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Andrew Jones MP highlights housing estate problems in Commons debate

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”.

Screengrab of Andrew Jones MP speaking in a House of Commons debate on New Build Homes Standards: North Yorkshire.

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.”

Harrogate hospital £20m RAAC repairs a ‘critical building safety issue’, says MP

Repairs work at Harrogate District Hospital to fix crumbling concrete are a “critical building safety issue” which should be funded, a Labour MP has said.

The hospital on Lancaster Park Road requires essential work to repair panels made of RAAC.

RAAC – reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – made headlines nationally recently after it was found to be a substandard component of many schools and hospitals built between the 1950s and 1990s.

Health officials estimated in September it will cost £20 million to eradicate “crumbly concrete” from Harrogate District Hospital, which was built in the 1970s.

As a result, the hospital trust has bid for funding for the work.

During a debate in the House of Commons on Monday, Mike Amesbury, Labour MP for Weaver Vale, said hospitals in his constituency were also built with the same material.

Richard Foord, Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson, made an intervention during Mr Amesbury’s speech to raise the issue at Harrogate.

He said:

“I was interested to hear the hon. Member mention RAAC in his speech.

“I have heard that there is a hospital in Harrogate that needs £20 million of repairs because of RAAC, but the government are requiring that hospital to bid for the funding, rather than just giving it the funding. Does the hon. Member think that is right?”

In response, Mr Amesbury, who is also shadow minister for building safety and homelessness, said:

“I certainly do not. It is a critical building safety issue, and funding should be given according to need, so that is a very well-made point.”

The comments come as Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, called on the government to foot the bill for the repairs.

This month, Mr Gordon wrote to the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay MP, to highlight his concerns about the construction panels at the hospital made of RAAC.

Harrogate district MP gives maiden House of Commons speech

Harrogate district MP Keir Mather gave his first speech in parliament this week.

Mr Mather, 25, overturned a 20,137 Conservative majority to win a by-election for Selby and Ainsty in July triggered by the resignation of previous MP Nigel Adams.

He became the first Labour MP elected in any part of the Harrogate district. His constituency includes villages such as Spofforth, Follifoot and Great Ouseburn.

During his speech in the House of Commons on Monday, he pledged to work for constituents and “defend their interests”.

Known as the baby of the house, he referenced the fact that he was the first parliamentarian to be born after the Labour government of 1997 came to power.

He said his constituency faced issues such as poor dental provision, timely ambulances and residents suffering from the cost of living crisis.

Mr Mather, who is a former senior public affairs adviser for the Confederation of British Industry, added:

“As I said on the night of my election, I hope to be a representative of that power of young people to make a difference. But we won’t do it alone.

“I was sent to this place by a constituency that is older than the national average, but who put their faith in me to defend their interests.

“That is because, in spite of the divisive politics that seeks to pit one generation against the other, in Selby and Ainsty we share our ambitions for our community and our country, and are committed to realising them together.”

‘Shocking’ lack of NHS dentists in Harrogate and Knaresborough raised in Parliament

A Liberal Democrat MP has raised concerns in Parliament about the “shocking” lack of NHS dentists in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans and the party’s health spokesperson, was taking part in a House of Commons debate yesterday on expanding the NHS workforce when she raised concerns about dentistry.

She said only half of children in North Yorkshire managed to see an NHS dentist last year, adding:

“In Harrogate if you are lucky enough to find an NHS dentist taking on any new patients you face a two-and-a-half year wait to see them. This is a shocking state of affairs.”

Ms Cooper called on a minister to visit the area to speak to patients and dentists to see the situation for themselves.

The issue has long been a cause for concern in Harrogate and Knaresborough. A Stray Ferret investigation carried out in March 2021 found that just two NHS dentists in the Harrogate district were accepting new patients – one in Knaresborough with a waiting time of two-and-a-half years, and one in Boroughbridge with a waiting time of three years.

Two years later, the NHS website currently lists just two practices in the district as accepting new patients, but only those under the age of 17 – one in Ripon and one in Boroughbridge. None are listed for Harrogate.

