In March, I co-sponsored an event in the House of Commons with Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer, on behalf of Visit York to highlight York as a leading destination for business tourism.

The “York Minster To Westminster” event was attended by over 70 conference and event buyers from London and the South, and international buyers who regularly book business events in the UK.  It was held as part of an ongoing campaign to boost conference and events business into York and has resulted in inquiries worth around £150,000 from businesses and organisations from around the world who are interested in bringing their events to York.  These inquiries will be followed up by Visit York, to try to turn them into investment in the city.

York is a great destination with good rail connections, situated less than 2 hours by rail from London.  York has an enormous variety of unique venues for conferences and other events and hotels and attractions that make the city a conference destination with a difference.  York’s tourism will be boosted hugely if the city becomes a major conference and events centre.

Photo: Hugh Bayley MP and Julian Sturdy MP meet Gillian Cruddas, Chief Executive of Visit York, before the “York Minster To Westminster” event in the House of Commons, (photograph taken by Kippa Matthews), 13 March 2013

I fear these problems will get worse because the increase in funding for the NHS is not keeping pace with the ever growing number of elderly patients.  According to figures published in January in answer to a Parliamentary Question, patients served by the new Vale of York Care Commissioning Group will receive less funding than people in other parts of North Yorkshire.  Patients in Ryedale and Scarborough, for example, will receive 17.5% more funding – £1,234 per person on average, compared to £1,050 per person in York – even though the hospital and community health services in both places are provided by the same NHS Foundation Trust.

I attended a meeting last month of the York Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which has written to the Health Secretary to complain that the new CCG has inherited a historical debt from the PCT of between £10 and £12 million.  This, coupled with the second lowest allocation per head of the population in the north of England, is of considerable concern and I am pressing for a debate in the House of Commons to discuss this issue.

The York Mosque (the York branch of the UK Islamic mission) has strong links with the local community.  Members are encouraged to integrate with York residents and they play an active role in all walks of life.  York Mosque is a charity and it provides a peaceful place of worship together with schooling for Muslim children in their faith.  The new building will provide a range of opportunities for York residents – both Muslim and non-Muslim – and it has an interfaith room to allow local people, school groups and other interested parties to visit the Mosque and use the room as a central point.

The new two storey eco friendly Mosque will include prayer facilities for 600 worshippers and it has full wheelchair access and facilities for the disabled.

I have had a long association with the Mosque since my election as MP for the City of York back in 1992.  It is a well respected Muslim faith group and it has strong links with the local community.

The fundraising campaign for the new Mosque is going well and so far over £195,000 has been raised.  This is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate everyone who is involved.  I look forward to visiting the Mosque to look round the new building when it is complete.

York High School encourages all Year 8 students to spend a day volunteering in the community and one of the ways they can get involved is to spend a few hours collecting for the Foodbank at the Waitrose Supermarket in Foss Islands Road.  As customers enter the store they are given a shopping list and they are asked to buy one or two items from the list to donate to York Foodbank.  The young people then collect the items and arrange for them to be sent to the Gateway Centre for distribution.

In the last twelve months Trussell Trust Foodbanks have seen the biggest rise in numbers given emergency food since the charity began in 2000.  Almost 350,000 people in the UK have received at least three days’ emergency food from the Foodbanks, nearly 100,000 more than anticipated and close to triple the number helped in 2011/12.  A sharp rise in the cost of living has resulted in more people seeking emergency assistance and the impact of the Government’s welfare reforms could see numbers increasing further in 2013/14.

The Trussell Trust is currently launching three new Foodbanks every week to help meet demand and it has launched 345 UK Foodbanks to date in partnership with churches and local communities.

The food bank based at the Gateway Centre in Acomb opened in November 2012.  Since it opened 401 food vouchers have been redeemed and these have provided food for 789 people.  More than 5000kg of food has been issued.

Thousands of people across the country are turning to food banks to help feed their families.  Some are on a low income whilst others are affected by redundancy or with delays to their benefits payments.  Many families are only a couple of pay packets away from a financial crisis and it can happen to anyone.

The food bank is a really worthwhile cause and I am glad the students from York High School are supporting it.  The young people are doing a fantastic job and people in need will benefit as a result.

