalise the high street by filling vacant units and increasing footfall. To bring people into the town centre, the Council's proposal includes provisions to supercharge investment in new cycle routes and improve transport links. I will be highlighting the local importance of this bid in Parliament when we return from recess as we make it even easier for people to get in and out of the town centre.
North Lincolnshire Council have now installed a series of electric vehicle chargers in the Parishes Multi-Storey Car Park. It was good to see one of the council vans getting some use out of them recently! More electric vehicle chargers will be installed in car parks across North Lincolnshire over the next few months and years, including on Robert Street, King Street/Winterton Road and Bottesford Road.
What's Next?
The Levelling Up Fund was made for areas like ours, so I will be going through the details of our bid this summer before pushing hard for our share when Parliament returns in September. More transport investment means faster travel for consumers and better-performing businesses, so I will keep my foot on the pedal on this.
Progress Report:
Supporting our local businesses, community groups, and building up our High Street
What is being done?
St. John's Market gained a valuable new facility recently, as I had the pleasure of opening a mother and baby feeding area there. This calm, comfy area will no doubt prove useful for new mothers when shopping, and I paid tribute to the people who have put in the work to create this lovely space. The opening coincided with National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, providing an important reminder that mothers should never be made to feel uncomfortable for feeding their child. You can watch me cut the ribbon below!
As you will know, the future of the Lincoln Imp has been uncertain in recent weeks. I wrote to residents in the local vicinity and collated their views to pass onto the Council. I also made my support for the retention of the venue clear in a separate letter. Alongside a fantastic campaign by local people, including landlady Lorraine Briggs, to keep the Imp open, I am pleased to say that some progress has been made. The Council have recognised the Imp as an Asset of Community Value, meaning qualifying interest groups will have the first opportunity to buy the pub on Gloucester Road if the owner decides to sell, ensuring those who want to keep the Imp as it is have the first chance to buy. This is great news for Ashby and Scunthorpe and I will keep working with residents on this issue.
It was a pleasure to join ‘Scunthorpe Litter Pickers’ in Frodingham Road on the last Sunday morning of June to say a big ‘thank you’ to them for all their efforts. It’s a terrible shame that people drop litter and I hope one day our fantastic volunteers will no longer need to go out and collect it. For now, the work they do makes the area so much more pleasant. Thank you!
This summer, our local leisure centres will again open up their swimming pools for free to all under 16s! I went to see what was on offer for young people at Riddings Community Hub last month and was not disappointed. Young people will be able to take advantage during the free ‘Summer Daze’ sessions at:
- The Pods, Scunthorpe
- Riddings Community Hub, Scunthorpe
- Baysgarth Community Hub, Barton-upon-Humber
- Ancholme Leisure Centre, Brigg
- Epworth Swimming Pool, Epworth
These sessions are running until Sunday 4th September so please do make sure our young people make the most of this opportunity! I know the Council are also working on a SEN free swimming offer too, and I will share details on this on my Facebook page when I learn more.
The first time I visited Messingham Community Hub for the grand opening a couple of months back, it didn’t quite go to plan as I took a tumble and hurt my ankle. Fortunately, I was delighted to be able to go back again recently and have a proper look round. I hope it will become a real focal point in the Messingham community for years to come.
It was great to visit Bridgewater Park Care Home this month for their Summer Celebration as part of Care Home Open Week. Care Home Open Week is a fantastic initiative run by Championing Social Care that connects care homes with their local communities. Bridgewater opened their doors and I had the opportunity to meet staff, residents and their families. I’d like to thank everyone for such a warm welcome, and I’d like to thank the staff for putting in so much hard work over the past two and a half years.
At the end of last month, I was able to open up a Business Start-Up Event at Baths Hall for over 80 new Start-Ups in North Lincolnshire. It was so reassuring to see the amount of aspirational entrepreneurs we have just within our county, and it made me all the more excited to see what they will become! Those in attendance, and any other Start-Up, should be aware of the Business Start-Up Grant that North Lincolnshire provides. This is a one-off payment to help individuals meet business costs associated with becoming self-employed or starting a small business. You can generally get around £500 (up to £1000), so have a look how to apply here!
What's next?
I am really keen to meet as many businesses and organisations as possible over the next few weeks so please do get in touch at holly.mumbycroft.mp@parliament.uk and we can organise something!
Progress Report:
Working with our Schools
What is being done?
As part of the over £30 million we have received from the Towns Fund and the High Streets Fund, North Lincolnshire Council have asked schools in our area to sign up for fully-funded solar panels! These investments promise to provide sustainable energy long into the future for local schools, and I was delighted to use this opportunity to visit both Holme Valley Primary School and Frederick Gough School. The pupils were really excited about the project, as they should be!
Earlier this month, I visited St Bede's Catholic School to visit the students and staff. The school continues to be a fantastic asset to our area and it was clear how invested everyone is in each other's success! I was delighted to hear that the English Department have chosen to participate in the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition, after I wrote to all schools in the area to make them aware of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to mark the jubilee year.
I also want to take some time to highlight some of the incredible 'Active Citizenship' projects being undertaken by Year 9 pupils at Outwood Brumby to raise awareness of their chosen charities. One group has chosen to support the Landmark Trust, which preserves and rents out historical buildings, whilst another is raising awareness for the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) that co-ordinates responses to major disasters. The first group has conducted a survey and used the data collected to make a presentation that fills in people's knowledge gaps of the charity, and the second group has held an activity afternoon for Year 3s and 4s that raised over £100 for the DEC! They have gone above and beyond their studies and I want to thank them for sharing their endeavours with me. I'm sure residents will be immensely proud of their efforts.
Our team in Scunthorpe were delighted to welcome Sofia and Amelia over the past few weeks for work experience. It was a pleasure to welcome two local lasses onto the team to show them what we do everyday. They learnt about all the nitty-gritty of working for an MP and got rave reviews from my staff for their efforts. I really enjoyed meeting them. Placements like this are something that I encourage organisations across Scunthorpe to do if they have the capacity, as it can be mutually beneficial to the young person and the people they work with. Thank you Amelia and Sofia!
As residents will know, I regularly write "Business Updates" to businesses in our area. My most recent update was on the 8th July. In it, I shared an opportunity for businesses to co-ordinate with the Supported Internship Tutor at John Leggott College (JLC) to provide work experience and internships to disabled students. Over the past few months, I have worked with the team at JLC to bring the issue of access to work for young people living with a disability to the attention of Government through a letter to Ministers and follow-up Written Parliamentary Questions. If you would be interested in providing some form of work opportunity to a young person, please get in touch with me and I would be happy to pass you onto the co-ordinator at JLC who can provide advice and help you with the next steps. A reminder that my email is holly.mumbycroft.mp@parliament.uk.
What's next?
Two schools are already planning on coming to visit Parliament in the coming year, and I want to encourage any other schools or youth groups thinking about it to come on down and take a tour! In addition, you may have seen that education is a hot topic in the ongoing leadership contest. Please do get in touch with me to let me know how you think the Government can best support our local schools, and I will consider your thoughts in upcoming discussions with the candidates.
Useful information and links for residents:
- Resident Survey on the next PM
- Latest Business Update- Co-ordinating work opportunities for local young people living with a disability and more
- Latest News in North Lincolnshire
If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Take care and stay safe,
Holly