Newspaper column 30 December 2021 - Looking back

This is my final column of the year for 2021 and what a year it has been!

I hope you were all able to enjoy Christmas and take some time to mark this special day.

In my final column for 2021, which is written on before 23 December to fit in with the print deadlines of our local press, I wanted to look back through the year, on some of the big issues, locally and nationally that have been part of my work for you.

2021 has again been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with restrictions and changes to our lives that we would have not considered only years ago. However what separated 2021 from the previous year was the rollout of our vaccination programme, which we were able to accomplish far more quickly than our continental neighbours now we have left the EU, and get a greater percentage of our population vaccinated, quicker than virtually every other country in the world. This is a colossal achievement and thank you to everyone in our NHS, armed forces and volunteers who have done their bit in making the programme such a success.

Away from COVID-19 the UK hosted two major global conferences this year, the G7 and COP26. Cornwall was put in the world’s spotlight in the first of these major events, with the G7 Leaders Summit hosted at Carbis Bay, and in particular the world’s media was lucky enough to be based in Falmouth for the duration. This was an incredible opportunity for Cornwall to shine, and shine we did, putting our best foot forward on the world stage and showcasing everything we have to offer. I was delighted to meet several of the world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, and it was brilliant to talk to these VIP’s about what Cornwall has to offer, as well as some of the challenges we face.

Over the summer I was pleased to once again highlight the work of an important charity, this time Cornwall Wildlife Trust, with a coast to coast fundraising walk from the sunny south coast at Portholland to the equally sunny north coast at Perranporth. This was a fantastic day and it was great to walk through so many of our communities and meet local people along the way, dropping into the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s HQ, and talking about their work, and raising over £1,000 from generous donors. I look forward to planning another effort for 2022.

Over the summer I also ran the first of my constituency village tours, using the summer break from Parliament to hold several well-attended constituency advice surgeries in villages around our constituency  - something which restrictions did not allow me to hold in 2020 but which I hope will become a regular occurrence in the future – part of my work to make myself as accessible as possible for the people I am there to serve and represent.

Throughout the year I have been pleased to continue to successfully work with the Government to bring more funding to Cornwall, in particular funding to keep the streets safer in Falmouth and Penryn, money to upgrade and create new facilities at Tresliske, funding to regenerate Truro through the Towns Fund, money to help keep some of our most beloved attractions and culture and heritage venues open with the Culture Recovery Fund, and in particular funding for the Hall for Cornwall, which has now reopened, and the continued dualling of the A30 which is now well under way. There will always be more to do, and I am committed to doing all I can to ensure Truro and Falmouth continues to get our fair share of Government money now and in the future.

Finally I have to give a big thanks to my Constituency Office and Parliamentary team who have worked incredibly hard to support me and our constituency over the past year. They have had another really busy year, often having to work in challenging circumstances, and have responded to  over 18,000 enquiries during this time. Thank you so much to all who have worked for during this time Jordan, James, Karen, Ruth, Huw, Jack and Toni, I could not do my job without you as my support.

For next week’s column I will be looking forward to 2022 and the work I hope to be doing for you next year. In the meantime, may I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Newspaper column 23 December - Christmas message

Well Parliament has now risen for the Christmas Recess and this is my penultimate column of 2021.

What with the new Omnicron variant and the additional measures it has sadly been necessary for us all to take to help prevent its spread and assist our NHS in getting as many people to get their booster as possible, December has been a challenging month to cap off a difficult year.

Again, in the past week I have been blown away by the continued work of our local NHS, community pharmacies, and volunteers in doing their best to ensure the vaccine programme has been running at full capacity. I have requested and received walk-in booster sites in Truro and Falmouth that have been in operation regularly over the past week, and we must all do our bit to get behind the vaccine programme to ensure we can all be protected.

As of Saturday, national figures showed that more than 27million people have now had their booster vaccine, with daily figures of more than 800,000 people getting their booster jab a day. 47.2% of the population over the age of 12 have now had their booster vaccination, a colossal acheivement, and I would like to thank all those who have played their part in getting us this far.

In the last week of Parliament as well as my normal work as MP, I also spent time sitting on the Committee for the Finance Bill, the mechanism for renewing annual taxes, delivering new tax proposals and maintaining administration of the tax system, I met with the Health Minister to discuss additional support for Treliske Hospital, had the last meeting of the year of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss, and met with the team at the Knowledge Spa at Treliske. I also had my final constituency advice surgery of the year to discuss everything from climate change to Brexit with local residents.

As Parliament has now risen for the Recess, I will be hoping to spend some time with my family over Christmas, not just celebrating the meaning of this festive holiday but also reflecting back over the past year, while looking forward to what is to come in 2022. I hope you are all able to have some time to mark the day and celebrate it in the way you choose to.

My thanks as ever, to those who will be working over this time, our emergency services, NHS, carers, and armed forces (who have also been of magnificent service with the additional booster measures), as well as others, who do their bit, now and always to keep our country running all year round.

May I wish all readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and health New Year.

My office will be closing from midday on Thursday 23rd December and will reopen on Tuesday 4^th January. I’d like to thank my excellent Constituency and Parliamentary team for their hard work on my behalf over another difficult year. You can still email me at cheriyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk and my team and I will get back to you as soon as we are able to.

Newspaper column 16 December 2021 - New Covid Measures and the Booster Programme

They say that a week is a long time in politics, and this past week has also shown that this is also the case in our fight against COVID-19.

As I write this, on Tuesday 14 December, in Parliament we will, this evening, be voting on new COVID-19 regulations, which were formalised yesterday evening, and announced by our Prime Minister on Sunday night.

This was in response to the continued and rapid spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. On Sunday, the UK reported 1,239 additional confirmed cases of Omicron - the highest daily rise and nearly double the previous high recorded on Saturday. As of Monday, the total number of cases of the variant stood at 3,137 in the UK.

On Monday, Sajid Javid, the Health and Social Care Secretary told us that the Omicron variant now represented 20% of cases in England - and was expected to become the dominant variant in London within 48 hours.

The measures we are voting on today (Tuesday) ’Plan B’, are:

·         The new rules on face masks which came into force last week. Under these restrictions, face coverings have become compulsory in most indoor settings, except for pubs and restaurants.

·         The introduction of a Covid pass which would ensure that someone can enter a large venue, if they can prove they are fully vaccinated or have a negative lateral flow test. This is not the same as a vaccine passport, as you do not need to prove you are vaccinated in order to attend events.

·         A measure allowing fully-vaccinated people who have been exposed to a positive Covid case to avoid self-isolation if they take daily lateral flow tests, and receive a negative result.

These measures contain very limited restrictions compared to measures in force across Europe and in particular, the final measure described above, actually provides less restrictions than we have had previously, in allowing people who take daily lateral flow tests with negative results to avoid isolation and get on with their day to day lives – this has to be welcomed.

