Eurostar Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch recently with me regarding the financial situation and future of Eurostar.  

I very much sympathise with the environmental and climate change aspect of the campaign and agree that it is an important that Eurostar can keep going long into the future as it offers an environmentally friendly, direct, connection to mainland Europe.  

Recently in Parliament Chris Heaton-Harris the Minister of State for Railways stated in response to a question on Eurostar: 

“Ministers and officials, working with other Government Departments, have engaged extensively with Eurostar since March 2020 in relation to their financial situation. We continue to engage, at both official and Ministerial level, with Eurostar and the French government regarding Eurostar’s financial situation and any potential support proposals.” 

This statement from the Minister offers some reassurance and I am confident that the UK and French government will continue to work constructively in this area.  

I will continue to monitor the situation as I know it is of importance to many constituents in Truro and Falmouth.  

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 25 February 2021 - More support for fishermen and shellfish businesses

Our fishing and shellfish industries are facing a particularly difficult time at the moment, with export issues with the EU following Brexit as well as market issues at home due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

I have been in discussion with local fishermen and shellfish businesses about their concerns and how we can address and support them, and have raised these issues in Parliament, both in the Chamber and in subsequent meetings with the Secretary of State for the Environment, neighbouring MP George Eustice and his Ministerial team at DEFRA.

Over the weekend I was pleased to see the Government respond and announce enhanced financial support for the seafood industry with cash grants for fishing and shellfish aquaculture businesses across the UK.

In January, the Government made available the £23 million Seafood Response Fund for seafood exporters that suffered a financial loss because of delays related to the export of fresh or live fish and shellfish to the EU during January 2021.

Although this was welcome, I immediately called on the Government to expand the scheme, as only exporters and not catchers were initially able to apply.

Having listened to concerns from fishing businesses across the UK, Defra will now be expanding the eligibility criteria to target catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses which have been affected by a reduction in demand from the hospitality sector in the UK and abroad, as well as disruption of exports to the EU. These expanded criteria will mean more businesses can get the support they need.

The scheme, which is similar to last year’s Fisheries Response Fund set up in response to the coronavirus pandemic, will open in early March, be administered by the Marine Management Organisation, and  rovide a grant payment to cover up to three months of average business fixed costs incurred between January and March 2021. It will help catching and shellfish aquaculture businesses with costs such as insurance, equipment hire and port fees.

In addition to my previous conversations with DEFRA Ministers, this week I have also had or will be having meetings with Michael Gove and the Prime Minister to continue to press the case for a swift resolution

I will continue to push the Government to do all it can to resolve the issues with the EU around exports and also hope that our continued success with the Covid-19  vaccine rollout will allow lockdown measures to relax when it is safe to do so, as announced by the Prime Minister on Monday, and help reopen and boost the domestic hospitality market, providing more business for our fishermen and shellfish businesses closer to home.

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.

Jagtar Singh Johal Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents who have got in touch regarding Jagtar Sing Johal. 

 I have made representation of these concerns to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and have been assured that staff have been working extremely hard to aid Mr Johal and his family, and that representations are regularly made on behalf of Mr Johal to the Government of India.  

The Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic Raab raised Mr Johal’s case with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on 15 December last year. Further, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, has been very active on this important issue, and raised the case with the Indian High Commissioner on the 28^th January 2021. Lord Ahmad has also met with Mr Johal’s family on a number of occasions, most recently on 27 January 2021.  

The welfare of Mr Johal is a priority for the FCDO and so is ensuring his ongoing access to his legal representatives I have also been told that the UK’s consular staff are continuing to visit Mr Johal regularly.  

This is undoubtedly a very difficult time for Mr Johal and his family and I will continue to monitor the situation closely.  

For those who are interested in this specific campaign you may also be interested in the UK recently joining over 55 like-minded allies in committing to enhance international cooperation to end the practice of arbitrary arrests, detentions or sentencing.  

You can see further details on the link below: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-backs-canadian-initiative-against-arbitrary-detention 

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 18 February - more funding for Cornwall

As we continue to head through lockdown and what seems to be a relentless battle with poor weather, particularly for those of us on the coast, there was more good news last week as the COVID-19 vaccine effort continues to go from strength to strength, with now more than 14,500,000 people having received their vaccine as of this past Saturday.

The national Lockdown measures are also working, with the virus being pushed back everywhere, including in Cornwall,  where the rate of infection has fallen to 81.1 cases per 100,000 population, close to the where it was at the end of Lockdown 2, at the start of December, and a third less than we had at the start of the current measures.

Both the COVID-19 restrictions and the increasing numbers of people being vaccinated will help keep the numbers of new cases down, and with people in many parts of Cornwall aged 65-70 expecting to get their first Covid vaccination from this week, this will only continue to improve.

