Campaign reply - Please sign EDM 1126 to reform Disability Benefit Assessments

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about disability benefit assessments. 

I firmly believe that the benefits system should support the people who need it most. The health and disability green paper and subsequent consultation considered how to improve the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) current services so they are better and easier to use, how extra support can help people navigate the system, and what more can be done to better support disabled people into employment.

I am encouraged that one of DWP's aims is to improve the assessment process for financial support. This will ensure it is as simple as possible and people can clearly understand the reason for and approach to an assessment, what evidence to provide and the outcome received.

I know that DWP are also committed to building transparency and consistency in the delivery of assessments and in their outcomes. A more personalised service would stop people having to repeatedly provide information or attend unnecessary repeat assessments.

Ministerial colleagues are determined to deliver reforms that are developed through close collaboration with disabled people and I look forward to the Government's response and detailed proposals in due course.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - In support of the Valerie's Law petition's debate in parliament

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about supporting black victims of domestic abuse.

Unfortunately, due to other parliamentary business, I was unable to attend this debate.

However, I entirely agree with you that effective and comprehensive training for responders to domestic and sexual abuse is essential. It is vital that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to protect and support all victims and survivors of domestic abuse, including those from black backgrounds.

It is for this reason that I welcomed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which has at its core a focus on helping transform the response to domestic abuse. The Act aims to ensure that victims can report their experiences with full confidence that the state will do everything it can to support them.

I am aware, however, that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is not appropriate for all victims and recognise the importance of specialist domestic abuse services to support the specific issues that black victims face. I therefore welcomed that the Domestic Abuse Act established in law the role of Domestic Abuse Commissioner. This role requires the incumbent to adopt a specific focus on the particular needs of victims and survivors from minority or marginalised groups.

Furthermore, I welcome the recent publication of the 'Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan' which will seek to transform the whole of society's response to domestic abuse. The Plan will prevent offending from happening in the first place, support victims and survivors when it does occur, pursue perpetrators in order to prevent reoffending, and develop and strengthen the multi-agency, society-wide system needed to combat these pervasive, often hidden crimes. 

I have been assured that the plan is closely aligned with the 'Tackling violence against women and girls strategy' that was published in July last year. Both documents were informed by the same call for evidence, which actively sought input from under-represented groups to ensure the perspectives of a diverse range of people, including victims and survivors from ethnic minority backgrounds.

It is also the case that the police and other relevant organisations already receive training and guidance on domestic abuse, which includes recognising that victims may have specific needs based on their ethnicity or cultural background. The College of Policing has mandatory foundation training for those entering the service, including all the new officers being recruited as a result of the police uplift programme. That training includes substantial coverage of police ethics and self-understanding, including the effects of personal conscious and unconscious bias. It also covers hate crimes, ethics and equalities, and policing without bias.

In addition, the College of Policing has developed specialist domestic abuse training, the Domestic Abuse Matters programme, which helps first responders develop the skills they need when first on the scene of an incident or report.

For the reasons outlined above, I do not believe it is necessary to mandate revised specialist training. I do, however, look forward to seeing the positive impact of the new Domestic Abuse Plan on victims and survivors across the UK.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.


 

Column 26 May 2022 - Good news for our police and education

Last week saw two really excellent announcements and good news for communities on the north and south coasts of Truro and Falmouth.

Firstly, after years of hard work, I was delighted to confirm that Perranporth will get a new secondary school, which is due to open in September 2025.

This is something I have been working hard on, with the excellent team at Cornwall Council and the Department for Education, since shortly after my election in 2019. Lack of school places for the communities on the north coast of our constituency was one of the top issues raised with me on the doors during that campaign, along with the pressure that Truro’s schools were under, and so finding a site for a new secondary school was very important.

The site for this school is due to be near Liskey Hill in Perranporth, subject to planning permission, and it will provide up to 1,350 places. The school is due to open by September 2025 and will be part of Truro and Penwith Academy Trust, which supports twenty-nine infant, primary and secondary schools across Cornwall including schools in Perranporth, Mithian and Blackwater. The new school will take students from the Perranporth, St Agnes, Cubert, Goonhavern, Holywell, St Newlyn East, Newquay and Truro area.