Tom Gordon, spokesperson and parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

“Patients in Harrogate and Knaresborough are facing an access crisis. Only yesterday I spoke with a family who moved to the area more than 18 months ago, they have been unable to find an NHS dentist and are now paying for private care. This is all too common; families are faced with a bill for private treatment or unacceptable waits to be seen by an NHS dentist.

“As a former health services researcher, I know how important it is that we get to grips with the dental crisis, and the impact that poor dental outcomes have on wider health & well-being.

“I am grateful to the Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Copper for raising this in Parliament and putting more pressure on ministers to act to fix this access crisis.”

The Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, was approached for comment by the Stray Ferret, but no response has yet been received.

MPs Watch: Strikes and free FIFA World Cup tickets

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

In January, the Harrogate district was hit by strikes by ambulance workers, nurses and rail staff. Meanwhile, one Harrogate district MP was revealed to have received free tickets to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

We asked Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

At the start of the month, Mr Jones welcomed a £2 cap on bus fares across the Harrogate district.
On January 11, Mr Jones wrote on his Community News website that he held a meeting with Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, over his campaign for bathing quality status at the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
On January 17, Mr Jones wrote on his website that he visited Daikin Sustainable Home Centre in Harrogate, which has been set up by Daikin UK and Duftons Plumbing and Heating Supplies.
Mr Jones spoke in Parliament on January 26 regarding a meeting with the English Football League over the government’s fan-led review into the governance of football. He called for a debate over the government’s next steps following the publication of the review.
Mr Jones also posted on his Instagram a video with Harrogate Town chief executive Sarah Barry talking about the review.
He also posted on his Instagram about a visit to Pannal Ash Juniors FC.
On January 27, Mr Jones signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment.
On January 30, Mr Jones voted in line with the government on its strike bill. Under the bill, some employees, including in the rail industry and emergency services, would be required to work during industrial action – and could be sacked if they refuse.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

Mr Smith posted no updates on his website in January.
He also made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons last month.
On January 26, Mr Smith posted on Twitter that he met with former Irish politician Bertie Ahern to discuss Northern Ireland.
Mr Smith voted in line with the government over its strike bill on January 30.
He paid tribute to Harrogate borough councillor Bernard Bateman MBE, who died last month. Mr Smith said Mr Bateman was a “hugely committed councillor and community campaigner”.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, he is what we found on Mr Adams:

Mr Adams posted four times on his website in January on matters relating to solar farms in Camblesforth, energy support payments and Selby volunteers heading to Ukraine.
On January 7, Mr Adams posted on Twitter to thank NHS and Yorkshire ambulance staff for helping his 88-year-old dad following a fall.
The Stray Ferret revealed on January 16 that Mr Adams had received free tickets and hospitality valued at £2,880 to the FIFA World Cup from the Qatar government.
On January 23, he posted an article by former Prime Minster Boris Johnson calling for support for Ukraine. Mr Adams said Mr Johnson “was not wrong”.
Mr Adams made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons in January.
Mr Adams voted in line with the government on its strike bill on January 30.

MPs Watch: River Nidd water quality and Northern Ireland

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 December, Harrogate’s MP met with ministers over the future of River Nidd’s water quality. Meanwhile, Ripon MP Julian Smith focused much of his tweets this month on matters in Northern Ireland.

We asked Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, Ripon MP Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

At the start of the month, Mr Jones urged pensioners to look at pension credit eligibility amid the cost of living crisis.
On December 7, Mr Jones announced he had raised matters of bathing quality status for the River Nidd in Knaresborough with environmental quality minister Rebecca Pow.
Following the meeting, Mr Jones said he was “confident” of achieving the status.
On December 22, he wrote on his Community News website that he intends to work with businesses and residents to submit a case to government for the status in 2023.
Mr Jones made four spoken contributions in the House of Commons on skills, planning decisions in West Cumbria, biodiversity and alcohol duty.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