On balance I will be supporting these measures, although I am disappointed that they need to be considered. We will review and vote again in the New Year and hopefully the situation will be different. It has taken me many days to decide what to. I have spoken to many constituents and the feeling is genuinely mixed, but the majority feel we are not out of this yet.

I don’t want restrictions to go on and on and there has to be an end point. As much as I wanted us to be there, we are not quite there yet.

Our response to the Omicron variant has to be led by our vaccination programme. The Prime Minister and NHS England have launched an urgent national Omicron appeal for the public to Get Boosted Now, all adults will now be offered a booster jab by the New Year, bringing the target forward by one month.

The NHS will be given everything it needs to get jabs in arms as the UK responds to the Omicron variant, which will include:

·         New vaccination sites set up across the country, including mobile pop-up sites, which I am pushing for additional capacity locally in Truro and Falmouth

·         Increasing opening times for vaccination sites, to 7 days a week with more appointments early in the morning, in the evening and at weekends

·         50 military planning experts will help coordinate the national effort by supporting the NHS with logistics of the rollout

·         Reprioritising the NHS workforce to deliver as many jabs as possible

·         A national call for thousands more NHS volunteers

Cornwall has a duty to do what it can to protect Treliske Hospital from becoming overwhelmed. They are doing a magnificent job. On Monday the senior leadership met with Health Minister Ed Argar to discuss what more the Government can do to support them.

The discussion centred around technical operational ideas, already being used successfully in other parts of the country and the Team at RCHT are now connected with the right colleagues in Government and around the country to help introduce some of these to improve things for us here in Cornwall.

I urge all eligible people to get their boosters through the gov.uk website as soon as possible, so we can all do our bit in beating the virus, support our NHS, and hopefully enjoy Christmas!

Newspaper column 25 November 2021 - The Health and Care Bill

Last week was a busy and varied one. In Parliament I was able to take part in several debates as well as asking questions of Ministers. These included a debate on road traffic offences, speaking up on behalf of Ryan Saltern, a Cornish resident who was killed in a road incident, with the driver failing to report the crash for 36 hours. I sat on the Bill Committee for the Kept Animals Bill and also presented a Bill to Parliament on banning glue traps – a horrific method of pest control. In Defence Questions I also questioned the Minister on plans to have Falmouth benefit from the Government’s record investment in our defence programme.

This week the Health and Care Bill comes back to Parliament. The Health and Care Bill is another major part of the Government’s strategy, and builds on both proposals set out by the NHS for change in its Long Term Plan, as well as incorporating valuable lessons learnt from the pandemic that will benefit both staff and patients.

Our government is committed to delivering world-class care for patients and this Bill will help deliver that by building on the NHS’ own proposals for reform to make it less bureaucratic, more accountable, and more integrated in the wake of COVID-19.

These changes are vital to help our NHS build back better from the pandemic and it follows extensive discussions with NHS England, the Local Government Association and the health and care sector to refine this blueprint.

COVID-19 has reinforced the need for closer collaboration between the NHS, local authorities like Cornwall Council, and care providers to provide more joined up working. By necessity we saw during the pandemic that staff and patients were able to rapidly adopt new technologies to deliver better care. But at times in recent years the legal framework our system has to work within has made this more difficult, as it was not designed with this type of collaboration in mind.

The Bill ensures each part of England has an Integrated Care Board and an Integrated Care Partnership responsible for bringing together local NHS and local government, such as social care, mental health services and public health advice, to deliver joined up care for its local population. Clinicians, carers and public health experts will be empowered to operate collaboratively across health and care, as part of plans to tackle inequalities and level up health across the country. The Bill also introduces measures to tackle obesity and improve dentistry, which remains a big issue in Cornwall.

It will dispose of unnecessary bureaucracy that has held the health service back so that health and care staff can focus on patients, not paperwork, and ensure the system is able to flex to changing needs in the years to come. It will ensure NHS England is more accountable to government, and by extension Parliament, while ensuring our NHS retains everyday operational and clinical oversight. I look forward to seeing this Bill continuing to progress through Parliament this week and eventually come into law to improve health and care standards for all, as well as allowing our NHS and care providers the flexibilities to be the best they can be.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 18 November 2021 - Remembrance and COP26

This past week culminated in Remembrance Sunday, where as a nation we collectively commemorate all those veterans, past and present, who have given the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country, as well as saying a big thank you to all currently serving or have served in the armed forces.

Due to the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, last year there were no formal services of remembrance and so this year was the first time I have been involved in them locally as a Member of Parliament.

In London I was honoured to place a tribute for James 'Little' Finn and all the fallen of Truro and Falmouth in the House of Commons Constituency Garden of Remembrance. James ‘Little’ Finn VC was born at St Clement and was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, for conspicuous bravery rescuing comrades under fire during World War 1, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was later killed in action in that same conflict.

On Remembrance Sunday I took part in Civic Services and Acts of Remembrance at Falmouth and in Truro. After the sad but necessary lack of formal events last year, it was good to see our communities turning out in such numbers to support their veterans and remember the past sacrifices. The parades were organised incredibly well and I would like to take the opportunity to thank both Falmouth Town Council and Truro City Council, as well as the Royal British Legion, veterans and all organisations involved for making them so memorable.

Last week also saw the climax of the United Nations COP26 climate conference, which the UK was hosting from Glasgow. Over the weekend we saw the Glasgow Climate Pact signed, which is the most significant climate change pact since the landmark Paris Agreement and first-ever climate deal to explicitly plan to reduce coal consumption, the worst fossil fuel for greenhouse gases.

Alongside the Glasgow Climate Pact, other major commitments from the COP26 summit include a commitment from many more nations to supercharge their race to zero emissions for 2030 by next year, the commitment to double funding for developing nations to adapt to climate change by 2025, as well as boosting up the agenda, plans about how to pay for the loss and damage that climate change inflicts on developing countries. The conference also saw delegates agree rules on carbon offset markets, which the last two COPs tried and failed to finalise, as well as the agreement of more than 130 countries, including Brazil, to protect up to 90 per cent of our forests.

This is a colossal achievement that many did not possible. While it is not perfect, and it is disappointing that we could not get approval for coal to be ‘phased out’ instead of ‘phased down’ in the wording of the pact, the pact and other outcomes from COP26 are still a major step in the right direction in the fight against climate change, and it is tribute to the hosting of the UK and the  leadership shown by our government that we made it such a success.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column - November 11 2021 - Latest on the Environment Bill

This past Monday saw MPs vote again on the latest revisions to the Government’s landmark Environment Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament.

A lot has been said in recent weeks about a vote on a particular amendment from the House of Lords that called for the immediate banning of all sewage releases into our rivers from our antiquated water infrastructure. This proposal was completely un-costed and, while the end goal to achieve this is a fine one, realistically it is simply not going to happen overnight.

