A NORTH-EAST MP has challenged ministers to speed up the delivery of Lord Heseltine's report – ‘Tees Valley: Opportunity Unlimited’.

Speaking in Parliament, Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said as of yet many of the report’s recommendations are yet to be acted on by government.

The Labour MP said that within days of publication the government ruled out electrifying the Northallerton to Teesport rail line, a key transport recommendation in the report, at least until after 2022.

In response to Mr Blenkinsop’s question Andrew Percy, the new Northern Powerhouse minister, said the recommendations highlighted would be implemented in the near future, and work to do so had already begun.

However, Mr Blenkinsop was not convinced. He said: “As I warned at the time of the report, there is a real danger that the report’s recommendations are just ignored by Government. There are no guarantees and it’s up to Teesside MPs to push ministers to act.

“The new Northern Powerhouse minister seems more willing to listen and work towards meeting the Government’s previous pledges and Lord Heseltine’s recommendations.

“I welcome the funding given the Tees Valley, but the minister is wrong if he thinks the recommendations are being followed through.

"The National Teaching Service has not yet been rolled out in Teesside, the government has not yet developed a new plan for Carbon Capture and Storage – which has a lot of potential in the Tees Valley – and Lord Heseltine has himself cast doubt on whether the government will fully fund the SSI clear up operation.

“I hope the minister is right and all these commitments will eventually be met. I will keep raising these issues in parliament to make sure they are.”