I enjoyed last week in Parliament as I was engaged in a varied range of issues. Readers may not be surprised to learn that I was once again working on this issue of mobile phone coverage locally, this time by meeting with Three to discuss their plans for upgrades locally. I have each of the operators in regularly as individual providers to push them to bring their planned improvements forwards. As ever, Broughton was a particular point of discussion as coverage is especially poor here. Three do have a plan of improvement locally and will be keeping me updated. One example of improvements this week is on the north of the Isle where O2 customers should have had a text informing them of an upgrade of a mast to 4G shortly.
I was also pleased to chair the evidence session of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Scottish Power Cash-back Mis-selling scandal last week. There are thousands of local residents who bought white goods from Scottish Power that came with a cash back deal but which Scottish Power refuses to admit liability for. In fact, about 1% of the UK population owns one-off these with an average consumer being ripped off to the tune of about £140. We heard shocking evidence at the session of alleged fraud, criminality and forged accounts, all as part of an attempt to not pay out on these warranties. Big business is vital to this country but the contempt with which they sometimes treat customers is totally unacceptable and we won't rest until we get people their money back!
Last week myself and an SNP and Labour MP successfully secured a joint debate on the role of men in preventing domestic violence against women. As an Ambassador for the White Ribbon Campaign this is an issue I have already worked with Scunthorpe United and North Lincs Council on. I urged more Councils to look at what North Lincs is doing on this to try to ensure that anti domestic violence policies are embedded across their services. I also made the point about the importance of engaging teenage boys in this campaign as we need to start young to prevent violence. It isn't just me who commit domestic violence, and indeed some men are victims of it also. However, a minority of men are the main perpetrators and the rest of us who don't commit domestic violence need to commit to never be silent when other men do.
I also had an interesting few meetings in my new, unpaid, role as the UK Trade Envoy to Canada. My role will see me working across Government and with business to try to secure more Canadian investment in the UK and to help facilitate UK businesses who wish to invest in Canada. I am very keen to have a Northern Powerhouse element to this and I am already looking at putting together a program to try to market the North, especially the Humber, to Canadian investors looking to create jobs in the UK.
All in all a busy week, topped off by a visit on Friday of the Northern Powerhouse Minister to Goole to official open an £18 million Government investment in a scheme that could create thousands of local jobs.
Photo - Andrew meeting with Jennifer Amphlett from Three
