Calories on Menus Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding calories on menus.

I have read the emails carefully and have noted the key points that you make.

The Government, has so far shared the following feedback with MPs who normally support it, which I hereby share with you for your information:

“With eating disorders on the rise, tackling these disorders through early and effective treatment remains a key priority of this Government and our NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care recognise concerns people with eating disorders may have on measures to reduce obesity, and we support their commitment to striking a careful balance between enabling people to make healthier food and drink choices whilst not negatively impacting on those with or recovering from an eating disorder.

Alongside work to develop the obesity strategy, an equality assessment was undertaken to understand the impact of these proposals, including on people with eating disorders. Although some research has showed that label use on packaged foods was related to engagement in some unhealthy weight behaviours, there is a larger likelihood of participants engaging with healthy weight control behaviours.

With more than a third of children leaving primary school overweight or obese, and nearly two thirds of adults, it is vital that we equip people with the information to make decisions about their food intake. Information on the energy content of food and drink is already widely available in supermarkets through mandatory nutrition labelling requirements on pre-packaged foods and some restaurants.

The Government is committed to striking a careful balance between informing and educating people to make healthier choices, while not negatively impacting people with eating disorders or those in recovery from eating disorders.”

This issue will require careful consideration, and robust cross-examination re. the possible/likely disadvantages and downsides, and I will certainly keep a very close eye on it going forwards.

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

Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

The last Parliament was prorogued on Thursday 29th April.  This means any bills which have not completed all legislative stages automatically fall, this included the CEE Bill.  There was and continues to be significant pressure on the parliamentary timetable from Covid-related legislation as well as important bills such as the Domestic Abuse Act and Fire Safety Act.  This was made more difficult by the limits placed on Parliament’s work by the necessary Covid restrictions.  Of course, the CEE Bill could be reintroduced in the next Parliament.  I would give careful thought to any legislation put before me as an MP.  However, I must be frank that if reintroduced in its previous form, I would continue to be unable to support it.   

Let me be clear; tackling climate change is a priority for me and my Ministerial colleagues. I am proud that the UK was the first G7 country to legislate to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. While I can understand that you want this target to be achieved sooner, and I share this desire, getting to net zero by 2050 is feasible and consistent with avoiding most damaging climate change. Aiming for zero emissions by 2030 is almost certainly impossible, hugely disruptive and risks undermining consensus. However, I welcome that the UK Government has announced the interim target of reducing emissions by 68 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030. This target is faster than any other major economy. Climate change is an emotive issue, but a cross-community consensus will be required to ensure the UK achieves a transition that works for all.

I also welcome the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan which will allow the UK to forge ahead in eradicating the UK’s contribution to climate change. On energy, the UK will produce enough offshore wind to power every home, quadrupling how much we currently produce to 40GW by 2030, thereby supporting up to 60,000 jobs. The Government will work with industry and aim to generate 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 for industry, transport, power and homes. In addition, the Government aims to develop the first town heated entirely by hydrogen by the end of the decade.

Other parts of the plan include a target to install 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028, £1 billion funding to make our schools, hospitals and homes more energy efficient, planting 30,000 hectares of trees every year, promoting and investing in zero-emission transport and £20 million to develop clean maritime technology. The plan also includes a pledge to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, while the sale of some hybrid cars and vans will continue until 2035.

It is particularly significant that the target to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035, as per the CCC’s recommendation in its 6th carbon budget, will be legally binding. 

I note that the CEE Bill seeks to examine the UK’s global carbon footprint, such as indirect UK emissions in our supply chain which may affect developing countries. I am encouraged that the UK remains committed to environmentally sustainable development as set out in the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. In January 2021, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will spend at least £3 billion of international climate finance on nature and biodiversity over five years. The funding will deliver transformational change in protecting biodiversity-rich land and ocean, shifting to sustainable food production and supply, and supporting the livelihoods of the world’s poorest.

