Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In April, Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill looked set to reach royal ascent, while MPs threw their weight behind their party’s candidates in the race to be the first York and North Yorkshire mayor on May 2.

Here’s what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what found on Conservative Andrew Jones:

• Mr Jones made two spoken contributions in the House of Commons this month. One was about the standards of new build housing in his constituency, and the other was during a Health and Disability Reform debate.
• On April 12, Mr Jones opened Disability Action Yorkshire’s new assisted living flats in Harrogate.
• Mr Jones welcomed a new bus service for Wedderburn Road, in Harrogate, on April 22.
• He joined Harrogate Pumping Marvellous, a heart failure group, for its first birthday on April 29.
• Mr Jones also voted in favour of the draft Economic Growth Order, and against the Renters Reform Bill (report stage) amendment 28.

When we contacted Mr Jones for comment, his office sent details of April engagements.

These included attending Horticap’s 40th anniversary event and presenting awards at the first Lego League Final at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Mr Jones went to the opening of the Knaresborough Heritage Centre and hosted a reception for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport across the north.

He also voted in favour of the motion to disagree with the Lords on amendment 3J of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

Mr Jones also saw the new electric 36 bus at the Harrogate Bus Company.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Conservative Julian Smith:

• Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the Houses of Parliament in the month of April.
• On April 16, he voted in favour of the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
• Mr Smith also voted against the report stage of the Renters Reform Bill amendment 28.
• He also welcomed the news of the new childcare rollout in England, which grants working parents of two-year-olds access to 15 hours of free childcare per week.
• Mr Smith also said he was “really pleased” after North Yorkshire Council was awarded £7.8 million of additional funding to help those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with alternative provisions.

Mr Smith visited Glasshouses Community Primary School to talk about the role of an MP.

He also welcomed news of five local primary schools receiving funding, which will go towards improving the grounds and buildings.

Mr Smith also voted in favour of the motion to disagree with the lords on amendment 3J of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

We contacted Julian Smith for comment, but did not receive a response.

Keir Mather, Selby and Ainsty MP.

In Selby and Ainsty, which includes parts of south Harrogate, here is what we found on Labour MP Keir Mather:

• Mr Mather was listed among the Sunday Times’ top 25 most inspiring people under 30 in April for overturning a large Tory majority at such a young age.
• He updated his social media several times throughout the month. None of the updates related to areas of his constituency which fall in Harrogate.
• On April 22, Mr Mather spoke in the House of Commons about the upcoming election for the mayor of York and North Yorkshire. He raised concern about one candidate’s spending commitments.
• He voted against the motion to disagree with the lords on amendment 3J of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

Mr Mather posted repeatedly online to encourage people to vote for David Skaith (a fellow Labour MP) as York and North Yorkshire’s inaugural mayor.

He also plugged Labour’s plans for failing bus services.

We did not receive a response from Mr Mather’s office after approaching him for comment.

Read more:

• MPs Watch: Spring Budget, Kex Gill and Rwanda Bill updates
• MPs Watch: Antisemitism, £380m transport fund and road safety
• MPs Watch: Rwanda bill, Post Office scandal and rough sleeping in Harrogate

The problems experienced by residents on new housing estates were highlighted by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones in a House of Commons debate yesterday. 

The debate on New Build Homes Standards: North Yorkshire – in reality a single question-and-answer exchange between two members of the same party – was the final item of the afternoon session. 

Mr Jones said he had been running a ‘fair deal for new estates’ campaign for over a year and had been alerted to the issue when residents in newbuild properties came to him for support in dealing with problems they were having with their new homes.   

He said: 

“There are too many individual cases to detail in this debate. We are talking about over 200 cases located across Harrogate, Knaresborough and some surrounding villages, so the issue is not limited to a specific geography.

“The developments include Kings Croft, Garten Close, Harlow Green, Swincliffe Mews and others.”

Kings Croft is a Harron Homes scheme in Killinghall, Garten Close is an Avant development in Knaresborough, Harlow Green is a Taylor Wimpey scheme in Harrogate and Swincliffe Mews is a Newby development in Harrogate.

Mr Jones said the problems could be divided into two groups: issues with individual properties and issues across whole estates. 