In other news, along with the new secondary school announced for Perranporth recently, I was delighted to see the Government recognise the excellent work of the Roseland Academy in Tregony and provide them with funding to be one of two Teaching School Hubs  to help other schools and teachers in Cornwall.

The hubs, backed by £65million of new government funding, will provide high-quality professional development to teachers and leaders at all stages of their career and play a key role in helping to build up trainee teachers as they enter the workforce.

This will further level up the quality of teaching, allowing every child to receive a world-class start in life no matter where they are born.

This will help support existing teachers and encourage others to join this exciting career path, while recognising the particular challenges they are facing during these difficult times.

I look forward to seeing these plans progress and become a reality later this year.

Last week I was also pleased to see that Cornwall Council will be receiving a £1.1million share of £125 million in government funding to provide support for victims of domestic abuse and their children,

The funding will help ensure victims and their children who need it are able to access life-saving support such as therapy, advocacy and counselling in safe accommodation, including refuges.

The money will fund a new duty on councils to ensure victims and their children are able to access life-saving support in safe accommodation – a key part of the government’s landmark Domestic Abuse Bill.

Along with the funding for victim support services announced last week and the continuing call for evidence the Government has put out to gather evidence on how better to stop these crimes and help those affected by them, it is good to see these issues being dealt with.

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.

 

Forgotten Students Campaign Response

Thank you to those who have got in touch with me with the Forgotten Students campaign. 

I very much recognise that this is a difficult and uncertain time for students. I am pleased that the government has worked with the sector to make sure all reasonable efforts are being made to enable students to continue their studies during this difficult time. Locally, I have continued to work closely with the two universities in my constituency – Falmouth and Exeter – and with the Universities Minister Michelle Donelan MP. I am due to meet with the Minister along with students from both universities in the coming weeks to we can talk about the pressing issues facing students at the moment.

 

I have very much expected universities to continue delivering a high-quality academic experience and help students to achieve qualifications that both they and employers value.  

 

Regarding tuition fee levels, the government is committed to a sustainable funding model that supports high-quality provision, meets the skills and needs of the country and maintains the world-class reputation of UK Higher Education (HE).

 

The maximum tuition fee cap has been frozen for four years and will remain at £9,250 in 2021/22 for standard full-time courses. HE providers are autonomous and responsible for setting their own fees under this level. In deciding to keep charging full fees, providers will want to ensure that they can continue to deliver courses which are fit for purpose and help students progress their qualifications. The Office for Students (OfS) has made it clear that HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and academic standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high-quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes and that standards are protected, regardless of whether a provider is delivering its courses through face-to-face teaching, online learning, or a combination of both 

The OfS is taking very seriously the potential impacts of the pandemic on teaching and learning and is regularly engaging with all registered providers. It is actively monitoring providers to ensure that they maintain the quality of their provision; that it is accessible for all; and that they have been clear in their communications with students about how arrangements for teaching and learning may change throughout the year. If students have concerns about the quality of online tuition, they should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint. 

 

On accommodation, if a student has already signed an accommodation contract for the new academic year and, because of the outbreak, and think it may no longer fit their requirements, I would very much encourage them to talk directly to their housing provider.  

 

The government has encouraged all providers of student accommodation to review their accommodation policies to ensure that they have students' best interests at heart.  

 

Students can surrender their fixed term tenancy early if they reach an agreement with their landlord. If they have a joint tenancy agreement, all tenants will need to agree to the surrender. However, even if their circumstances have changed because of COVID-19, they still will not have an automatic right to leave early.  

 

If a student thinks their accommodation provider is treating them unfairly, they can raise a complaint under the accommodation codes of practice if their provider is a code member.

 

Students may be entitled to refunds from certain accommodation providers depending on the terms of their contract and their particular circumstances. Citizens Advice offer a free service, providing information and support, contact details for which are available on its website at: tinyurl.com/83F5LCZ. Students experiencing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 should contact their higher education (HE) provider to discuss the additional support that may be available to them.   

Locally, I know both Falmouth and Exeter universities are working closely with their students and the accommodation providers to ensure that students are not out of pocket. In most cases, students will have received a full refund. I am grateful for the excellent work of both universities in facilitating this.

 

The government has worked closely with the OfS to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding to increase hardship funds and support disadvantaged students impacted by COVID-19.  

 

Providers were able to use this funding, worth £256 million for Academic Year 2020/21, to go towards student hardship funds and mental health support. Additionally, on 2 February it was announced that we will be making available to universities up to £50 million to support those that need it most, particularly disadvantaged students. This is in addition to the £20 million announced in December, bringing the total to £70 million for this financial year.  