I am over the moon with this progress. In 2020, after months of discussion, it was confirmed that I had secured a new secondary school for this constituency as part of the Government’s Free School Programme. This is huge news for local families in and around this part of the North Coast and I look forward to seeing the plans in the near future.

Then on Friday there was some fantastic news for Falmouth, when our Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez confirmed that the Falmouth Police Station enquiry desk, which has been closed since 2014, will reopen.

With the rise of anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls in particular, I am pleased to see my work with our Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez to re-open Falmouth Police Station’s front desk, something which I have campaigned on since my election in 2019, has been successful. In recent meetings with our local police I have been told that they are on course to have more police officers by 2023 than they have ever had before, and it is only right that these officers will be able to rely on public facing facilities in police stations like Falmouth, to help them in their work fighting crime.

The reopening of Falmouth Police Station’s enquiry desk was one of the top things I raised with PCC Hernandez when I met her in the constituency and it is good to see plans are now in place to re-open these crucial elements of our local policing to the public.

These two announcements are just two ways in which long-running work by me as part of the Conservative team that represents Cornwall at county and government level are delivering for you, and I look forward to continuing with my positive work for you 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. My regular constituency advice surgeries are 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.

Campaign reply - Electoral Reform

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 identification to their polling station is an important way of achieving this and the Elections Act introduces provision to put such a requirement into law. This is part of a wider package of measures in the Elections Act to strengthen electoral integrity – including by tackling postal and proxy voting fraud, tackling intimidation, increasing transparency of digital campaigning, and preventing foreign interference in elections.

Identification to vote has been backed by the Electoral Commission and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, which state that its absence is a security risk. 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 Northern Ireland voters have been required to produce personal identification before voting in polling stations since 1985, with photographic identification being required since 2003 when introduced by the last Labour Government. Ministers at the time noted that “the Government have no intention of taking away people’s democratic right to vote. If we believed that thousands of voters would not be able to vote because of this measure, we would not be introducing it at this time.”

The Electoral Commission has also commented that “since the introduction of photo ID in Northern Ireland there have been no reported cases of personation. Voters’ confidence that elections are well-run in Northern Ireland is consistently higher than in Great Britain, and there are virtually no allegations of electoral fraud at polling stations.” I should add that the Electoral Commission's 2021 Public Opinion tracker recorded that not a single Northern Ireland respondent reported: ‘I don’t have any identification / I would not be able to vote’.

Anyone without a form of identification will be able to apply for a new free Voter Card – meaning that no voter will be disenfranchised. Ministers assure me that this system will be in operation in good time ahead of the implementation of voter identification. 
 
Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - Diabetes is Serious - please attend this important event in Parliament

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch.

Unfortunately, due to urgent business in Parliament, I was not able to attend this important event.

A part of a strong healthcare system is ensuring that people with diabetes get the care that they need. It is unacceptable that so many people living with diabetes feel that they are not getting the proper care that they need.

Since 2017/18, NHS England and NHS Improvement has made around £150 million of transformation funding available to support projects from individual Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), CCG collaborations and Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to reduce variation in access to services and improve outcomes for people living with diabetes, focusing on four evidence-based intervention areas:

1.    Ensuring patients have access to specialist multidisciplinary footcare teams with an aim of reducing amputations

2.    Ensuring patients have access to diabetes inpatient specialist nursing teams in hospitals to improve the quality of their care

3.    Reducing variation in the achievement of the three NICE recommended treatment targets (HbA1c (blood sugar), cholesterol and blood pressure) for adults and one treatment target (HbA1c) for children

4.    Expanding provision of structured education (including digital options) to better support patient self-management.

 

The issue of diabetes is one that I take very seriously. As MP, one of my top priorities is improving health and social care in Truro and Falmouth. As we leave the worst of the pandemic behind us, I am committed to strengthening our healthcare system and improving the lives of all residents.

 

Please keep in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - NHS Staff should have free parking in NHS Hospitals!

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about hospital parking charges.

I agree with you that patients and their families should not have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges at what may already be an extremely difficult time.