I do not believe citizens' assemblies have advantages over conventional policy making in this context. Previous experiences in Canada, for instance, included citizens in the decision-making process but they failed to produce impactful or long-lasting results. I know that a Climate Assembly UK was formed as a result of work conducted by Parliamentary Select Committees. Ministers have assured me the Government will be looking closely at the findings however I welcome that many of their recommendations, which were published in their report, are already either in place or in the pipeline as a result of the Government working towards net zero. Achieving net zero will affect everyone and it is important that we work together to achieve it.

While I welcome the increased awareness and debate this Bill brings, I do not believe that it is required as work is already underway.

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

Help fix our plastic crisis Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding the help fix our plastic crisis campaign. 

Domestically the Environment Bill will give us a range of new powers to step-up our war against plastic pollution and litter. The Government is committed to introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, which will recycle billions more plastic bottles and stop them being landfilled or littered.   

Further, the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging will make manufacturers responsible for the full net cost of recycling their packaging waste and encourage more recyclable packaging. There will also be an introduction of Consistent Recycling Collections for every household and business in England, ensuring more plastic is recycled and not condemned to landfill.  

There will be a ban on the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries and ministers will have new powers that will make it easier to place charges on single-use plastic items that threaten our ecosystems.  

The Government is introducing a world-leading new tax set at £200 per tonne on plastic packaging which doesn’t meet a minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content from April 2022, to encourage greater use of recycled plastic to tackle the problem of plastic waste and protect our environment. 

Building on the success of our carrier bag charge to date, we have increased it to 10 pence and extended the obligation to charge to all retailers. 

There is also a lot of work the Government is doing internationally. In 2018 The UK launched the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) along with our co-chair Vanuatu, to reduce marine plastic pollution. Since its launch, 34 Commonwealth member states have united to take action on tackling plastic pollution.  

To support the ambitions of the CCOA, the UK has committed up to £70m to tackle plastic pollution entering the ocean. This includes boosting global research, supporting developing countries and making efforts to transition to more sustainable forms of manufacturing.  

The UK’s Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) has supported several Commonwealth countries to develop National Marine Litter Action Plans which focus on preventing plastics from entering the ocean, with emphasis on capacity building and developing plastics monitoring programmes.  

Since 2018, the UK has supported the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) to create collaborative platforms for businesses across the plastics supply chains to collaborate with NGOs and governments on tackling marine plastic pollution. Partnerships have been launched in Vietnam, Indonesia and Ghana. 

The UK supports starting negotiations on a new global agreement on marine litter and microplastics at the continuation of the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) in 2022. A new global agreement would build upon the important work we are already doing to tackle marine litter domestically and internationally and support our commitments to eliminate plastic entering the ocean. 

At last months’ G7 Climate and Environment Ministerial meeting, hosted by the UK, ministers agreed to a number of ambitious commitments to drive urgent ocean action, including: 

-To fully engage in discussions or negotiations on options to tackle marine plastic litter and microplastics, including strengthening existing agreements, a potential for a new global instrument, and multi-stakeholder. 

-To take action to tackle ghost fishing gear, including working with or supporting initiatives such as the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and to carefully consider the recommendations of the UK-commissioned OECD report ‘Towards G7 Action to Combat Ghost Fishing Gear’. 

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 

 

 

 

Include Decapod Crustaceans in the Sentience Bill Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding animal sentience.  

 

I am proud that the UK has consistently led the way on animal welfare. It was one of the key EU members that lobbied for the recognition of animal sentience in Article 13 of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 and, in addition, recognised in law that animals can feel pain and suffering through the Animal Welfare Act. 

 

Now that the UK has left the EU, I am pleased that this country has the opportunity to go further to promote animal welfare by making sure that all Government departments consider animal sentience in policy, covering all vertebrate animals from farm to forest. The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, which has now been introduced to Parliament, enshrines the recognition that animals are sentient in domestic law. It also creates a proportionate accountability mechanism to help reassure that central government policymaking takes this into account. 