York station staff have also helped East Coast to deliver its best ever results in the National Passenger Survey.  East Coast achieved a 92% overall satisfaction rating in the most recent survey carried out in Autumn 2012 by Passenger Focus – the highest score on this franchise at any time since the survey was first launched in Autumn 1999.

The Secure Stations Scheme was launched in 1998 and is designed to establish and standardise good security practices at both overground and underground rail stations.  It was developed after Department for Transport research showed that waiting at stations was a particular concern for passengers, particularly after dark, and especially for women and young people.

The scheme is primarily about improving personal security at stations for passengers and staff but it also encourages Train Operating Companies to work with other agencies to improve the whole journey for passengers.

The Department for Transport and the British Transport Police jointly direct the scheme with the British Transport Police acting as the Independent Accreditor.  The Department for Transport administers the scheme and acts as the Accreditation Agency.  Whilst it is a voluntary scheme, rail franchises now contain a contractual requirement for the franchisees to improve stations and get them accredited as a Secure Station.  The scheme accredits those stations that have introduced a comprehensive package of security measures aimed at cutting down crime and helping to reassure passengers and staff.  The national standards relate to such measures as staff training, Help Points, CCTV, lighting and information.  A passenger survey is also carried out.

Dennis Middleton, the Station Manager at York, and the team have worked hard with the British Transport Police to get the station re-accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme.  Railway stations can be lonely places, especially early in the morning or late at night when there are few people about and women and young people can feel particularly vulnerable.  Improvements to the station, such as the installation of CCTV and additional lighting, will make everyone, including the staff, feel safer and at ease.

York Station is one of the most important stations in the country and thousands of people pass through it every day.  It is reassuring for residents and visitors to know that York station is one of the safest in the country. This is a great achievement and I congratulate everyone who is involved.

My exchange with the Minister was as follows:

Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): What help are the Government giving to smaller local authorities away from metropolitan areas, to introduce smart ticketing to make bus journeys more convenient and cheaper, and to get more people on to buses?

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Norman Baker): We have seen a significant roll-out of smart ticketing, but I agree that it is more difficult for small local authority areas.  The Department for Transport budget allocates £15 million to pick up on small bus operators in particular, to ensure that they are not left behind and to retain diversity of supply in the bus industry.

In York, as part of the Better Bus Area Fund bidding process, the council has worked with Metro to incorporate an “optional” element in to a wider smart ticketing bid to the Department for Transport.  The Department for Transport has agreed to this element and the council has been allocated £0.65 million to implement the infrastructure for the delivery of smart ticketing in York.

The following bus companies are now operating ITSO compliant (the national agreed standard for smart ticket machines): First (city service buses), Transdev/Coastliner, and EYMS.  Stephensons, Harrogate Coach Travel and Utopia have been leased machines by the council which could enable them to operate through an arrangement with Yorcard.

The council is also working with operators, regional authority partners and Yorcard to transfer the current fleet of Park & Ride vehicles on to an ITSO platform.  Further plans include putting the YOzone (proof of age card) on to a smart platform with the opportunity for young people to store a travel entitlement on the cards and developing a smart carnet of all York day tickets which will be available for purchase and top up off bus.

If the council can secure the funding it plans to sell Smart tickets from electronic on street kiosks, various outlets including universities and colleges and Payzone points.

Nearly all our major cities offer a system of smart ticketing and I want residents in York to have the same benefits.  I congratulate City of York Council in securing funding for this.

Smart ticketing has many advantages, it speeds up boarding times and reduces queuing because passengers can put credit on their card before they get on the bus and they no longer have to count out their change.  Bus operators can also run their own loyalty schemes and offer ticket types to suit individual customers needs.

My exchange with the Minister was as follows:

Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): What obligation will be placed on any future holder of the east coast main line rail franchise to co-operate with High Speed 2 to ensure that classic compatible train services connect the north-east and York to High Speed 2.

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Mr Simon Burns): Where future rail franchises interact with HS2, we will ensure that the two are complementary.