I was subsequently sorry to see MP’s and their offices who voted for the Government proposals and against the un-costed amendment subject to abuse from people who had either not read or understood the proposed changes, or were purely trying play political games. We were told that we had voted to allow or even increase the dumping of sewage into our waterways, when in fact what we had voted for was for more protection for these vital assets for our country than we have ever seen before.

The Government amendment passed on Monday in fact goes further than the previous Lords Amendments proposed.

On Monday I voted to ensure seeking to ensure there is a legal duty on water companies such as South West Water to progressively reduce the adverse impact of sewage discharges. This is what the amendment provides for, requiring water companies to reduce the impact of sewage discharges on the environment and public health, which will really help surfers and swimmers.

This will combine with the existing provisions in the Environment Bill for each water company to produce a statutory Drainage and Sewerage Management Plan every five years, which will set out how such reduction in sewage discharges will be achieved and funded.  There is also a power of direction for government to direct water companies in relation to actions in those plans if they are not good enough.

Claims that the amendment weakens existing legislation are wrong. The water companies have an existing duty to treat sewage “effectually”, which has existed since 1991, and the new amendment does not replace nor override this duty.

The problem has been that the Environment Agency and OFWAT have failed to use their existing powers (which remain and which provide the enforcement mechanism for this new duty) to enforce that duty over the last 30 years.

The amendment that has passed now means DEFRA will be giving OFWAT an order for water companies to  increase their capital expenditure on water treatment from January 2022.

It also puts, among other things, a new duty on Government to produce a statutory plan to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows and their adverse impact, and report to Parliament on progress as well as the power for the government to direct water companies in relation to the actions in their Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans. The Government will not hesitate to use this power of direction if plans from the water companies are not good enough.

As a lifelong environmentalist, founding member of the Conservative Environment Network and Deputy Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ocean Conservation, I take these matters very seriously indeed. It is a shame to see previous attempts to do much good by this bill twisted and attacked by those who seek to misinterpret earlier votes for political gain. However I am clear that what we need is a realistic and achievable plan to get to the clean water goal that we all want to see, and that is what these amendments, and the Environment Bill ultimately, seek to achieve. I look forward to scrutinising progress as part of future water quality enquiries via my work on the Environmental Audit Select Committee.

Newspaper column 21 October 2021 - Tributes to a fallen colleague

Last Friday we were all shocked and saddened to hear of the murder of my MP colleague Sir David Amess, while at a constituency advice surgery in his constituency.

Sir David was an utter gentleman and my thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and team.

MP advice surgeries are done so we can be approachable and help those who are vulnerable, and want questions and concerns addressed. Just earlier that morning I had held my own advice surgery in Truro.

This terrible incident has again made people ask if Members of Parliament should continue seeing people face to face in surgery-style events. We have to remember that as awful as this incident, and others such as the tragic murder of Jo Cox in 2016, have been, that the vast majority of people in this country are kind and generous and just want to get on with their lives. While I was in Truro at the weekend I was approached by many people who wished to pass on their condolences and were shocked at what had happened, and I know full well that the vast, vast majority of people would never countenance such actions.

As well as holding my regular MP constituency advice surgeries, which I restarted earlier this year when covid regulations allows for them, over the summer I also held a village tour, which I hope to become an annual event, and the people attending these events were again overwhelmingly positive. It is so important that we are allowed to continue these meetings, bringing us as your elected representatives into direct contact with the people we have been elected representatives is such an important part of our democracy.

I recently sat on the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly for the first time and I was struck by in how much respect our own democracy is looked at by some of our neighbours, how the fact that we as MPs can directly meet with our public is seen as a privilege and it is not something we should take for granted.

On a wider scale, as a society, I believe that everybody has to come together and think about why we are allowing society to be in fear of people, we have got to be more compassionate, promote our communities as being good and positive places to live in, and we have got to look at what brings us joy in life, rather than what brings us fear.

One thing that I think we must do is look very carefully about how we frame our debates and arguments, particularly on social media. MPs of all parties get into politics for one reason, to make the communities they serve better places. We are not there to be vilified or to be hate objects. We are people with families who don’t always agree but we are all there to do the best for the people and places we represent. From my own perspective, I do not and never have engaged in name calling or mud slinging, to opposition politicians or anyone else and try to keep all communication as positive as possible, both on social media and elsewhere.

Whatever your politics, Friday’s events were an attack on our democracy. By giving in and changing how we do business, we are letting those who would do us, as a nation, harm, win. As such, my surgeries and other meetings with you, the residents of Truro and Falmouth, will continue and you can get in touch to meet with me via email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698.

Beatrice's Bill and welfare of animals.

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding Beatrice’s Bill.

I would like to start by assuring you that I care very much about the welfare of all animals. I am pleased to tell you that my Ministerial colleagues are examining the evidence around the use of cages for farm animals and are considering the options. They have also committed to continuing to focus on maintaining world-leading farm animal welfare standards through both regulatory requirements and statutory codes.

Ministers have been clear that it is their ambition for farrowing crates to no longer be used for sows. Indeed, the new pig welfare code clearly states that “the aim is for farrowing crates to no longer be necessary and for any new system to protect the welfare of the sow, as well as her piglets.” It is important that we make progress towards a system that both works commercially and safeguards the welfare of the sow and her piglets, and that we do so as quickly as possible. I am pleased to confirm the UK is already ahead of most pig producing countries in terms of non-confinement farrowing, with around 40 per cent of our pigs housed outside and not farrowed with crates.

I recognise that the ‘enriched’ colony cage system restricts a bird’s ability to exhibit normal behaviours so I am pleased that the Government is also examining the future use of cages for all laying hens. I also welcome the commitment from our major retailers, with positive support from our egg producers, to stop retailing eggs from enriched colony cage production systems by 2025. I know that the UK already has a much larger free-range sector by far than any EU country, with over 55 per cent of our hens kept in free range systems.

I am encouraged that this Government has set itself a challenging agenda to tackle animal welfare issues and is taking action on many fronts to improve the health and wellbeing of farm animals. A major example is the commitment to end excessively long journeys for live animals going for slaughter and for fattening, which will be realised through the Kept Animals Bill now making its way through Parliament. Now we have left the EU, Ministers are also able to reward farmers for providing higher standards of animal welfare and environmental protection measures. I am pleased that Ministers have committed to co-designing an Animal Health and Welfare Pathway under this plan, which aims to promote the production of healthier, higher-welfare farm animals at a level beyond compliance with current regulations. The direction of the Pathway so far has been developed in active partnership with industry.

If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Better Buses EDM 382

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding EDM 382 and bus deregulation.

Buses are the backbone of the UK’s public transport network, being used for twice as many journeys as trains and from thousands more stopping places across the country.

As you are aware, since 1986, bussing in England outside London has been deregulated. This model hasn't always worked for passengers, which is why I am pleased the Government has committed to levelling-up bus services, tackling many of the issues that EDM 382 notes, and that Local Traffic Authorities (LTAs) face.