 

I am encouraged that this Bill will create an Animal Sentience Committee with experts which will produce reports on how well policy decisions have paid all due regard to the welfare of animals. The relevant Minister must then respond to reports via statements to Parliament. From now on, Ministers will need to be ready to show that the needs of animals have been considered in relevant policy decisions. This much awaited reform applies to all policy areas and to all stages of Government policy making and 

implementation which is not explicitly devolved. This means it covers England and policy areas that affect the whole of the UK, for example, military policy. 

 

I am pleased that these reforms will also underpin the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, which contains upwards of forty valuable reforms. I know that this Government is committed to maintaining the very highest standards of animal welfare and I am delighted that this piece of legislation has now been introduced. 

 

I am pleased that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has commissioned an independent external review of the available scientific evidence on sentience in decapods and cephalopods. This review and the accompanying Seafish Report into welfare risks facing these sea creatures are both expected to be published shortly. I look forward to reading these reviews and I would like to assure you that this Government remains committed to introducing new laws on animal sentience as soon as parliamentary time allows. 

 

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 

More support for older people Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding support for older people.  

 

I believe that we must all receive dignified care in old age. With an ageing population, this is one of the biggest challenges that our country faces. I stand by the Government’s commitment to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are given the support that they need. While it is important to note that more than four of every five people in care are looked after by good and outstanding organisations, more needs to be done to tackle this serious challenge, crucially by securing a long-term funding solution. 

 

At the Spending Review in November 2020, local authorities were enabled to access over £1 billion of spending for social care, through £300 million of social care grant, and the ability to levy a three per cent adult social care precept. This is in addition to the £1 billion social care grant announced during 2019, and the £3 billion provided to local authorities to address COVID-19 pressures, including in adult social care. I know that this Government is committed to sustainable improvement of the adult social care system. 

 

Money alone will not fix the problem and reform is needed to encourage high standards across the whole country. It is vital for us to consider ways of encouraging collaboration between health and care services, such as the Better Care Fund which assists local government and the NHS with the implementation of integrated services. 

 

In the Conservative Manifesto, on which I was proud to stand, we set out our aim to build the same level of consensus on social care that we have already built on the NHS, across political parties, so that an answer can be brought forward that solves the problem, commands the widest possible support, and stands the test of time. I firmly support the renewed commitment in the Queen's Speech to bring forward proposals to reform social care during this Parliament, and eagerly anticipate taking part in a conversation about establishing a care system fit for the 21st century. 

 

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 17 June 2021 - G7 aftermath

Well just like that, the G7 Leader’s Summit is over and what an occasion it was for Cornwall!

While there were some major positive global announcements made at the summit, which I will come to later.  However, a personal highlight was getting to meet and greet US President Joe Biden from Air Force One.  I was honoured to represent Cornwall’s Members of Parliament at the official arrival ceremony. An experience, I will never forget.

Of course Falmouth and wider Cornwall was highlighted during the event and it was my pleasure to welcome the Prime Minister among others to the National Maritime Museum to talk about some of the exciting plans we have for both our town and the Truro and Falmouth constituency. The Prime Minister arrived on the Falmouth pilot boat and meant he got a fantastic view of the whole port.

On a much wider scale I was delighted to see the Carbis Bay declaration coming out of the G7. This saw the G7 leaders commit to using all their resources to prevent a global pandemic from ever happening again, with an historic statement setting out a series of concrete commitments to prevent any repeat of the human and economic devastation wreaked by coronavirus.

The Carbis Bay declaration incorporates the recommendations of the Pandemic Preparedness Partnership report, the ‘100 Days Mission to Respond to Future Pandemic Threats’, which contains actionable recommendations on how governments and others can quickly respond to any future outbreaks. The first 100 days after the identification of an epidemic threat are crucial to changing its course and, ideally, preventing it from becoming a pandemic, and sets out the other steps G7 countries will take to prevent a future pandemic. These include slashing the time taken to develop and licence vaccines, treatments and diagnostics for any future disease to under 100 days, a commitment to reinforce global surveillance networks and genomic sequencing capacity and support for reforming and strengthening the World Health Organization.