That is why I am glad that the Government's NHS car parking guidance for NHS trusts sets out the mandatory requirement to provide free parking for those with the greatest need. This includes disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight and staff working night shifts. This will eliminate costs for those in need while making sure there are enough spaces for everyone.

NHS trusts have also been encouraged to consider concessions for other groups, like volunteers and staff who car share, as well as establishing 'pay on exit' schemes to ensure that drivers only pay for the time that they have used. These actions are voluntary but the Government has said that all trusts should implement them wherever possible. 

NHS trusts are required to publish their parking policy, implementation of NHS car parking principles and financial information relating to their car parking to ensure that patients are able to hold them to account. 

I am glad that the Government provided funding for free parking in hospital car parks for NHS staff during the pandemic. This temporary measure gave much needed assistance during such a difficult time, but in light of the wider changes to the Government’s Covid-19 response, this has come to an end. I am assured however that over 94 per cent of NHS Trusts that charge for car parking have implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - Jim Fitton

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about Jim Fitton, a British national detained in Iraq, about whom I share your concern. 

Through their global network, consular staff at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) endeavour to give appropriate and tailored support to British nationals overseas and their families in the UK 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

While, due to data protection regulations, the FCDO cannot share details of Mr Fitton’s case with third parties without his consent, they have confirmed that they are providing consular support. What the FCDO can and cannot provide to British nationals abroad, including in the event of detention, is set out in 'Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide', available on gov.uk. 

The FCDO has also confirmed that it has raised concerns with the Iraqi authorities regarding the possible imposition of the death penalty in Mr Fitton’s case. The UK opposes the use of the death penalty under all circumstances and in all countries as a matter of principle. I know that the FCDO will continue to make this clear to the Iraqi authorities, including in relation to Mr Fitton's case. 

FCDO Minister, James Cleverly, responded to an Urgent Question in Parliament on Mr Fitton on 11 May. I am satisfied by his remarks that the FCDO has and is doing all it can to support him. Nevertheless, I will press the FCDO on this matter on behalf of you and other constituents who have contacted me.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - Increase the State Pension Petition

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the changes to the State Pension age.

The State Pension age has increased from 65 to 66 meaning that men and women born between 6 October 1954 and 5 April 1960 will start receiving their state pension on their 66th birthday. Current legislation sets out for the State Pension age to rise to age 67 between 2026-28 and to age 68 between 2044-46.

The Government is committed in legislation to undertake a review of the State Pension age every six years to consider a variety of factors including the latest life expectancy projections. The first Review of State Pension age was undertaken in 2017 and concluded that the next Review should consider whether the increase to age 68 should be brought forward to 2037-39 before tabling any changes to legislation. This latest Review must be published by 7 May 2023.

The independent report by John Cridland informed the 2017 review of State Pension age and proposed bringing forward the rise in State Pension age to 68 by seven years so that it takes place between 2037 and 2039. My colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions noted these recommendations and said that a further review of State Pension age would be undertaken before considering this or any other changes to State Pension age, to enable the latest life expectancy projections to be considered.

I am informed, however, that future pensioners will on average still receive more State Pension over their lifetime than generations before them. I am also encouraged that the full basic State Pension is now worth over £2,050 a year more than in 2010 in cash terms.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Column 19 May 2022 - More from the Queen's Speech

This past week saw the State Opening of Parliament, which on this occasion saw the Duke of Cornwall for the first time deliver the Queen’s Speech, as Her Majesty the Queen was unable to do so due to mobility issues.

The Queen’s Speech is the time that the Government looks ahead to what it wants to deliver in the coming session of Parliament. It is not a Budget or Spending Review, but instead focuses on the long-term aspirations and big changes the Government wishes to bring about.

In last week’s column I touched on one of the elements of the Queen’s Speech that was previewed last weekend, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which looks to allow local authorities like Cornwall Council more devolved powers, and critically for us, those to apply more tax on second homes.

But the Queen’s Speech was much more than that and sets out our Government’s legislative agenda to grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families across the UK. 38 new Bills will go through Parliament, allowing us to take advantage of Brexit freedoms to best grow the economy and support British business – creating the economic strength and prosperity needed to ease cost of living pressures and help people into high-skilled and well-paid jobs.

