In the House of Commons today, I called on the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, to have this year’s GCSE English Language papers regraded following widespread concern from parents and teachers about the examination boards’ decision to change … More…

I visited the newly refurbished Jaipur Spice Restaurant on Haxby Road today to celebrate the York-based restaurant chain’s 25 years in the city and sample some Indian cuisine.  I met Mr Khalique Zaman, the restaurant’s owner, members of his family … More…

  I accepted a petition this evening from members of York Palestine Solidarity Campaign who attended my surgery.  The petition, which has 500 signatures, calls for all Palestinian child detainees to be released and urges the UK Government to do … More…

Today I met with Chris Huxley, Project Manager from ADAS environmental consultants, Phil Verster, Route Managing Director at Network Rail and Emma Walker, a local resident, to learn about Bootham Project 2025 – a pioneering initiative to improve the environment … More…

The government has agreed to publish a consultation on the minimum unit price for alcohol.  In response to a survey of York pubs and clubs that I conducted earlier this year, the Treasury Minister, Chloë Smith wrote to me to … More…

I met York Beekeeper Julia Mander and Guy Wallbanks of York and Ryedale Friends of the Earth today to discuss their concerns about the declining populations of bees.   Bee numbers have fallen dramatically in the UK in recent years, … More…

I visited Newgate Market in York today to sample some Yorkshire produce and celebrate Yorkshire Day with some of the market’s stall holders and customers.  I was accompanied on my tour of the market by Councillor Sonja Crisp, City of … More…

Today I visited Derwenthorpe, the new housing development on the eastern outskirts of York which is being built by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) in partnership with City of York Council.   I met Nigel Ingram, Director of Development … More…

I have received a letter (dated 24 July) from the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Yorkshire and Humberside which confirms that a Crown Prosecution Service team will be maintained in York.   I have been calling on … More…

In response to the recent debate in the House of Commons in which I called on the Government to refund to Air Ambulance services the VAT which they pay on fuel, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mark Hoban MP, said … More…