The summit also saw the G7 leaders endorse a Nature Compact to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 – including supporting the global target to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of land and 30 percent of ocean globally by the end of the decade.

As part of this, the Prime Minister launched the UK’s Blue Planet Fund. This £500 million fund will support countries including Ghana, Indonesia and Pacific island states to tackle unsustainable fishing, protect and restore coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, and reduce marine pollution.

There will be many memories made from having the G7 Leaders Summit in Cornwall as well as these important international decisions that have been made at a Cornish backdrop. Thank you to everyone who worked together to make it such a success and I hope the leaders will return to their countries inspired, energised and exhilarated, and take a little bit of what makes our Cornwall so special back with them.

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.

 

Winterbourne View Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding impatient units including Winterbourne View.

I absolutely agree that patient safety and care for those with autism and learning disabilities should be to the highest standard and I am deeply concerned at the abuse that patients in Winterbourne and other hospitals faced.  

Children, young people and adults with a learning disability, autism or both, with the most complex needs, have the same rights to live fulfilling lives. Since 2015, the number of people in inpatient care has reduced by almost a fifth, which is welcome progress. 

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out key changes to inpatient units for those with learning disabilities and autism. This includes a commitment to reducing the number of admissions and decreasing the amount of time spent in these units.  

However, I do appreciate the need to do all we can to support the prevention of inpatient admission and so I welcome the fact that the Long Term Plan includes increased investment in intensive, crisis and forensic community support. This will enable more people to receive personalised care in the community, closer to home, and reduce preventable admissions to inpatient services. Local providers will also be able to take control of budgets to reduce avoidable admissions, enable shorter lengths of stay and end out-of-area placements.  

I firmly support the four principles set out in the Government’s proposed changes to the Mental Health Act as an important measure for protecting patients, service users, and their loved ones. I understand that the Government is currently reviewing feedback from the consultation on reforming the Mental Health Act, which included consideration of the introduction of new duties on commissioners to ensure the adequate supply of community services for people with a learning disability and for autistic people. 

I will of course continue to monitor this issue carefully and contact ministerial colleagues to ensure that these changes work for patients, families and carers. 

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 10 June 2021 - Final preparations for G7

 

This week sees the culmination of months of planning as Cornwall hosts the G7 Leaders’ Summit from the 11-13 June.

The G7 or Group of 7 is made up of the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the EU. Australia, India and South Korea have been invited as guest countries for this year’s event.

The G7 is one of the highest profile summits in the international calendar, bringing some of the world’s most powerful leaders together. 2021’s G7 is particularly important as this will be the first international event as the world looks to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic that has blighted our lives over the past year.

As the presidency holder, the UK is directing the agenda for the G7 in 2021, choosing to focus on issues that matter and will help the UK and the world build back better from coronavirus. Having the Presidency of the G7 for 2021 is a unique opportunity for the UK to lead the international recovery effort from the COVID-19 crisis.

I am pleased to see the Prime Minister putting Cornwall at the heart of the Government’s levelling up agenda by choosing our county to host this global event. Over the past few months I have been working with the Government to look at G7 Legacy projects so that the G7 will have a lasting impact on our County, and hope to be able to share news on these shortly.

Aside from the obvious attractions that we have in Cornwall, our scenic vistas, beautiful maritime environments, unique culture and unmatched food and drink offer, there is also so much more to highlight to the visiting heads of state. In particular I want to see our emerging high tech industries have a spotlight shone upon them, as well as the burgeoning potential of our sustainable and renewable energy sector, with good news coming out every day on everything from geothermal energy from deep under the ground, to the launching of satellites into space, not to mention the return of our mining pre-eminence with new announcements on lithium made just this week.

