Congratulations to all our young people who have been picking up their A Level Results and G.C.S.E results recently. Before G.C.S.E. results day on Wednesday I was invited to hear this wave of National Citizens Service (NCS) Students pitch their social action projects and plans. Not only does NCS give valuable experience to young people but it gives them vital skills in project management and presentation. The two presentations I saw by both groups being hosted at Lancaster and Morecambe College were really impressive. They were both organising fundraising activities at the NCS Open Day at Williamson’s Park on the 27th August. One group were fundraising for NMO Research Foundation UK, a rare condition that affects the spinal cord and the nerves of the eyes (optic nerves) and the other team were fundraising for the local Cancer Care team. I hope both teams had a successful day’s fundraising.
I have been made aware of a letter signed by some local MPs, of which I was not a signatory, asking Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock MP to investigate concerns in the urology department at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust ,raised from a book written by a former employee of the Trust.
Following being made aware of this letter I have had an urgent meeting with Trust Chief Executive Aaron Cummins and I am confident that the Trust has taken necessary action to address the concerns that have been raised.
I have also spoken to Secretary of State Matt Hancock to inform him that concerns arising from this publication have been addressed by the Trust.
Whilst this goes on it is important to recognise the hard work of all our urology staff and the good work good care and positive outcomes the staff have achieved for our patients locally.
In a further boost to the nuclear sector, the Government recently announced they are proposing to invest up to £18 million of government money in the creation of innovative mini nuclear power stations which are smaller and less expensive to build than traditional nuclear plants. A consortium led by Rolls-Royce has proposed a significant joint investment of more than £500 million focused on designing a first-of-a-kind small modular reactor (SMR). The consortium expects to more than match any government funding both by direct investment and by raising funds from third party organisations. A working model is expected to be up and running in the early 2030s, creating 40,000 jobs at its peak, with each power station producing enough clean energy to power 750,000 homes.
This is an important next step in the development of SMRs. Rolls-Royce has been pursuing a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design for the UK and global export markets and their consortium has been in due diligence with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
This is an important step as Rolls Royce have been looking at Heysham 3 as one of the sites they would like to develop a Small Modular Reactor. Any advance in this technology only advances talks to develop our site in Heysham. I will continue to conduct talks with all companies who are interested in developing in Heysham, but this is an exciting step for this new technology and could bring the development of a Small Modular Reactor in Heysham closer.
If you are a constituent and would like my help with an issue please do not hesitate to contact me. You can do so either by email david.morris.mp@parliament.uk or by phone 01524 841225. Please make sure you include your full postal address to allow me to respond to your