JILL MORTIMER: It is imperative that our nuclear power station is replaced

I contributed to the Westminster Hall Roundtable on Carbon Capture and Storage – The UK’s first decarbonised industrial cluster, the East Coast Cluster, will be partly based in our region at Net Zero Teesside. Not only does this decision represent great strides forward in the Government’s plan to reach Net Zero by 2050, but it will bring tens of thousands of jobs to the North East, giving Hartlepool residents the opportunity to pursue high-skilled, well-paid work.

The Roundtable Debate also gave me a change to reference my campaign for a new nuclear reactor at Hartlepool Power Station. The Station currently provides 2.3 million homes with low-carbon electricity as well as further job and apprenticeship opportunities to local people. It is therefore imperative that the nuclear reactor is replaced, and that the Government continues to invest in our nuclear technologies – to this end, I have recently written to Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to lobby for a replacement reactor.

This week has also seen multiple announcements of Government funding which will benefit Hartlepool:

Our new Household Support fund allocates £993,021 for Hartlepool. I know this package will help vulnerable families across our town meet their daily needs including food bills and utilities. To enquire further about this fund, or other available funds such as the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payment, contact Hartlepool Borough Council.

The Government has also announced a £310 million investment for Tees Valley Transport, to improve local rail, bus, cycle and road networks. Many of my constituents have contacted me about local transport, particularly via train, and so I am delighted that the Government is delivering on its promises regarding Levelling Up transport. This cash injection will help to provide a more reliable transport network, allowing improved connections between Hartlepool and the rest of the Tees Valley. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this makes for those who rely on public transport for commuting or simply to get around our town!