While there have been some, who as ever, are quick to jump to highlight any negatives on offer, particularly in certain toxic echo chambers on social media, my own view, as is shared by so many local people and businesses, is that the very short term inconveniences created by needing the appropriate security for such an event will be more than made up by the long term benefits both to Cornwall by hosting the event with the legacy projects, but also to the world if each of the leaders takes away with them a little slice of what makes our home so special.

My thanks go to everyone who has been involved with the organisation and running of this momentous event, our emergency services, Cornwall Council and numerous local businesses – you have all done your bit to ensure Cornwall will sparkle on the world’s stage.

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.

Test and Trace Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding test and trace.

NHS Test and Trace is essential in our fight against Covid-19 and regular testing is a vital tool to stop transmission as we cautiously ease restrictions. I am extremely proud of the fact that, after building a testing system from scratch, we have carried out over 175m coronavirus tests and have increased PCR test capacity to 800,000 per day. This is more than any other comparable European country, with the UK having the largest testing capacity in Europe.

Protecting communities and saving lives is the Government's first priority and every pound spent on Test and Trace is contributing towards efforts to keep people safe. I believe that it has been extremely important for the Government to fund this vital service as appropriate and I would note that 80 per cent of NHS Test and Trace’s budget is spent on buying and carrying out coronavirus tests, with the remainder spent on contact tracing and other areas of the programme.

It is also worth highlighting that while the NHS App is playing a key role, it is only one part of the wider NHS Test and Trace system. The NAO estimated that as of October 2020 the spend on the App was around £43 million.

The Government is now providing regular rapid testing for NHS and care home staff, thousands of businesses where employees cannot work from home, teachers and secondary school children and their parents. Regular rapid testing identifies new cases of the virus we would not otherwise find, preventing the spread of the disease and saving lives.

NHS Test and Trace is successfully reaching over 90 per cent of the contacts of positive cases - with 98 per cent being contacted within 24 hours, and the contact tracing service has already reached more than 9.1m cases and contacts, making a real impact in breaking chains of transmission.

If you would like to view the statistics for yourself, you can do so on the link below:

Weekly statistics for NHS Test and Trace (England) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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

Radiotherapy 4 Life "Support the #CatchUpWithCancer Campaign" Campaign Response

Thank you for to the many constituents contacting me about cancer treatment during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

I was delighted when it was announced that NHS services could begin restarting from April, starting with the most urgent, like cancer care and mental health support. The NHS is open for business, even during this time of additional restrictions, and anyone who needs care and treatment should continue to access it as and when they need it, especially when delays could impose both an immediate and a long-term risk to health.

I welcome that the Government has already announced £3 billion funding to support the NHS recovery from COVID-19, to help to ease existing pressures and enable hospitals to carry out extra checks, scans, and other operations or procedures. This will help to ensure that cancer patients are able to access the care that they need as safely and quickly as possible. This was reiterated as part of the Spring Budget 2021, and I firmly support the Government's ongoing commitment to the NHS and the vital service it provides, during normal times as well as the pandemic.

One of the measures outlined in the LTP is safer and more precise treatment, including advanced radiotherapy techniques and immunotherapies to continue to support improvements in survival rates. This will be supported by a £130 million upgrade of radiotherapy machines across England, as well as commissioning the NHS new state-of-the-art Proton Beam facilities in London and Manchester.

In addition, the LTP commits to reforms to the specialised commissioning payments for radiotherapy hypofractionation to support further equipment upgrades. Faster, smarter and effective radiotherapy, supported by greater networking of specialised expertise, will mean more patients are offered curative treatment, with fewer side effects and shorter treatment times. Starting with ovarian cancer, the NHS will ensure greater access to specialist expertise and knowledge in the treatment of cancers where there are fewer or more risky treatment options.

I would also note that Matt Hancock recently visited the Royal Cornwall Hospital recently and I was extremely pleased that the Secretary of State confirmed that RCHT’s Oncology Ward and MRI re-Provision programme has now been approved: Cancer treatment extension at Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske | Falmouth Packet

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

Voter ID Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents getting in touch regarding Voter ID.