Mr Smith visited Nidderdale Museum on December 13 for a guided tour around the volunteer-led facility.
On December 15, Mr Smith tweeted that he was Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was visiting Northern Ireland.
On December 18, he tweeted that it was important that concerns in the Unionist community were addressed and that “here is full focus on ensuring that the EU & UK rework the post Brexit trading arrangements” in order to restore stability in Northern Ireland.
Mr Smith met with the chief executive of Airedale Hospital on December 22 to discuss “the challenges that the hospital is facing”.
Mr Smith made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons this month.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, he is what we found on Mr Adams:

Mr Adams tweeted just twice in December. One was to congratulate a Ukraine-related charity and another was about a beer brewed in Tadcaster.
On December 6, Mr Adams advertised a consultation on a devolution deal for North Yorkshire and York.
The following day he visited a new NHS diagnostics centre in Selby.
He made three news posts on his website throughout December.
Mr Adams made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons.

Harrogate student speaks in the House of Commons

A young Harrogate politician has spoken for his constituents in the House of Commons on the need for better mental health support.

Fourteen-year-old Brando Halloum is the Member of Youth Parliament for Harrogate and Craven.

Now a Year 10 student at Harrogate Grammar School, he moved to the UK in Year 5 having previously attended school in the United Arab Emirates.

He was one of more than 200 MYPs aged 11-18 who attended the meeting on November 4 in the House of Commons, the first of its kind since 2019.

Speaking of the experience, Brando said:

“To be elected as MYP and have the chance to represent my constituents in Westminster was a surreal experience – debating issues that matter most to my generation at the heart of our democracy, Parliament.

“It is now for decision makers, local and national, to ensure action is taken to address these issues. Ensuring no decision about my generation is made without us and that we remain at the heart of these integral conversations.”

Brando was invited to speak by the speaker of the house, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. He spoke of the need for improved mental health services across the UK for young people, telling the house of the racial abuse he had received and the lack of support he was given afterwards.

In the House of Commons, he said:

“I was unfortunately the victim of racial and Islamophobic abuse… When I reported this experience, people doubted me and I was given a plaster response, just put a quick band aid over the problem. It didn’t help.

“I spent months waiting for counselling which never came. I am calling for young people to be given adequate treatment and adequate response to racism and all forms of discrimination across this country and give mental health support to those who need it.”

Brando was elected by more than 9,000 young people to be the MYP of Harrogate and Craven this March, voted on through the Make Your Mark initiative for young people. Members of Youth Parliament are elected every two years.

He regularly campaigns with his fellow MYPs throughout the country to represent his constituent’s voice and debate issues and policies.

The primary campaign issue for Members of Youth Parliament this year is the cost of living crisis.

He said:

“The cost of living crisis is at the fore of my generation’s minds, and I am concerned about the clear and disproportionate impact this is having on my constituents’ mental health and wellbeing.”

Brando is also a member of the North Yorkshire Youth Council, in addition to being an RAF cadet.

The full morning session in which Brando spoke is below. He began speaking around 37 minutes into the session.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP denies voting in favour of fracking

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has denied voting in favour of fracking in the House of Commons last week.

An opposition Labour motion was put to the house which would have forced a vote on a bill to ban the controversial practice in the UK.

Mr Jones voted with the government on the night against the motion.

In his latest ‘Fact Check Friday’ video on Instagram, Mr Jones denied he voted in favour of fracking.

He said:

“Contrary to what some people would have you believe, I didn’t vote in favour of fracking during the debate in parliament this week.

“In fact, the vote wasn’t even directly about fracking at all. The vote was about changing the scheduled timetable of parliamentary business to allow the Labour Party to bring in a bill about fracking.

“A bill that hasn’t even been published.”

The government won by 319 votes to 228 – however the night descended into chaos amid allegations Tory MPs were “bullied and manhandled” into supporting former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Mr Jones goes on to say in the video he is “relaxed” about the government’s position on fracking as there is “little possibility of any successful applications to frack”.

He adds that he has “always been skeptical about fracking” and that the UK’s future energy should be in renewables.

