Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on tackling harassment on trains against women and girls in Hexham constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Everyone should be able to use the rail network without fearing for their safety. As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, we have a commitment to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG) by half over the next decade.
Last month, the Department and Greater Manchester Combined Authority jointly hosted a Safer Streets, Safer Transport Summit which brought together representatives from across the transport industry, Government, local authorities (including the North East Combined Authority), the third sector and policing to commit to taking action against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Hexham Station has a very low crime rate, with no sexual offences reported this year or in 2024/25.
BTP officers in the North East attend the local Safer Transport Regional Group and the Violence Against Women and Girls on Transport Partnership Working Group, strengthening collaboration with partners and focusing joint efforts on preventing these offences.
BTP deliver numerous public campaigns to increase VAWG reporting across the network including in the North East. The Rail Delivery Group also delivers its ‘zero tolerance’ campaign, which is aimed at educating people about the different types of sexual harassment and encouraging reporting to the BTP or anonymously to Crime Stoppers.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussion her Department is having with relevant stakeholders to help tackle harassment against women and girls on trains in the North East.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Everyone should be able to use the rail network without fearing for their safety. As part of the Government’s Safer Streets mission, we have a commitment to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG) by half over the next decade. The Department is committed to working with the rail industry and the British Transport Police (BTP) to ensure this is the case.
Last month, the Department and Greater Manchester Combined Authority jointly hosted a Safer Streets, Safer Transport Summit which brought together representatives from across the transport industry, Government, local authorities (including the North East Combined Authority), the third sector and policing to commit to taking action against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
BTP officers in the North East attend the local Safer Transport Regional Group and the Violence Against Women and Girls on Transport Partnership Working Group, strengthening collaboration with partners and focusing joint efforts on preventing these offences.
BTP deliver numerous public campaigns to increase VAWG reporting across the network including in the North East. The Rail Delivery Group also delivers its ‘zero tolerance’ campaign, which is aimed at educating people about the different types of sexual harassment and encouraging reporting to the BTP or anonymously to crime stoppers.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help support community cohesion in Hexham constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
MHCLG's Community Cohesion Unit works to support and promote cohesion across England, through working closely with local authorities, voluntary and community sector and faith organisations, and other government departments.
The Government's new £2.87m Common Ground Resilience Fund is supporting community connection and cohesion by funding locally led interventions to build community resilience. As part of this, the Common Ground Award is investing capital funding into VCSE sector organisations that are bringing people together from different backgrounds, supporting the cost of constructing or renovating facilities, or the purchasing of equipment to deliver services.
Furthermore, MHCLG is co-ordinating cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with local government, communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the use of the Community Recovery Fund in the North East.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
MHCLG has maintained proactive engagement with stakeholders across the North East to ensure effective deployment of the Community Recovery Fund. In particular, the Department continues to work in close partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, and Sunderland City Council, the three areas awarded funding, to ensure alignment with local priorities and the delivery of community - led initiatives.
In the North East, the Community Recovery Fund has been strategically utilised at the local authority level to support the recovery and resilience of affected communities. This includes investment in the repair of physical infrastructure, targeted support for vulnerable groups and local businesses, and initiatives designed to foster social cohesion and rebuild trust within communities.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Road Safety Strategy on people in the North East.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies which will have national reach. We intend to publish the Strategy this year.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Road Safety Strategy on people in Northumberland.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies which will have national reach. We intend to publish the Strategy this year.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Road Safety Strategy on people in Hexham constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies which will have national reach. We intend to publish the Strategy this year.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in Northumberland.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
GoFibre recently completed delivery of two Project Gigabit contracts, covering North Northumberland and Teesdale. These contracts have provided gigabit-capable coverage to 8,200 premises, including in Otterburn in the Hexham constituency.
In addition, Openreach is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract across the North East, covering approximately 14,000 premises in the region, over 2,200 of which are in the Hexham constituency, including Ponteland and Darras Hall.
Approximately 2,900 premises in Hexham have also benefitted from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, with more included in live projects.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in the Hexham constituency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
GoFibre recently completed delivery of two Project Gigabit contracts, covering North Northumberland and Teesdale. These contracts have provided gigabit-capable coverage to 8,200 premises, including in Otterburn in the Hexham constituency.
In addition, Openreach is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract across the North East, covering approximately 14,000 premises in the region, over 2,200 of which are in the Hexham constituency, including Ponteland and Darras Hall.
Approximately 2,900 premises in Hexham have also benefitted from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, with more included in live projects.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in the North East.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
GoFibre recently completed delivery of two Project Gigabit contracts, covering North Northumberland and Teesdale. These contracts have provided gigabit-capable coverage to 8,200 premises, including in Otterburn in the Hexham constituency.
In addition, Openreach is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract across the North East, covering approximately 14,000 premises in the region, over 2,200 of which are in the Hexham constituency, including Ponteland and Darras Hall.
Approximately 2,900 premises in Hexham have also benefitted from the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, with more included in live projects.