Measures set out to help grow the economy and boost living standards include the landmark Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, shifting power to local leaders to regenerate their towns and cities; the Energy Security Bill, delivering a more secure, homegrown and cheaper energy network; the Social Housing Regulation Bill, ensuring better quality homes meaning renters are not saddled with the cost and worry of unsafe homes; and the Schools Bill, raising standards for students, reforming funding and encouraging attendance.

This legislative agenda also builds on the ourGovernment’s commitment to fund our NHS and clear the Covid backlogs – investing a record £36 billion and recruiting an additional 27,000 nurses to provide the NHS with the funding and resources it needs.

“This was an ambitious Queen’s Speech, including a raft of new measures to tackle the cost of living, make our streets safer and build an affordable, secure energy supply.

I was particularly pleased this plan includes action tackle the most pressing issues in Truro and Falmouth head on. This includes addressing our urgent housing crisis and ensuring we level up coastal communities through investment in schools, green energy, and local infrastructure.

I look forward to working closely with the Government to ensure these 38 new Bills deliver a brighter future for Truro and Falmouth.

Obviously the cost of living crisis remains high on the agenda. While a Queen’s Speech is not the time to announce more short term assistance to help tackle this, I am in regular discussions with colleagues, feeding back everything I am told from Cornwall, and am assured that the Government will continue to keep this difficult situation under review and announce further support as and when needed.

Finally, congratulations must go to Cornwall Council who are one of the first local authorities in the country to pay virtually all of their council tax energy bill rebates to those paying by direct debit, while some authorities elsewhere in the country won’t get around to it until September. If you haven’t been paid yours, Cornwall Council have advised me that they will get in touch, in writing, to get the details they need to make the payment as soon as possible.

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. My regular constituency advice surgeries are 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.

 

Campaign reply - Parliamentary debate greyhound racing

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the welfare of racing greyhounds.

 

Unfortunately, due to other parliamentary business, I was unable to attend this debate. However, I agree with you that these gentle, sensitive animals deserve our best protection. I am reassured that anyone failing to provide for the welfare of a racing greyhound in their care could face prosecution under the Animal Welfare Act, as well as enforcement action from the sport’s governing body, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB). New legislation came into force in 2021, increasing the maximum sentence for the worst animal cruelty offences from six months to five years.

 

Significant progress that has been made to improve greyhound welfare, and I know that the Government does not believe that a ban on greyhound racing is necessary. The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 was reviewed in 2016, both by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

 

The review found that, judged against their original objectives, the regulations have been broadly effective. The review also identified areas where the industry could take further action and Defra has been working closely with GBGB to ensure these actions are taken. This includes the annual publication of injury, euthanasia and retirement statistics, and addressing welfare issues at GBGB affiliated trainers’ kennels. I am aware that GBGB has launched its new long-term welfare strategy to further promote and protect welfare at all stages of a racing greyhound’s life, not just its racing career.

I am glad that the British Greyhound Racing Fund (BGRF) collects a voluntary levy from bookmakers. These funds directly support greyhound welfare and the sport’s integrity, and to a lesser extent the development and promotion of the sport. The Government will continue to encourage any remaining bookmakers that have not signed up to the voluntary arrangements to follow suit. I am aware that around 95 per cent of all licensed betting offices, including those online, are now contributing to the voluntary greyhound levy.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Column 12 May 2022 - More powers to tax second homes

Over the past couple of weeks Parliament has been prorogued ahead of the Queen’s Speech. A Queen’s Speech marks the symbolic beginning of the beginning of a new session of Parliament, and Her Majesty the Queen will give a speech stating the Government’s priorities for the next session.

Despite the issues around the COVID-19 pandemic, the last session of Parliament was an incredibly productive one, that saw nearly 20 new Acts of Parliament passed, delivering on many of the Government’s Manifesto commitments from the last General Election. These included our ground-breaking Environment Act, Animal Welfare Act, Nationality and Borders Act; the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and our Health and Care Act. As we move on from Brexit, these acts have allowed us to make the major changes we need to take back control, innovate and be nimble where we could not be before as part of the EU.