Through the National Bus Strategy, the Government will ensure the skillsets of both private bus operators and LTAs are brought together in either an Enhanced Partnership, or through franchising agreements. This is a welcome approach which will develop and deliver improvements for passengers and is backed by the £3 billion investment pledged in 2020. I am glad to see that all LTAs have now confirmed that they are developing one, or both approaches, and that Bus Service Improvement Plans are being developed for the 31 October deadline. This strategy will prove equally beneficial in supporting decarbonisation goals, as £120 million has already been invested in zero-emission buses this year.

This investment is in addition to the £50 million already pledged to delivering the first all-electric bus town in the UK, whilst striving towards the Prime Minister’s commitment to 4,000 new zero emission buses.

As I am sure you will agree, improving our bus services to the levels that passengers deserve is of great importance. I am therefore delighted that the Government has put forward a comprehensive plan to achieve this, strengthening the powers of our LTAs and ensuring we continue towards our goal of hitting net-zero by 2050.

If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Breast Cancer EDM 419

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch about EDM 419 and Breast cancer.

Please allow me to assure you that every effort is being made to continue raising awareness of breast cancer and to improve the treatment of all those diagnosed with this disease.

I’m delighted that breast cancer survival rates have improved remarkably over the last 40 years, with five-year survival rates for women at over 86 per cent, up from just 53 per cent in the 1970s. This is a testament to the efforts made to raise awareness of, and boost funding into tackling this disease but more must be done.

Great efforts are being made to improve cancer services and to ensure that the NHS continues to provide some of the world’s best cancer care. The NHS has launched the National Cancer Programme which committed to offering uniquely tailored cancer treatment to all patients with breast cancer by March 2021; I understand that NHS Trusts were well on track to meet this target from the latest available data, with 91 per cent by the end of 2019. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also updated its guidance on diagnosing and treating breast cancer. This guidance aims to help healthcare professionals offer the right treatments to people diagnosed with breast cancer, taking into account their individual preferences which I am encouraged will significantly improve patient experience and quality of care.

These measures form just part of the NHS’s ambitious wider strategy to improve cancer outcomes. The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) was published in January 2019 and commits to improving detection, with more targeted screening and Rapid Access Diagnostic Centres, so that in 10 years’ time these measures will help achieve 55,000 more people surviving cancer each year. Further, the LTP outlines that, where appropriate, every person diagnosed with all types of cancer, including those with secondary cancers, should have access to personalised care by March 2022.

I understand your frustration that Sacituzumab Govitecan, also known as Trodelvy is, is not yet available in our country, however, it is vital that any new drug or treatment is rigorously tested to meet the UK's high standards of medicine. I am proud that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has some of the highest standards in the world. While information on cancer drugs being considered by Project Orbis is considered commercially confidential, I would like to reassure you that the Government is committed to providing the best possible treatment not only for Triple Negative Breast Cancer, but all types of cancer.

If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Violence against Women and Girls

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding violence against women and girls.

I have always been clear that protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims is of the utmost importance. I was glad to stand on a manifesto which pledged to continue the fight against the perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

I welcome the publication of the tackling violence against women and girls strategy to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere - at home, online and on the streets. The strategy will increase support for victims and survivors, increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and to reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the long-term.

A number of measures in the strategy are focused on practical action to increase physical safety in public places. This includes a £5 Million ‘Safety of Women at Night’ Fund, in addition to the Safer Streets Fund, that focuses on the prevention of violence against women and girls in public spaces at night, including in the night-time economy. This could include targeting parks and alleyways, and routes from bars, restaurants and nightclubs. I also welcome the appointing of two new Violence Against Women and Girls Transport Champions, to drive forward positive change and tackle the problems faced by female passengers on public transport. The creation of a new online tool 'StreetSafe' is also welcome. This platform will build on the Safer Streets Fund and provide women and girls with a way to anonymously and quickly pinpoint areas where they have felt unsafe and say why – be it from a lack of lighting or CCTV or because of the people around them.

It is vital that good practice is shared and the new strategy will make this happen. The Government will introduce a new national policing lead on violence against women and girls. The lead will be the point of contact for every police force and will ensure, best practice is shared and that progress on improving the response to these crimes is being carefully monitored.

Following the tragic case of Sarah Everard, the Government reopened a call for evidence to further collect views from those with lived experience of, or views on, crimes considered as violence against women and girls. The Home Office received an unprecedented 160,000 further responses over two weeks, taking the total to over 180,000 responses which have helped shape the new strategy.

If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Newspaper column 14 October 2021 - Culture success!

 

The end of last week saw some really positive news for Cornwall after we had confirmation that our bid for Cornwall to be the UK City of Culture for 2025 passed its first hurdle and has moved onto the next stage.

The competition, delivered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport uses culture as a catalyst for levelling up areas outside London and putting new parts of the UK on the cultural map internationally.

Entrants have been tasked with proving that they can put culture at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

That we are allowed to bid as a ‘city’ is a positive move in itself, as while Truro is by default, Cornwall’s City of Culture, allowing the whole Duchy to be included in the bid together is particularly advantageous. Basically we can pull together not only everything that is special about Truro as a city, but then all the best bits from the rest of Cornwall, of which there is a massive supply, and put together a truly amazing bid.

Our bid, Cornwall 2025: Leading from the Edge, builds on Cornwall’s strong culture and heritage as well as our world class superfast broadband connectivity to accelerate the growth of our strong and nationally significant Creative Industries cluster, especially in film, gaming, virtual reality and theatre.

The theme of our bid; People, Place and Planet is focussed on our distinctive environment and a cultural response to climate change and the transition to carbon neutrality. This is the challenge of our age and we plan to use this and Cornwall’s powerful global brand to turn UK City of Culture into a global event with real purpose.

Our recent hosting of the G7, in partnership with UK Government, has highlighted our capability to deliver large scale events in the global spotlight and our cultural institutions featured strongly with visits from leaders from across the World. Similarly, the start of this year’s Tour of Britain cycling race was a triumph of public participation.

I look forward to working with all involved to develop our offer and demonstrating what everyone who lives, works here and visits already knows - that Cornwall is the creative and culture capital of the UK.

One venue that I am sure will add a great deal to both Truro and Cornwall’s cultural offer both in the short and long term is the refurbished Hall for Cornwall, which is due to reopen very shortly.

This project is something I have worked on very closely since my election in 2019, helping it get Government funding to remain on track during the pandemic and inviting senior government figures down to see the progress for themselves.

As well as a larger 1,300 seat auditorium, new performance spaces and cafes and bars, the transformed building will host an area for creative businesses to work together and grow, and new creative spaces for young people.  Together the project is forecast to add £35.6 million to the local economy and create 165 jobs.

I am delighted to see scaffolding being removed from Lemon Quay as I type, and this beautiful building restored to its prominence in Truro. My very best of luck to Julien Boast and his team for opening night and beyond, and I look forward to seeing the Hall for Cornwall once again being our premier entertainment venue going forward.