Hugh Bayley: I welcome the Government’s decision that classic compatible trains will run on the high-speed line to Leeds and then continue up the east coast main line, but the east coast train operator might well see that as unwelcome competition. Therefore, the terms of a franchise for the new east coast train operator, whoever gets it, must include a provision that allows it to profit from getting the high-speed trains running over the east coast tracks as soon as possible.

Mr Burns: I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising a valid and interesting point. He is absolutely right that that will have to be looked at. Fortunately, we have time on our side. I can assure him that between now and when High Speed 2 begins operating on phase 2 in 2032-33, this will be looked into fully in order to avoid the very problems he identifies.

I want the Government to make it a condition of the new East Coast Main Line rail franchise that the new holder has to work with High Speed 2 to ensure that the classic compatible trains link with the East Coast Main Line at York.  The franchise holder needs a financial stake in HS2.  Maybe the two companies should share ticket revenue for the high speed Services which run on the East Coast Main Line tracks.

In his response to my Parliamentary Question, the Minister says we have time on our side.  However, it is important for the new franchise to work with High Speed 2 as soon as the contract is awarded so that the two companies can work together on planning how their services will interact.  There is a need for continuity whilst the changes are taking place so that rail passengers continue to receive a good service.

I met Caroline White, Chief Executive at the Youth Hostels Association, today to have a tour of the newly refurbished Youth Hostel in Water End, Clifton.

York Youth Hostel has benefitted from a £1.95 million investment by the Youth Hostelling charity which aims to create a world-class network of Youth Hostels in England and Wales and change the outdated perception of its accommodation.  The charity’s significant investment in its network is helping to modernise the premises and create a facility which is proving particularly popular with young families looking for great value, child friendly breaks.

As part of the Youth Hostels Association investment in the York hostel, it now has a new reception and bar and it has upgraded its restaurant.  YHA York has also been extended to increase the number of bedrooms from 37 to 45, providing accommodation for 205 guests.

The site has also undergone full redecoration and has improved public facilities and communal spaces.  There is an enhanced educational offer for schools, including secure zoned areas, to maximise child and group safety and security whilst on site, as well as educational and conference rooms with a full audio visual solution, each accommodating up to 80 people.

Many people have told me they are holidaying in the UK this year because they cannot afford to travel abroad.  Youth hostels offer different types of accommodation, all at an affordable price.  York is one of the most historically and culturally rich cities in the country.  The Youth Hostel opens it up to many people who could not otherwise afford to visit.  It also caters for school groups and provides a safe environment for them.

Everyone deserves a break once in a while and the Youth Hostels Association has done wonderful work in ensuring York is a viable option for everyone.  The refurbishment looks great and I hope it encourages lots of tourists to stay here.

Photo: Hugh Bayley MP with Caroline White (Chief Executive of the Youth Hostels Association) at York Youth Hostel, 22 April 2013

The Dolly House is a facility that the York Animal Home has wanted for some time and has been made possible by a bequest from the late Mrs Doris (Dolly) Stericker.  The building is named after her.

The Dolly House is a purpose built wooden cabin constructed to high environmental standards and will generate its own electricity and collect rainwater for use around the home.

The new facility is a great idea.  It allows families to get to know their new pet in a home environment without having to worry about other people or animals being present.  I was delighted to join Dolly’s daughter, Barbara Boyce (who is also a Trustee at the RSPCA) to open the Dolly House today.

Inspector Drummond is the Safer Neighbourhood Area Inspector and he oversees safer neighbourhood policing in the West of York.  I was accompanied on my tour by Sergeant Roy Brown who works within the Community Safety Department of North Yorkshire Police and PCSO, Dave Hale.  Dave Hale set up the scheme in Beckfield Lane and was helped by Natasha Hardy, who is the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator and chair of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee.  Antony Baldwin, a police volunteer who works at the front desk at Acomb police station, was also present.

I congratulate Inspector Drummond and the team for setting up the Beckfield Lane Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.  Acomb is a relatively safe area but there are still problems with anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and vehicle crime.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes are a tremendous help to the police.  They teach people how to protect themselves and their property and they can reduce the fear of crime by helping to provide improved home security, greater vigilance and the reporting of suspicious characters or incidents.  The new scheme will help reduce crime and everyone in the Beckfield Lane area will benefit as a result of this.