I now look forward to the Queen’s Speech this week to see the next change of our Government’s programme of legislative reform. The speech itself fell after the deadline for submitting my column so I can’t go into detail on it now. However one major item that was confirmed over the weekend was that the speech will contain an act giving new powers for local authorities in England, like Cornwall Council to be able to double council tax on unused second homes to boost funding for local services.

This is something I have long-campaigned for, both during my time as MP for Truro and Falmouth but also when I was a Cornwall Councillor. Having been an elected representative at both levels of government I fully understand how beneficial it would be for local authorities like Cornwall Council to be abler to have these powers, which will generate income that can then be put direct into running and improving local services. This is an argument I have been making, along with my Cornish MP colleagues, for some time.

The powers announced in the Queen’s Speech will give councils the ability to levy a premium of up to 100% on council tax bills for second homes – which are furnished but not occupied as a sole or main residence – empowering them to determine how best to raise additional revenue for their communities.

It has also been confirmed that another big issue that we have in Cornwall, empty homes, will be addressed, as homes left empty could also see their standard council tax rate doubled sooner – after 12 months rather than two years – in a move that will discourage owners from leaving properties vacant for a long time, while injecting money back into local areas.

In addition to having the power to apply greater premiums at a level of their choice, Local Authorities will enjoy flexibility on how to spend the funds raised and can decide to prioritise keeping council tax bills low for local households. This will also help deliver the infrastructure that communities really need, including genuinely affordable housing, social care and children’s services.

 Along with the announcement of the closure of the holiday let business rates loophole earlier this year, I am pleased to see this Government once again listening to concerns raised from Cornwall and committing to take action. The growing numbers of empty homes, many of them second homes, across Cornwall, are a legitimate concern when it comes to keeping our communities vibrant all year round and I hope you will agree with me that this is good news for us all.

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. My regular constituency advice surgeries are 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.

Campaign reply - Worrying report into the future of higher education in the UK

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the University College Union's (UCU) report into the future of the higher education system. 

I would like to assure you that the work of university staff, and the higher education sector is greatly appreciated by the Government, particularly during the recent challenging times. It is also fantastic to see the innovating research that is coming out of our higher education institutions, including life saving treatments and vaccines. 

I read the report by the UCU with great interest and have noted the concerns raised by university staff over pay, pensions and working conditions. I am aware that universities are independent institutions, and as such are responsible for their own decisions on employment contracts and pay and pension provision. However, of course, the Department for Education expects universities, like all employers, to treat their staff fairly and with respect, with particular consideration to their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. 

I understand that the Pensions Regulator is currently working with the University Superannuation Scheme, Universities UK and a rank of stakeholders to find solutions to the ongoing disputes over pay and pensions. I also have welcomed calls from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association for the UCU to engage in salary negotiation rounds that take place at the end of March 2022. 

I would once again like to say how valued the higher education institutions in this country are – including our important universities in Falmouth - and I will continue to monitor this issue closely. 

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - HRA DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) antisemitism definition being adopted by universities.

I would like to make it clear that I condemn all acts of antisemitism in the strongest possible terms. Any discrimination or intimidation based on religion or race is deplorable and must not be tolerated, and I welcome the action that has been taken to tackle antisemitism in recent years. I am especially proud that the UK was the first country to adopt the working definition of antisemitism as set by the IHRA, setting an example for the world to follow.

I welcome that the Department for Education (DfE) has called upon Higher Education providers to sign up to the IHRA definition, and it is encouraging that 95 universities have currently signed up, increasing from 67 universities in September 2020. However, the decision to adopt the IHRA definition rests with individual providers. Although, let me reassure you that the Government will continue to urge all Higher Education providers adopt the definition. 

More broadly, I welcome that the Government is continuing to work to tackle antisemitism in educational settings. The DfE held an antisemitism summit in January 2022 to discuss new measures and initiatives to combat this issue in universities, such as training workshops for all education providers from the Union of Jewish Students.  Moreover, the Department for Education has provided a number of recommendations to university leaders to tackle racial harassment, such as improving awareness and introducing robust reporting systems.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Campaign reply - Will you support Baroness Sugg's amendment in the House of Commons?

Thank you for contacting me about the provision of early medical abortion. 