 

HS2 Debate 13th September campaign response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding the HS2 debate on 13th September.

Unfortunately, due to a prior engagement I was unable to attend.

Firstly, I would like to make it clear that the decision on HS2 was made well before I became an MP and had I been the MP at the time, I would have been opposed to it.

However, on the recommendation of the independent Oakervee review, the Prime Minister gave the go ahead to HS2, alongside major improvements to local transport networks up and down the country.

HS2 will play an important role in the UK’s transition to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. I understand that HS2 will offer some of the lowest carbon emissions per passenger km, seven times less than passenger cars and 17 times less than domestic air travel in 2030. Indeed, HS2 is expected to help reduce the number of cars and lorries on the road and cut demand for domestic flights.

It is estimated that the total carbon emissions produced by both constructing and operating Phase One for 120 years would be the same as just one month of the UK's road network.

I am also pleased that a green corridor will be created alongside the railway. This will involve the planting of seven million new trees and shrubs, including over 40 native species, along the Phase One route from London to the West Midlands.

It is welcome too that an overall £70 million funding package has also been made available to enhance community facilities, improve access to the countryside, and help improve road and cycle safety in towns and villages along the HS2 Phase One route.

If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

House of Commons Ministerial Code

Thank you to the constituents contacting me about enforcement of the Ministerial Code following accusations that Ministers have misled Parliament and Early Day Motion 383. 

The Ministerial Code is clear about the importance of Ministers providing accurate and truthful information to Parliament. Ministers who inadvertently mislead Parliament should correct the record at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister.

Responsibility for acting in accordance with the Ministerial Code lies with individual Ministers. When a breach of expected standards of behaviour occurs, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the consequences for breaching those standards.

I understand your argument in favour of requiring Parliament to enforce the Code, but I believe it is right that enforcement sits with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints the Executive and is accountable to the Sovereign for those appointments.

 If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

 cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Cambo Oil Field

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding Cambo Oil Field.

As you may know, the Cambo Oil Field was licensed in 2001 and 2004. However, consent to proceed to production is a matter for the UK’s regulators, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED). I understand that the OGA and OPRED are currently following their standard regulatory processes in relation to this case, which include a full environmental impact assessment and a public consultation. 

Although UK Ministers are taking significant steps to drive down demand for fossil fuels, I recognise that oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy mix for the foreseeable future. This is a sentiment echoed by the independent Climate Change Committee. At present, the UK is a net importer of both oil and gas so reducing domestic production would only lead to higher imports from other countries. 

My colleagues in the Scottish Parliament and I support a managed transition away from fossil fuels. However, this transition must not abandon Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland, where up to 105,000 jobs were supported by the oil and gas sector in 2019. With entire communities at stake, my MSP colleagues are calling on the Scottish Government to become a partner in the UK Government’s landmark North Sea Transition Deal. This Deal, the first of its kind within the G7, will see UK Government Ministers work with the sector and trade unions to deliver the skills, innovation and new infrastructure required to decarbonise North Sea production. 

It is clear that many of the skills present in Scotland’s oil and gas sector are transferrable. Offshore renewables, as well as the future hydrogen and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) industries rely heavily on existing skillsets within the oil and gas industry, so my MSP colleagues are calling for much greater investment in offshore wind, green hydrogen, tidal energy, hydroelectricity and CCUS. 

Given the scale of opportunity, I am disappointed by the Scottish Government’s poor record on green jobs. Despite promising in 2010 to create 130,000 Scottish green jobs by 2020, the latest statistics show that only 21,400 direct green jobs had been delivered by that time. And worse, that is down from 23,200 in 2014.

My colleagues in the Scottish Parliament have assured me that they will continue to follow the matter closely in Holyrood.

 If you would like to discuss this further or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me.

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

 

Newspaper column 7 October 2021 - Police reforms

 

Last week the horrifying and heart breaking last moments of Sarah Everhard’s life were heard at the Old Bailey.  My sincere condolences and admiration go out to Sarah’s family, who have been so very brave. 

What is so shocking about this case is that this man abused his position as a Metropolitan Police Officer and used his warrant card to ‘arrest’ Sarah for supposedly breaking lockdown rules. I, like Sarah, was raised to respect the authority of the police.  If I had been approached by this man, I would absolutely have got in his car, as would all of the women in my professional and social circles, that I have spoken with on this.  I would have worried about what I had done wrong and about what affect it would have on my life.  I would be scared I might receive a criminal record; Sarah should not have been terrified for her life. 

The subsequent advice to resist a lone officer wanting to arrest was incredibly disappointing from Cressida Dick.  I have raised this with the Home Secretary, and I am awaiting a date for a meeting with her to discuss further.  In my opinion, we should not be telling women to run.  We should be telling men NOT to hurt women.  There was already so much work to do to encourage women and girls to report crimes against them and to ensure their perpetrators face justice.  This case has the potential to set the hard work of many back years. 

I am appalled to hear that a second man in the same unit has been in court this week charged with rape.  One would hope that Sarah’s case was isolated, but last week I heard a senior female officer describe the need for a culture change for a ‘significant minority’ of male officers; not a tiny minority.

I must say, however, that in the wake of this case, I spoke with the Police Federation here in Devon & Cornwall, as well as with our Police & Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez.  Devon & Cornwall police officers feel “utterly betrayed” by this man and we are with them 100%.  Our police officers have a hard enough time and we must remember that in all, but a few isolated cases, a police officer does indeed signal safety for women and girls in trouble.  We must give officers the tools to successfully whistle blow on concerns about colleagues, without fear or favour.  We must also ensure that Devon & Cornwall Police gets as much resource as possible, which is why I continue to call for tourism to be included in the next funding formula.

I will use my position to bring about change so that we can continue to raise our daughters to respect police officers and ensure that women and girls have the provision they need to feel safe and be safe.

In a follow-up from my column last week, Baby Loss Awareness Week 2021 runs from 9th to 15th October.  Sarah Chaplin, the Senior Chaplain at RCHT is organising the annual service to be held online on Sunday 10th October The baby loss service event will go live on Sunday 10th October at 2pm on Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske’s website, and will be available afterwards on YouTube.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 30 September 2021 - On baby loss

 

Last week I led the debate in Parliament on to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from 9 to 15 October.

As co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Baby Loss, along with former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt MP, I used my speech to highlight the group’s aims for the future, as well as the work it has already been doing in this area.

As someone who has experienced the awful reality of losing a baby first hand, I am  able to use my experience to help make things better for other families who sadly go through their own baby loss journeys every day.

For this year’s speech, I wanted to highlight and raise the profile of issues around wellbeing. One key issue is maternity safety. Every day in the UK around 14 babies die before, during or soon after birth. Although progress has been made, we need to redouble efforts as the current rate of reducing stillbirths means the 2025 target will be missed. To improve safety and prevent avoidable baby deaths the Government must increase investment in maternity services, tackle inequalities in perinatal outcomes, take action to prevent erroneous charging of vulnerable women for NHS Maternity Care and invest in reviews following the death of a baby.

