Alex Cunningham

Alex Cunningham is the Labour Party MP for Stockton North. Alex Cunningham MP www.parliament.uk, accessed 2 March 2015 Cunningham became MP in May 2010 with a majority of 6,676 and was re-elected in 2015 with an increased majority of 8,367. Alex Cunningham Express, accessed 20 May 2015 
==Activities==
Alongside his parliamentary role, Cunningham is also a member of the One North East regional development agency board and a non-executive director of the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. Alex Cunningham politics.co.uk, accessed 2 March 2015 
He has served on the work and pensions select committee since 2010 and in 2011 he served on the Armed Forces Bill. 
He was a member of the education committee, and parliamentary private secretary to the former shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan. Alex Cuningham MP Democracy Live BBC, accessed 2 March 2015 
==Background==
A journalist by profession, Cunningham worked in newspapers and radio before entering in to a career in communications and public relations namely as head of communications for Transco the gas pipeline company.
When Cunningham entered politics he first served as the north eastern chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council from 2002 to 2008. He was also very active in the Stockton North Constituency Labour Party, as their press officer from 1984–2010, vice chairman and secretary between 1985 and 1995 as well as being its chairman from 1995 to 2000. 
==Stance on fracking==
In 2013, Cunningham said on the government's support of fracking:
:'They have not proved the case yet for fracking in the UK, particularly in close proximity to where people live and while it may be an industrial area, Teesside is pretty compact. We need to make sure that the impact on the environment and on the water table is tried and tested before we allow anything to go ahead.' Janet Gleeson, Investigation must come before fracking says North Yorkshire MP, Darlington & Stockton Times, 12 August 2013, accessed 23 December 2016. 
Cunningham's constituency includes one oil and gas licence block, awarded to Third Energy by the Oil and Gas Authority under the 14th licensing round in 2015. There are no plans or applications currently underway. Oil and gas: licensing rounds, GOV.uk, accessed 14 November 2016. 
===Voting record===
Cunningham has an inconsistent voting record on fracking. TheyWorkForYou | Alex Cunningham, TheyWorkForYou, accessed 22 December 2016. 
*26 January 2015: voted in favour of making fracking companies apply for an environmental permit before conducting exploratory drilling. He was absent for a vote on an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill to include an 18 month moratorium on fracking.
*11 February 2015: voted against requiring more pre-conditions for where fracking can take place.
*16 December 2015: voted against weakening regulations on fracking in protected areas and national parks.
==Affiliations==
*All-Party Parliamentary Group on Parents and FamiliesParents and Families APPG,www.parliament.uk, accessed 16 November 2015
*Chemical Industry All-Party Parliamentary Group - Vice-chair Chemical Industry APPG Register Feb 16, www.parliament.uk, accessed 18 February 2016
==Notes==
Cunningham, AlexCunningham, Alex Cunningham, AlexCunningham, AlexCunningham, Alex