I completely understand that this can be an incredibly emotive issue, and can fully appreciate the strength of your feelings on this matter. Given the sensitivities and as with other matters of conscience, the Government adopts a neutral stance on abortion, allowing Conservative MPs to vote freely according to their moral, ethical, or religious beliefs. This is a convention which I support wholeheartedly.

In March 2020, the Government put in place a temporary measure in England, enabling women to take both pills for early medical abortion up to ten weeks (nine weeks and six days) gestation in their own homes, following a telephone or e-consultation with a clinician, without the need to first attend a hospital or clinic. Following consultation, the Government announced a six-month extension to the temporary arrangements, with the intention of returning to pre-Covid arrangements on 29th August.

However, an amendment tabled to the Health and Care Act made permanent these temporary measures. Following a free vote, MPs voted in favour of the amendment to make the provisions permanent.

For my part, I voted in against this amendment because I have concerns about the lack of face-to-face contact with a health care professional and the potential for coercion from partners or other family members. I also am concerned that the emotional health of the woman is not being addressed. I feel this is regressive, not progressive.

 

However, following this vote, I am assured that the Government will work with NHS England, the Care Quality Commission and abortion providers to ensure that they can safely offer telemedicine abortion services on a permanent basis and that all women are genuinely offered the choice of a face-to-face appointment.  I'm also glad that the Government will work with those in the violence against women and girls sector, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, professional bodies such as the Royal Colleges and safeguarding leads, to monitor the impacts of home-use.

 

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 


Campaign reply: Close down illegal schools

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about unregistered or illegal schools. 

I understand that the Department for Education is taking firm action to deal with unregistered schools to ensure that settings are closed or shut down completely where necessary. I am aware that Ofsted has a dedicated unregistered schools team that investigates and inspects suspected illegal schools.

An inspector issues a warning notice at the end of an inspection if she or he believes the setting is operating illegally as a school. I have been informed that between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2021, 494 inspections of suspected illegal schools took place, of this 166 warning notices were issued and 91 settings were closed completely. 

The Department has made it clear that it is important that children and young people are on a school roll, or alternatively being electively home educated because they can be exposed to certain risks if they are not being educated in either of those settings. The Secretary of State for Education has said that the Department intends to introduce new legislation which will require councils to maintain a register of children who are not in school. This will help eliminate the concept of 'ghost children', as well as additional stronger powers for Ofsted to crack down on illegal schools and ensure the criminals who are running them face prosecution.

I can assure you that the Department is committed to ensuring that all children receive an excellent education, in a safe and risk free environment. 

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - RNLI facilitating illegal immigration

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the RNLI and migrants crossing the Channel.

The Government’s key focus is on bringing to justice the ruthless criminal people smugglers whose actions endanger lives. The Home Secretary is taking all action possible to stop criminals exploiting vulnerable people and I offer my support to this important work. There is an obvious difference between organisations like the RNLI and people smugglers who exploit the most vulnerable people.

I do not believe this issue has ever been about the RNLI escorting boats across the Channel. Once an unseaworthy small boat is in the sea, the priority is to save lives; this is something I agree with and will not apologise for. The Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and those on board the small boats are not wearing suitable life jackets despite the rough waters. It is important not to forget that these people are desperate and will put their own lives and those of their children at risk rather than go back to France. 

I do fully appreciate your concern about these crossings, and the Government is taking firm action to stop these crossings – including via the new Rwanda policy. I am encouraged by this work but will push the Government to continue to act fast to make this route unviable and to end the cruel and dangerous people-smuggling between France and the UK.  

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - Employment and MS

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about providing support for those with multiple sclerosis.

I welcome that this Government has shown a strong commitment to improving the lives of disabled individuals and that improvements to services, access and opportunities, levels of understanding and visibility have taken place.

Under the Equality Act 2010, individuals are protected from discrimination throughout the job application process and their employment. I am glad that the disability employment gap has reduced overall to 28.4 per cent as of September 2021.

However, the Government’s policy is to improve this further, including through measures such as the introduction of the Adjustments Passport to support disabled people with greater flexibility and smoother transitions into  employment and between job roles, improved employment services, the creation of a new Centre for Assistive and Accessible Technology and strengthened rights in the workplace, including encouragement of flexible working.