Another key issue I wanted to highlight was that of bereavement care and our push as an APPG to develop a National Bereavement Care Pathway in England. The loss of a baby at any gestation is devastating for parents. Poor bereavement care, from the moment of first diagnosis and breaking of bad news, only exacerbates the profound pain felt by parents, and whilst approaches to bereavement care in the UK have greatly improved in recent years, inconsistency still remains, resulting in a postcode lottery for parents.

As of last month, all NHS Trusts in England have either expressed interest or formally committed to implementing the National Bereavement Care Pathway within their hospitals and services.

This is good progress, but if the Government made the pathway and its nine standards mandatory this would speed up implementation across all areas and lead to greater time, funding and resources being available to healthcare professionals to deliver them. Trusts require additional funding to fully implement all the standards within the NBCP, especially to ensure that every hospital has an appropriate bereavement suite, specialist staff and training.

Finally, I wanted to touch on mental health care. Grief is a natural response to this particularly isolating bereavement. Some people carry this with them for the rest of their lives but do not develop a mental health problem. However, many bereaved parents will go on to experience psychiatric illnesses such as PTSD that require specialist support, triggered by intense grief and the trauma of their experience.

In 2019 The Baby Loss Awareness Week Alliance’s report Out of Sight, Out of Mind found that 60% of bereaved parents were not able to access the psychological help they needed. Since then, it has been announced that new Maternal Mental Health Hubs in England will support mothers who have lost a baby which is very welcome.

However, we also know that fathers and partners need support, in a Sands survey 62% of men reported feeling suicidal following their experience of pregnancy or baby loss. I will be using my speech to highlight the action needed to ensure partners get the mental health support they need.

During debate I was grateful to colleagues across Parliament for their support – these are difficult conversations to have, but it is by working together to highlight these tragic issues, that we will be able to improve the experience for families in the future who go through them.

Newspaper column 16 September 2021 - the NHS and Social Care Levy

The first week back in Parliament following Summer Recess was a busy one and I was pleased to question Ministers on more support for Falmouth’s maritime industry as well as for the delivery of T-Levels by Truro and Penwith College.

The big issue from last week was around the new NHS/Social Care Levy, which will be paid for by a 1.25% rise in National Insurance Contributions, which will go directly to support the NHS.

I acknowledge that the issue of funding social care is a difficult one and one that is very important to many constituents for a variety of reasons.

With an ageing population in Cornwall that is living longer, these funds do need to be found and we all have a part to play. This issue will only become more pronounced the longer we leave it, and has not addressed by previous governments of all colours. I am pleased that our Prime Minister is grasping the nettle and starting the serious conversation about where the funds should come from. It’s worth mentioning that other parties have previously suggested this, so it is a shame that they are now deciding to play politics with it – particularly when we need it now more than ever.

The 1.25 per cent Health and Social Care Levy on earned income, hypothecated in law to health and social care will raise almost £36 billion over the next three years, with money from the levy going directly to health and social care across the whole of the country. I will of course be lobbying to ensure Cornwall gets our fair share.

Everyone has a role to play as we recover from the pandemic, just as the Government looked after everyone during the pandemic. Some will say we have gone too far, some will say we haven’t gone far enough.

For absolute clarification, this is not a tax or our lowest earners. Those who earn more, will pay more.

This was a difficult decision, it would be wrong of me to say otherwise. However, having spent more than £407 billion to support lives and livelihoods throughout the pandemic – from furlough to vaccines – difficult but responsible decisions are required to pay for it. We cannot keep running away from the problem by borrowing more. We need to face up to the challenges our country faces.

Yes I accept this breaks a manifesto commitment, which is not something I do lightly. But a global pandemic was in no-one’s manifesto. The pandemic and the consequence cost of it, could have never been predicted.

This won’t be pay awards for NHS middle management, it will go straight to the front line, and in particular help with clearing the backlog of operations that has arisen as a result of the pandemic, at a time when we need to get more out of our health and social care system than ever before.

We must now help the NHS to recover, to be able to provide much-needed care to our constituents and the people we love – and we must provide the funding to do so, in a way that is right, reasonable and fair.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

 

Newspaper column 9 September 2021 - Going back to Parliament and a look back on Recess

This week sees Parliament return after the Summer Recess. The rest of this year’s Parliamentary schedule promises to be a busy one as the Government continues to deal with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and look at other long-reaching issues, such as housing and planning, the NHS and social care, the Elections Bill, the benefits system and our environment, as well as the fall out from the Afghanistan situation.

With my role on the Environmental Audit Committee in Parliament I am looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues from across Parliament to ensure that the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, and to audit their performance against sustainable development and environmental protection targets.

Over the past couple of weeks, during Summer Recess it was a real pleasure to take part in my first Village Surgery Tour. This is something I had always planned to do since my election as your Member of Parliament but was prevented in doing so last year by COVID-19 restrictions. Recess gives me more time in our constituency and this means I can expand from my traditional constituency advice surgery venues of Truro and Falmouth and visit some of our other wonderful communities. To this end, over the last couple of weeks I have visited Perranporth, Chacewater, St Mawes, Mylor, Probus and St Newlyn East. It was good to see so many people and talk about the issues, local and national, that matter to you. I have gone away with a lot of work on your behalf and look forward to reporting back further on some of the issues that have come up, in the future. Please do let me know if you would like me to visit your village on subsequent surgery tours and I will be delighted to come along and see you.

Finally at the weekend, it was a real honour to be part of the celebrations as the Tour of Britain passed through Truro. This was an incredibly well-organised race, both from the event organisers and also those who came out locally to see the entrants pass through our city. A special shout out must go to the Old Bakery for putting on the stage, and Jan Allen for MC'ing the bikes. It was amazing to see Truro so full of life and energy after a difficult previous 18 months and I look forward to seeing more events on Lemon Quay in the future, to go along with the imminent reopening of the Hall for Cornwall. The Tour of Britain Cornwall Stage itself was a real success and another example where Cornwall has been presented in an exceptional light for an internationally renowned event.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Column 2 September 2021 - Walking for wildlife

 

Last Monday saw me successfully complete my charity Coast to Coast walk across our constituency for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

We walked from West Portholland to Perranporth, 25.5 miles, 77,454 steps.

It was a fine day and took just over 13 hours, starting at 6am and finishing just after 7pm. We raised over £1,000 for this excellent local charity.

Along the way we passed through many different communities and spoke to local people and businesses about a wide variety of issues. It was really useful to get a snapshot of issues relevant to the area as we progressed.

We walked from Truro to Shortlanesend through Idless Woods and it was interesting to see the signage for Cornwall Council’s Quiet Lanes project, which is a trial taking place on these narrow rural lanes to discourage traffic other than for residents and deliveries. These roads certainly are currently used as rat-runs from our experience, and it will be interesting to see the results of the trial which will run for six months through the autumn, and what residents think of it.