Estate-wide issues cover matters such as drainage, road surfacing, street lighting, street signage and play areas, and “simply being a good neighbour during the final build-out of an estate by keeping roads as clean as possible, and making consideration for delivery times and the types of vehicles used”.

Andrew Jones MP addressing the House of Commons yesterday. Image: Parliamentlive.tv.

He said: 

“I have had complaints about how long it has been taking to finish estates and how the focus can seem to move on when much of an estate has been sold. One issue that is regularly raised is about drainage for open spaces, play areas or individual homes. I have seen blocked drains, as well as standing water significant enough to reach front doors and threaten to flood individual properties, which is very worrying for residents.” 

On problems with individual properties, he said: 

“Issues raised with me range from totally inadequate guttering to very patchy fitting of insulation, from window panes separating from their frames to poorly fitted bannisters, and from walls having to be rebuilt to bathrooms having to be taken out and replacements fitted. That is just a snapshot because the list is long.” 

He said he had been dealing with housebuilders including Taylor Wimpey, Avant Homes and Harron Homes. 

Last April, he met representatives of Barratt Homes to discuss concerns raised by residents of the Hay-a-Park Barratt development in Knaresborough – the building of which finished many years ago. 

In the debate, Mr Jones spoke of the the need for housebuilders to be more proactive in their communication and keep householders informed. He said: 

“I have raised this point with housebuilders and, in all cases, they have recognised that there have been communication problems—no one has attempted to deny it—and, indeed, they have sought to correct them.” 

Mr Jones rounded off his speech by asking for an update on the government’s work on future homes and building standards. 

In response, Jacob Young, Conservative MP for Redcar and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said that more needed to be done to address homebuyers’ concerns where standards had fallen short. He said: 

“We have been taking action to ensure that happens: reforming building control as part of the biggest changes to the construction sector in a generation; and strengthening warranties to give homebuyers greater protection.” 

He also spoke about the government’s work on construction skills, energy efficiency and the new homes ombudsman. He added: 

“Ultimately, it is private developers, not the state, that hold the key to raising standards. Only by local and central Government working together with developers can we ensure that new homes being built in Yorkshire and across the country are safe, decent, warm and finished to a high standard, and that buyers in my hon. Friend’s constituency and elsewhere are treated fairly.”

But the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate, Tom Gordon, laid into that the government’s record on regulating developers. He told the Stray Ferret:

“After 14 years in Government it is clear that the Conservatives have failed to stop dodgy developers and the pain they inflict on new homeowners.

“The Conservative-run council have consistently dropped the ball on planning matters, including failing to produce a local plan in a timely fashion, which led to a free-for-all for developers.

“This isn’t a new issue. The Conservatives have let developers get away with this time and time again, if they haven’t fixed this in 14 years then how can residents trust their words now?

“Liberal Democrat MPs have led debates on this Parliament and tabled amendments to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill that would strengthen the law to protect people against dodgy developers. If the Conservatives and Government were serious about this they would take the chance to strengthen the law now.”

Read more:

• Lib Dems hit back at ‘out of touch’ Andrew Jones
• Andrew Jones MP urges Lib Dem leader to intervene against ‘rogue’ local party
• Andrew Jones MP says his office receives threats ‘far too often’

The Liberal Democrats have accused Conservative MP Andrew Jones of being “out of touch” after he claimed the local party had “totally gone rogue”.

Mr Jones cited eight examples of alleged “appalling behaviour” after it emerged this week the Lib Dems have been reported to the police for wrongly claiming the Green Party was not contesting next month’s Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election for a seat on North Yorkshire Council.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough MP published a letter he has sent to Lib Dem leader Ed Davey urging him to intervene.

Asked to respond to Mr Jones’ letter, a Lib Dem spokesperson said:

“At the next general election people in Harrogate and Knaresborough have a clear choice. They can back an out of touch MP or get real change with the Liberal Democrats.

“Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP has supported a government that’s allowed sewage into our rivers and brought our NHS to its knees – many people are now backing Tom Gordon and the Lib Dem team who are fighting for a fair deal for the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Tom Gordon is the Lib Dems parliamentary candidate in Harrogate and Knaresborough at the general election.

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP urges Lib Dem leader to intervene against ‘rogue’ local party
• Harrogate Greens report Lib Dems to police for by-election leaflet