The video, which Mr Jones says includes “no politics”, goes onto show a clip of the then Liberal Democrat energy secretary, Sir Ed Davey, saying that the government had to find a “commercially viable way” to get shale gas out of the ground.

The clip then cuts to an image of Mr Jones and the hashtag ‘awks’, suggesting it reveals an awkward truth for the Lib Dems.

Harrogate district MPs back government amid chaotic fracking vote

Two Harrogate district MPs voted against a motion to ban fracking last night amid a chaotic night in the House of Commons.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tabled the motion as part of an opposition day debate to introduce a law to ban fracking in the UK.

Conservative MPs were whipped to vote with the government in what was seen as a test of confidence in Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, and Julian Smith, Skipton and Ripon MP, voted against the motion. Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate, did not vote.

Mr Adams was one of 40 Conservative MPs who did not take part.

The government won by 319 votes to 228 – however the night descended into chaos amid allegations that Tory MPs were “bullied and manhandled” into supporting the Prime Minister.

Confusion arose when Graham Stuart, climate minister, told the Commons before MPs entered the voting lobby that “obviously, this is not a confidence vote”.

The move led to whips trying to get their own Conservative MPs to vote against the opposition motion.

Charles Walker, a Conservative MP, described what he saw as “inexcusable” and said there was “no coming back” for the government.

Following the vote, Labour MP Chris Bryant urged the deputy speaker of the House of Commons to investigate the claims.

He said:

“I urge you to launch an investigation into the scenes outside the entrance to the No Lobby earlier.

“As you know, members are expected to be able to vote without fear or favour and the behaviour code, which is agreed by the whole House, says that there shall never be bullying or harassment of members.

“I saw members being physically manhandled into another Lobby and being bullied.”

Speaking about the allegations, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg told Sky News that to “characterise it as bullying was mistaken”.

‘Right’ for commons to investigate MPs, says Harrogate MP

Andrew Jones MP has said it is right for the Committee of Privileges to investigate MPs in light of a probe into Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conduct.

In a speech to the House of Commons yesterday, the Harrogate and Knaresborough MP said there was a “problem with standards in our politics”.

The move comes as the Prime Minister is facing a Commons investigation into whether he misled MPs by telling them covid laws in No 10 Downing Street were followed amid an ongoing row over lockdown parties.

Mr Jones told MPs, who were debating whether to approve the probe into the Prime Minister, that higher standards were required across parliament.

He said:

“When there are questions about the conduct of any Member in this place, it is right for the Committee of Privileges to take a look at that case.

“It is right for it to investigate, it is right for it to make a judgment and it is right for that to happen whoever the Member is.

“That is the correct procedure for our House, and has been the case for a significant time. If any matters of privilege come to the House for a decision to trigger an investigation, it is right for that to happen. I support privileges investigations. It is our due process.”

Mr Jones reiterated his call for the Sue Gray report into lockdown parties at Number 10 to be published in full.

He added:

“That is still my view. I recognise that the Met needs time and space to complete its work, but every effort must be made to bring this matter to a conclusion as fast as possible. Colleagues are making comments when we have not seen all the evidence.

“I can understand that, because I have done so, too, but the Privileges Committee must be allowed time and space to conclude its investigation and colleagues should not prejudge that.”

Analysis

At a time when Conservative MPs are considering their support for the Prime Minister, Mr Jones has remained coy over where his support lies.

Mr Jones’ contribution to the House of Commons debate was very carefully worded.

He has made his view on the wider standards in Parliament clear, but stopped short of disclosing whether or not he has acted upon this with his own party leader and the 1922 committee.

Meanwhile, Skipton and Ripon MP, Julian Smith, has remained silent on the matter and so too has Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty MP, who is a staunch ally of the Prime Minister.

Last week, the Stray Ferret asked all Harrogate district MPs whether Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunk should resign after being notified by the Metropolitan Police that they would be given a fixed penalty notice for breaching covid rules.

However, none replied.

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Analysis