Just outside of Shortlanesend we were welcomed by Marte and the team at Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s lovely HQ. Cornwall Wildlife Trust are beneficiaries of funding from the A30 dualling work and it was good to talk to them about their plans for this site in the future. It was also good to talk to their team about the work I do on the Environment Audit Committee in Parliament, particularly around working to improve the quality of river water - which I was able to see was of varying quality at different places throughout my walk.

After that, we were over 20 miles in and near the A30. It was good to see the work being done to dual the A30, of which the need to do so has never been more apparent, with the unprecedented busy-ness of the current summer season. Thank you to Alister and the team for guiding us through some of the works, which saved us having to go on a long diversion on a busy road that would have been really difficult.

I also visited two pubs along the way, the Heron in Malpas and the Watering Hole in Perranporth where we finished, as well as speaking to the landlord from the Plume of Feathers in Portscatho, who we saw near Truro enjoying a well earned day off! What was really apparent across all three businesses and indeed is reflected in correspondence and conversations I have every day at the moment is just how busy our hospitality sector is at the moment, and the herculean efforts those who work in this sector are putting in to ensure those visiting have the best possible experience.

All in all, it was a challenging day but an excellent experience and it was good to see so many people and places over the course of the walk, while raising money for an excellent local charity. A Member of Parliament is always supported by their team and I must also give credit to Jordan for joining me on the walk and James for organising it and completing the whole route with me. Thanks also to Toni for getting us to the start early this morning, and Susan, Barnaby and Reuben for joining us for part of the route.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 26 August 2021 - Afghanistan

 

Last Wednesday saw Parliament return to sit to debate the situation in Afghanistan.

What has happened in a very short space of time in Afghanistan is incredibly concerning and raises numerous questions on all sorts of issues. What we have seen is failing on numerous levels, not least a failure of intelligence to anticipate that the Talliban would take back Afghanistan so quickly after western forces including our own pulled out.

Wednesday’s debate reflected that and while I did not speak in the debate, I was struck by the number of passionate contributions from Members from all sides of the House, many of them veterans who have served in Aghanistan themselves, about the nature of what we are seeing unfold, what we could have done to avoid it, and what we should now do to assist those many people in pressing aid who wish to flee the Taliban.

Firstly, there are those saying that our leaving now and the subsequent take-over by the Taliban has invalidated everything that has gone before with our prior occupation and work in Afghanistan. I would like to say to our veterans, the 150,000 who served Queen and Country and to the families of the 457 who gave their lives, as well as those who came back physically or mentally wounded, your sacrifice and time spent doing your duty was not in vain.

Our work over the past two decades made the world a safer place during that time, and allowing improvements in lifestyle, work and education choices for women and girls across Afghanistan, breaking the cycle of conflict that existed for so long. We must provide all the support needed to our veterans and their families to help them through this difficult time.

Our priority in Afghanistan now needs to be both to evacuate our own citizens from the country, but also all those who have helped and supported our operations over the years as well as those who worked with the previous Afghani government via the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

With this in mind I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement of a settlement scheme of up to 20,000 over the coming years and 5,000 this year. This is in addition to those we bring through the ARAP scheme which has already seen more that 2,000 people brought to the UK since April of this year.

We also need to make sure that of any further international aid that goes to Afghanistan will need aid comes with strong conditions to ensure it is only delivered on the basis of honouring women’s rights and human rights, and those of the ethnic minorities as well.

In the longer term it is clear that we can no longer be so reliant on the US as the backbone of future international efforts such as these. We cannot again be allowed to be in a position where our operations and the stability of an entire country is solely dependent on the decisions of a single ally, which has now shown itself to be increasingly isolationist and inward looking. I am pleased that the UK has stepped up and responded quickly, showing global leadership once the seriousness of the situation in Afghanistan became known and I hope we will continue to show real leadership in issues such as this as well as via NATO in the future.

It has been an incredibly difficult week and my thoughts are with all those caught up in the conflict in Afghanistan as well as those who have served and their families at home. But we must learn from what have undoubtedly been mistakes and move forward to ensure lessons are learned and that they are not repeated in the future.

Newspaper column 19 August 2021 - Plymouth

This past Thursday we had the most devastating news from Plymouth as, in a tragic incident, a gunman murdered five people, including a three year old child, injuring others before killing himself.

This was deeply shocking and my condolences go to the families of all involved as well as to the wider Plymouth community.

Thanks also to our emergency services, who responded to the developing situation quickly and professionally.

We are fortunate in the UK that mass-shootings such as this are relatively rare – however one is too many and it is only right that we now take the time to investigate how this tragic event occurred.

With the ongoing investigation in mind, it is apparent that the shooter, based on social media content that he recently posted, shared views with, and may have been inspired by, and radicalised by, the so-called ‘Incel’ movement.

Incels are people, usually young men, who are “involuntarily celibate” and blame women for depriving them of sex. They often hate people in relationships, and in extreme cases they advocate violence or “retribution”. They have been linked to at least six mass shootings in America.

If this is the case, then we must as a country, have a conversation about the nature of online radicalisation. I have written earlier this year about the Government’s work in calling for evidence to help inform the development of their next Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.

The Incel movement represents a very real threat to women and girls – promoting and encouraging chauvinistic and ultimately violent behaviour towards them from young men, and in this context there certainly is a real case to be made for ensuring forums that promotes this sort of behaviour and could lead to similar incidents such as we have sadly see occur in Plymouth this past week happen again the future, be monitored in the same way other platforms that promote and nurture terroristic behaviour are by our security services.

Turning to the immediate aftermath of last week’s incident, there is a dedicated Devon and Cornwall Police number  -  01752 487880 for anyone wishing to speak with the police with information regarding the shooting.   Victim Support are also providing support for anyone affected with support available 24/7 either by phone or webchat.  If you have been affected by the tragic incident in Plymouth, there is help available.  Victim Support provide practical and emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  You can speak to a specialist by calling 08081 689111 or by visiting victimsupport.org.uk

Finally, I should also add that following the quickly developing circumstances in Afghanistan over the weekend, Parliament has been recalled to debate the situation on Wednesday. This debate is happening after I have submitted this column so I cannot tell what the outcome will be, however it is a very difficult situation with no easy or quick answers, one that requires international co-operation in order to achieve any sort of lasting solution.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 12 August 2021 - Fixing the housing crisis

A priority for me over this Summer Recess is looking at ways to solve the housing crisis that we are currently experiencing in Cornwall.

I am being contacted daily by local people who are struggling to be able to find or keep accommodation, for a variety of reasons.

There have always been issues with affordability of housing in Cornwall, as a long-term renter I know this first hand, but recent impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have created a perfect storm of pressures which is affecting both the regular housing market as well as the private and social rental sectors.

