It was a pleasure to be asked by the Prime Minister to carry on as a Transport Minister in last week’s Ministerial reshuffle. Whilst my primary focus has and always been representing Pendle, it is a privilege to serve in government helping deliver major infrastructure projects and the governments levelling up agenda. Since 2010 over £29 billion has been invested in transport projects across the north of England, but we need to go further and faster if we are to deliver the improved connectivity people want to see.
This week I have been working to support for the continued regeneration of Brierfield Mills and the delivery of the Nelson Town Deal. I welcome the news from Lancashire County Council about the expansion of Colne Primet Academy and temporary expansion of Fisher More High School to deal with the lack of school places locally. I’ve also been following up issues that were raised with our new Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, who visited Barnoldswick, Earby and Colne earlier this month.
I’ve been encouraged to see the vaccine booster campaign get underway. The UK’s vaccine rollout has been a real success so far, estimated to have prevented 116,000 deaths, and kept 140,000 people out of hospital. The aim of the booster campaign is to ensure those who are most vulnerable to the virus and have already been vaccinated, remain protected over the winter.
Everyone who was in the original priority groups should be offered a third dose, no sooner than six months after completing their first round of vaccinations. Booster vaccinations for those who are not considered at higher-risk from Covid and who will have been vaccinated more recently will be considered later.
The other vaccine related development was the advice around offering the vaccine to children aged 12 and older. After considering the evidence the Chief Medical Officers for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all agreed that all children in this age group should be offered the vaccine. Although the direct benefit to children in this age group is considered marginal, there are wider benefits of offering them the vaccine including reducing disruption for schools. No parent or teacher wants another year of stop-start education for children, when we need to be getting their education back on track.