 

Regarding mental health concerns, HE providers are best placed to identify and address the needs of their student body and decide what welfare support services to put in place.  

 

At the start of, and throughout the pandemic the government asked HE providers to continue to support their students as a priority, which has included making services accessible from a distance. Students should stay in touch with their provider’s student support and welfare teams as these services are likely to continue to be an important source of support. Many providers have bolstered their existing mental health services and adapted delivery mechanisms, including reaching out to students who may be more vulnerable, and have been asked to ensure their services adapted to online provision where necessary.  

 

The government convened a working group of representatives from the higher education and health sectors to specifically address the current and pressing issues that students are facing during the pandemic. The government continues to work closely with the OfS and the sector to ensure that it is doing everything possible to give students the support they need at this difficult time.  

 

A new online platform was announced - Student Space, to enable all students at English and Welsh universities to access vital mental health and wellbeing support. Funded with up to £3 million by the OfS and led by Student Minds, the Student Space platform bridges any gaps in student support during the pandemic and is designed to work alongside existing services. It offers a whole range of help including preventative support and immediate interventions for those in distress, from therapeutic interventions, to stress relievers, suggestions for strengthening mental health, and quality-assured on-line resources such as peer support platforms and volunteering opportunities.  

 

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 4 February - Children's Mental Health

The past week has seen a continued steady increase of COVID-19 vaccinations in Cornwall. Figures released last Thursday show that 6,232,584 jabs have now been given in England, with 74,192 in Cornwall, with 78.9% of people over 80 in Cornwall now having received their first jab.

These latest figures are very encouraging and a real tribute to the hard work of the amazing teams at Treliske Hospital and Primary care networks around Cornwall. All those working in the vaccine rollout are doing an amazing job and really going above and beyond every day to make sure these vaccines reach those who need them most. The opening of the mass testing centre at Stithians last week followed by another one at the Cornwall Showground this week will mean even more people will be able to get this vaccine, which will help us win the fight against this virus.

This is encouraging news, and as more people receive the vaccine and we continue to drive down cases with lockdown restrictions, I hope we will be able to return to normality later this year.

Apart from the direct impact of Covid-19 itself, there are numerous other issues that the pandemic has exacerbated, and this week, which is also Children’s Mental Health Week, I thought I would touch on the issues around this important topic.

All of our lives have been disrupted in some way due to the pandemic and this is particularly so with our children, many of whom have been unable to attend school for prolonged periods of time and see their classmates while learning in a structured environment. Those of us who have children and our trying our best to home-school, know the unique challenges that this can bring, particularly when parents are working from home at the same time.

For some children, this can all add up and put a real strain their mental health.  Feelings of isolation and withdrawal from the normal way of life can lead to increased mental health issues, a rise in depression and anxiety.

It is reported that one in 10 children aged five to 16 have a mental health condition. Most young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties are treated and supported within the community, however sometimes for those with severe mental health problems, often with accompanying high risk, require specialist inpatient care.

In 2019 I was pleased to see the Government deliver on the £11m Sowenna Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services unit, a 14 bed unit that means that children and adolescents in Cornwall have access to specialist mental health beds in the Duchy.

We have come a long way in our perception of mental health issues in recent years but there is still more to do.

Going back to my time as a Cornwall Councillor I have always worked hard to ensure issues relating to our mental health receive parity, both in how they are perceived, but also in how treatment is funded, and I will continue to work with the Government and local NHS to realise these goals.

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 , by telephone on 01872 229698.

Time is running out to protect animal sentience in UK law Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents who have recently got in touch regarding animal sentience in UK law.

The Government remains committed to making any necessary changes to UK law to ensure animal sentience is legally recognised post transition and appropriate legislation will be brought forward as necessary. I understand that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently assessing how best to support Government departments in considering the welfare needs of sentients animals when they are developing and implementing Government policy, as well as continuing to engage closely with other organisations and authorities to enhance its policies on this issue further.

It is worth mentioning the Agriculture Bill which will allow us to introduce new land management schemes in England where we can reward farmers and land managers who protect our environment, improve animal welfare and produce high quality food in a more sustainable way. There are also powers in the Agriculture Bill provide support for farmers to invest in equipment, technology and infrastructure to improve their productivity as well as allowing for transparency in the supply chain to help British farmers to seek a fairer return from the marketplace.

Outside of the EU, the UK will remain party to bodies such has the World Organisation for Animal Health, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and others and will continue to promote animal welfare standards internationally.

The Government is already taking strong action to improve animal welfare at home and abroad by increasing maximum sentences for animal cruelty, banning third party sales of puppies, and introducing the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales. Significantly as well the Government has now committed to banning live animal exports.

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