Resolving the housing crisis is a top priority of the newly elected administration at Cornwall Council, and of this Government. There are long term issues in the housing sector that have been left unaddressed for some time but the new administration will now work with the Government to sort out this issue. A lot of hard work is going in to addressing it but it is not going to happen overnight.

In terms of social rent, there are 17,000 people looking for council housing through Homechoice in Cornwall - and the average wait to find a home is 9 months. 20% of those already in council accommodation. It is not unusual for over 150 people to be bidding for one property.

Cornwall Council can get hold of significant amounts of finance to build the council housing that we need to start addressing this issue, but it's not a magic wand, we can't start building tomorrow, delivering the amount we need will take time.

Cornwall Council also needs to work effectively with the budget it has and a huge challenge has been the ambitious plans of the new administration to move away from expensive, short term hotel accommodation to temporary and emergency accommodation. The new administration have already introduced the first site at County Hall for the Bunkabins which will provide safe and secure accommodation for locals. The council has also moved towards creating council-owned accommodation where local people in need can be housed without worrying about being asked to leave at a moment’s notice. The council needs to own this provision so they can offer the security of tenure to the families and individuals in need. This will not only provide peace of mind and increased wellbeing for those being housed, but it will also make more financial sense.

Turning to the Private rented sector, sadly there are some landlords who are taking advantage of the high prices on the market at the moment and selling up, meaning that the private rented sector is shrinking. The Government suspended evictions during the pandemic, quite rightly, but that was solely for the duration of the pandemic. We need to now do everything we can to support those who were in private rented accommodation to ensure they are able to find another home to live in. If people are due to be evicted and need help and advice then please do contact my office – we are here to help.

Of course there are also Cornish families who rightly want to be able to buy their own homes in the communities they have grown up in and we need truly affordable homes for them to buy

Instead of building on our green fields in our villages, or mass developments extending our towns, we need to look at what brown field sites are available to us in Cornwall – there are plenty of them both in rural and urban areas. Equally, I fully appreciate that local families will want a plot in the village they grew up in with a garden for their children to play in. This shouldn’t be a luxury. Everyone has a right to a home of their own and we need to make this happen.

Finally, I want to touch on second homes. I am in discussion with colleagues about ways to better regulate them. For example, do we follow a similar model to plans proposed in the Lake District whereby if you want to take a full time residential home and turn it in to a second home, you need planning permission to do this.  By doing this we can start to regulate the housing market. For example Cornwall Council could then say that a particular area has its fair share of second homes, and will not grant any more change of use permissions for the time being.

There is a massive amount of work to do in this area, but I am working with both my Cornish MP colleagues and Cornwall Council to bring about the lasting change that is needed across the housing market to ensure people in Cornwall are able to have stable, affordable and permanent places to live, for ours and future generations.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 29 July - Rising for Recess

Parliament rose for Summer Recess on Thursday last week. Summer Recess means that Parliament does not sit until September.

Although Parliament is not sitting, I will still be busy in Truro and Falmouth, out and about visiting local people and businesses to talk about what matters to you. Please get in touch if you would like me to come and visit your business or group during Recess.

Last year I also did a charity walk during the Recess, and this year I will be doing one again - this time I will be walking from the south coast of our constituency to the north coast - Portholland to Perranporth - about 25 miles over some diverse terrain with lots of ups and downs.

I will be doing the walk for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust who continue to be an incredible local charity which does so much good work across Cornwall for our wildlife and environment.

To find out more and to donate, follow the link below:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cherilyn-mackrory

Prior to Parliament rising, I held a debate in Parliament about reducing baby loss - an issue very close to my heart.Every day in the UK, around 14 babies die before, during or soon after birth.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of speaking with some members of our excellent midwifery team at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in my constituency.

The entire bereavement midwifery team at Treliske is outstanding. I continue to be in awe of our local team, how they do such a difficult job, are able to support families at their lowest ebb and continue to take special care of our babies after they have died.

The impact of COVID on these issues seems to be a mixed bag, which is against the expectation. There was a peak still birth and neonatal death in March 2020 and another in January 2021. In Cornwall, our team points to a “slow and steady decline” in the numbers since 2010. There have been 2 stillbirths this year so far. In a so-called usual year there would have been between 8 and 12 by now. It is difficult to commend this figure, however, as the team don’t really know what to attribute it to; apart from natural peaks and troughs. It could be a temporary irregularity and more research will need to be done to find a pattern. Also, this is no comfort at all to the two Cornish families who have suffered this unbearable loss.

So, what needs to be done to reduce baby loss?

Action is needed to address staffing shortfalls in maternity services, more funding is required to embed on-going and sustainable access to training for maternity staff and funding to backfill cover when training takes place would also be desirable. We also need to be involving families in a compassionate manner as a crucial part of the investigation process.

We are just past the half-way point on this important journey to 2025. I would like to thank all healthcare professionals who have contributed to the successes so far. I would like to call on the Government to work with them to achieve the rest and save as many lives as possible in the future.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.

Newspaper column 22 July 2021 - Stage 4 of the Roadmap to Recovery

 

This past Monday saw the easing of most COVID-19 restrictions as we enter Step 4 of the Roadmap to Recovery.

This has seen a number of significant changes including the lifting of the legal requirements on how many people can meet, social distancing in most places, and the requirement by law to wear face-coverings in many settings.

I fully appreciate that while these changes will be welcomed by many of us, there will be some who still have concerns about them. Monday’s changes move the onus of responsibility to the individual, and while it is no longer mandatory to wear masks in shops for example, you are still perfectly entitled to wear one if you choose, and individual shops and chains can still have rules on wearing masks should they wish.

That we have got this far and are now able to make these changes is down to the success of our vaccine programme, and I must again pay tribute to all of those involved in the vaccine’s rollout, our NHS and incredible volunteers who have worked around the clock to administer it.

The UK has vaccinated more of its population than any other country in Europe, with the exception of Malta, and has administered more doses per capita than any other G7 nation.

The Prime Minister set targets to offer a vaccine to all adults in the UK and to vaccinate two in three adults with both doses by 19 July – and both were achieved by 18 July. That’s more than 46 million people who have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and more than 35 million people have had both doses

The success of the vaccination programme has significantly reduced the link between infections and severe disease and death, and allows our country to live with the virus, rather than lockdown, with all of the damaging social and economic consequences that these measures bring.

There will be those who argue that we should remain locked down, but I believe that now, with the success of the vaccine programme, the warmer weather not being conducive to the virus thriving, and schools breaking up, is the best time to do so. If not now, then when? There are numerous other factors to consider including the socio-economic impacts of lockdown-style measures, as well as the pressure they put on our NHS in other areas where treatments have been postponed due to the restrictions in place.

It is now about common sense and personal responsibility and I hope people will understand this and act responsibly to help ensure these easings remain permanent.

As ever, if you need my assistance with anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk , or by telephone on 01872 229698. I have now restarted my regular constituency advice surgeries, held in a covid-safe environment at my office, so please do get in touch should you wish to meet me about any matters that I can be of assistance with.