MPs returned to Westminster this week, to find a government reshuffle underway. Having been appointed as an Assistant Government Whip in June, I was delighted to be promoted to become a more senior Whip and a Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.
Like my previous Ministerial role this will mean that, whilst in Westminster, I will be involved in helping with the smooth passage of government legislation. For example, on Wednesday I helped to progress regulations that will turn Transport for the North into a statutory transport body with more powers to improve transport across our region.
The slightly bizarre title I have been given has existed since 1714. There are eight Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Prime Minster, the Second Lord of the Treasury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and six other Junior Lords of the Treasury who are all Government Whips.
My first priority will always be representing the views of Pendle residents in Westminster and whilst this position will take up some of my time, over the past six months I have found serving in the Whips Office a great way of making the case for various local projects to Ministers. It has also not stopped me facilitating key meetings, like the meeting I recently hosted on re-opening the Colne-Skipton railway line, which brought together all the key stakeholders in Parliament.
Aside from the reshuffle, the main debates in parliament this week were dominated by Brexit, with discussions about the Trade Bill, which is of great importance to many of Pendle’s businesses. There are 9,000 manufacturing jobs in Pendle, which equates to about 29.0% of the local workforce, so exports and ensuring we have a clear framework for the continued flow of goods and services post Brexit is of real importance.
We heard this week that UK manufacturing output is up and expanding at its fastest rate for a decade, great cause for optimistic about the year ahead for our local businesses.