SINCE my last Westminster Diary the parliamentary year has come to a close, with both the House of Commons and House of Lords now in summer recess.
The recess period offers a time to spend more time in the constituency and also to reflect on what we have achieved over the last few months, whether it be the first ever NHS Long-term Workforce Plan; putting minimum safety levels into law; or delivering record numbers of police numbers, including in West Mercia.
Before the House rose for recess, I was delighted to speak in the House of Commons Chamber in my capacity of Minister for International Trade, to answer questions on the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The UK has formally signed the treaty to accede to the CPTPP trade group, in a deal which will benefit every nation and region of the UK to the tune of billions of pounds.
More broadly, the agreement is a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific, which is set to account for the majority of global growth and around half of the world’s middle-class consumers in the decades to come, bringing new opportunities for British businesses and supporting jobs.
Meanwhile, the Department for Education has published the government’s response to the higher education reform consultation.
The new reforms, which are based on the recommendations made by Sir Philip Augar and his Independent Panel in 2019, will improve standards across higher education courses, increase the value for money that students receive for their tuition fees, and follow previous steps by the Government to increase the range of education and training options for young people.
Put together, these measures will ensure the higher education gives students the right skills and knowledge to get well-paid jobs and improve long-term career prospects.
In more local news, many constituents will be aware that train operating companies are consulting on proposals which could see staff move away from ticket offices and into ‘multi-skilled customer help’ roles, in an attempt to reflect changing consumer habits.
As they currently stand, these proposals would impact 79 stations on the GWR network, including both Evesham Station and Worcestershire Parkway in my constituency. The consultation period was recently extended until Friday, 1st September 2023, and I would strongly encourage all interested residents to take part.
I wish all of my constituents a delightful Summer
Evesham’s MP Nigel Huddleston writes for the Observer
