Going into the #EasterWeekend our #FrontlineHeroes are making personal sacrifices to help ensure our lives can carry on. We must help them, stay home, protect our NHS and save lives and then many more people will be able to celebrate many more Easters to come #StayHomeSaveLives
I also wanted to address reports I have been given £10,000 to work from home. This is not true. Some money has been made available to purchase office & computer equipment so my staff can deal with an unprecedented levels of casework quickly, safely & effectively from home.
I estimate I'll spend about about £1000 in total across six staff & me. Everything will be subject to receipts & reporting.
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On 1st Oct, the govt announced that it would collect, process & store all #smartmeter data, despite assurances over years that households would control access to that data. When I raised this with the Digital SoS today it was clear she had no idea what I was talking about! 🧵
Last year the Govt told me that that the "strict" Access and Privacy Framework meant households have control over who can access their energy consumption data. & 3rd parties accessing data "must have the consumer’s consent which consumers can withdraw at any time"
Way back in 2016 the then Home Secretary told me smart data “are protected, and they belong not to the Government—which some people might, not unreasonably, fear—but to the energy companies. We will always reassure consumers that privacy is at the core of delivering safe meters.”
As #COVID19 cases rise in the #NorthEast new measures have been put in place. Everyone has their part to play & Govt must play its part too, supporting people to do the right thing & get #TestandTrace working
I know these measures will cause concern and involve sacrifices for many of my constituents. It is essential that we do everything that we can to stop the spread of the virus.
We need greater local authority involvement in #TestandTrace to find where the virus is & ensure our safety. With 15 other #NorthEast Lab MPs I've written to the Govt to get urgent answers on #TestandTrace, furlough scheme, support for businesses & local authority resources.
Thanks to everyone who has signed my #NUFC petition already - over 10,000 of you! But there has been some discussion over what it will & won't do so I have clarified that chionwurahmp.com/2020/08/press-…
I will present the petition @UKParliament Govt is *obliged* to respond to me. @HoCpetitions (chaired by @CatMcKinnell ) considers Govt response & can recommend further action inc Select Committee scrutiny or Parliamentary Debate. So it keeps pressure on Govt & @premierleague
But it doesn't automatically lead to a Parliamentary Debate (need an E-petition w 100,000 signatures for that) or force @premierleague to answer questions (@CommonsDCMS chaired by @julianknight15 could do that). Hope that's a bit clearer! #NUFC
"The #OFQUAL#algorithm is a gross misuse of statistics... there is a special place in hell for those who use maths to hide rather than reveal the truth, this algorithm is hiding the achievement of this generation of young people." my @ChronicleLive blog chroniclelive.co.uk/news/news-opin…
Most people now think the #AlevelResults should not stand, whether the Govt will recognise that or not is another matter. But we shouldn't blame #algorithms for this huge injustice - like most technology they are neither good nor bad in themselves
And I don't blame those who wrote the #algorithm I do think #engineers (like me) & #datascientists should take a 'do no harm' oath like doctors, but currently there is no framework for that & they were presumably working to a spec
Good luck & best wishes to all those receiving their #AlevelResults & #vocational results today in #Newcastle & across the country. You have faced challenges no other year group has had to endure. You are to be congratulated in everything you achieve.
Hearing VERY WORRYING examples of #Newcastle#AlevelResults slashed by nationally imposed #algorithm that does not reflect individual achievement. Constituents who have suffered unfair grade cuts, get in touch. We can't allow young people's & our city's future to be so damaged.
I understand that in particular girls studying #Physics have been impacted by an algorithm which does not take into account all the work by schools (& campaigners!) to increase & widen girls participation in Physics, some losing places to study #Engineering#AlevelResults
Today Labour launches "Our Digital Future" - a consultation looking at one of the most pressing and inspiring challenges of our times - an online world which is safer, fairer and more inclusive. To make this future a reality, we need your input. 1/5
Digital is now at the heart of almost every policy area but it is not really ‘for everyone’. How can we promote digital innovation across all UK regions and nations? How can we ensure it generates good, fulfilling jobs for everyone as we build back, better? 2/5
I'm deeply moved that Ian Russell has backed our consultation. We must do far more to prevent the terrible scourge of online harms. What principles should govern our lives online and protect us all against harm? telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/1… 3/5