A secure electoral system is a vital component of a healthy democracy, and the public must have confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century. Asking voters to bring ID to their polling station is an important way of achieving this and the Electoral Integrity Bill will put such a requirement into law.

Voter ID is not new. Northern Ireland has required paper ID at polling stations since 1985, and photo ID since 2003 - introduced by the last Labour Government. It has proved to be effective at tackling fraud and has not curtailed election turnout. Most other democratic countries in the world require some sort of Voter ID - and for very good and obvious reasons.

Identification to vote has been supported strongly by the Electoral Commission and international election watchdogs. At present, it is harder to take out a library book or collect a parcel at a post office than it is to vote in someone else’s name.

In pilot schemes in 2018 and 2019, the overwhelming majority of people cast their vote without a problem and the success of the pilots proves that this is a reasonable and proportionate measure to take; there was no noticeable adverse effect on turnout.

The Electoral Commission, which carried out/commissioned appropriate research, stated that “the experience of taking part in the pilot scheme appears to have had a positive impact on people’s perception of the security of the polling station process, and on their confidence in it...Polling station staff were satisfied with how polling day went and were confident that they could manage the process of people showing voter identification at future elections."

Under the Government’s proposals, anyone without appropriate ID will be able to apply for a new free one, meaning that no voter will be disenfranchised. Acceptable ID will include not only passports and driving licences but almost certainly senior (and disabled) bus passes and rail passes etc.

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 3 June 2021 - Health and Port of Falmouth updates

Last week opened with one of the top decision-makers on health matters visiting our constituency when the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock visited Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske.

The Secretary of State visited to thank local staff for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and confirm progress on two major projects for Cornwall’s main hospital. During his visit, the Secretary of State confirmed that RCHT’s Oncology Ward and MRI re-Provision programme has now been approved.  He also reiterated that a new women’s and children’s hospital for RCHT continues to be one of the 40 new hospitals that the Government is prioritising on delivering.

I have been working hard with RCHT management, local NHS organisations and colleagues with the Department of Health and Social Care to bring in these exciting new facilities for our main hospital. There is always more to do though, and I will continue to work at every level of Government to ensure this site and the people who work there are given the maximum level of support.

One of the things that we spoke about during the visit was the importance of women in Truro and Falmouth sharing their experiences, as well as their priorities, to help shape the first ever government-led Women’s Health Strategy, designed to increase the health and wellbeing outcomes of women in England.

With over 65,000 responses already, there has been an incredible reaction to the call for evidence. Women of all ages and backgrounds are being asked to respond in order to capture the varying health issues women experience over their lives and the significant differences between women and men in terms of access to services, experience of services and health outcomes. Early analysis shows women from Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds, and over-50s are under-represented in sharing their experiences - this representation is necessary to ensure the strategy works for all women.

I am delighted to see the Government putting women’s voices at the centre of new Women’s Health Strategy and am pleased to see that nationally over 65,000 women, their carers, clinicians and organisations have responded so far to the call for evidence. I encourage all women in Truro and Falmouth, particularly from the groups who have been under-represented so far, to respond in order to ensure the call for evidence is fully represented.

The consultation finishes on 13 June and you can access it via https://tinyurl.com/n2eazmuf

On Friday I visited Falmouth to meet with the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners. We had a really productive meeting discussing their plans and discussing how we can future proof the port.

We must play to our strengths in Falmouth so let’s embrace the water and marine sector. There is no reason why Falmouth cannot be a hub for clean, green jobs, which is something I have highlighted recently in Parliament to Ministers and will be following up on shortly with more visits to promote the port. It was also really informative to take a trip out to see the work being undertaken to protect and enhance the seagrass in the bay – this is hugely important both for catching carbon and preserving a beautiful and diverse natural habitat.

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.