Various pilots of the Adjustments Passport are underway with more planned this year. I know the Government continues to work with a range of stakeholders including disabled people’s charities and organisations to inform its development.

Access to Work is transforming the service it provides and is working to deliver a modern, efficient, digital service that provides an improved customer experience. A key part of this transformation will be the development of a new digital customer journey, that delivers a quicker, more efficient service for customers.

I know that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is reviewing the statutory right to request flexible working, with the Government set to launch a consultation on this issue.

Additionally, as we move to living with Covid, I know that the Government is keeping the Statutory Sick Pay system under review.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - Time to rethink the UK aid cuts

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about UK spending on foreign aid, otherwise known as Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Ministers had to take many tough but necessary decisions in responding to the pandemic, this included reducing our ODA budget from 0.7 to 0.5 per cent of the UK's gross national income (GNI). Nevertheless, I am encouraged that, spending 0.5 per cent, the UK's ODA commitment remains considerably higher than the OEDC average, which stood at 0.33 per cent in 2021/22. Likewise, that, spending just under £11.5 billion in 2021/22 on our ODA priorities, the UK was the fourth largest national ODA donor in absolute terms in 2021/22.

 

I have been assured that the UK will return to spending 0.7 per cent on ODA as soon as the fiscal situation allows, and am pleased that the Chancellor has provided a clear measure for this: (1) when we are not borrowing to support day-to-day spending; and (2) when underlying debt is falling. I think this is the most economically prudent way in which to return to satisfying the 0.7 per cent target in light of the prevailing circumstances. 

I am glad that Government, recognising the strength of feeling felt by many Members across the House on this matter – and even though it was not necessarily obliged to do so by the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015 – last year gave Parliament a meaningful vote on its decision. I am glad that Parliament, recognising the need to manage the public finances responsibly and maintain strong investment in domestic public services in places like Truro and Falmouth, voted to approve the Government’s plans by a handsome margin.

 

I appreciate your renewed concern for ODA cut in light of recent events, but I remain persuaded by the necessity of this measure. On Ukraine, I would note that the UK has provided £220m in ODA in response to the crisis, second only to the US. This is in addition to a broad package of non-ODA support, economic and military.

 

Nevertheless, I will ensure that ministers are aware of the points you have raised.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Campaign reply - UK Trade and Business Commission’s first annual report.

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the UK Trade and Business Commission’s First Annual Report.

I am proud to support the Government’s ambitious trade policy, which will seize on the opportunities available to us as a sovereign trading nation. This trade policy will champion and enhance the UK’s reputation as a world-leading, open and business friendly destination for foreign investment, whilst also strengthening critical supply chains and improving the UK’s security and economic resilience through international trade. The Government will continue to support businesses in tackling trade barriers, as well as working with partners to strengthen the international trading system and update the global trading rules in support of free and fair trade.

Recent achievements of this trade policy include securing far-reaching trade agreements with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. These deals further pave the way for UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a vast free trade area populated by half a billion people and with a joint GDP of £8.4 trillion in 2020.

Regarding trade with the EU, I am glad that the Government has launched the Export Support Service. No matter the size of the business, how much they export or where in the UK they are based, businesses can use the Export Support Service to get answers to practical questions. While the service currently focuses on questions businesses have about trading with Europe, it will expand to cover more global markets later this year.

I am also aware that the report identified the Northern Ireland Protocol as a point of friction in the UK’s trading relationship with the EU. Be assured that the Government are working with the EU to find a way to resolve these issues and put the Protocol onto a sustainable footing.
I can assure you that ministerial colleagues are aware of the report, and I am confident they will give its recommendations due consideration.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 

Campaign reply - vote against the Health & Care Bill

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about the Health & Care Bill.

While I appreciate your opposition to the Bill, I would like to provide you with my reasoning behind voting for this key milestone in the health system in England.

I am pleased this Act will help reduce bureaucracy, strengthen integration, boost accountability, and deliver on our ambitious agenda for change. In short, it has equipped the NHS with much of the legislative framework it needs to be fit for the future.

We are not only recovering from the pandemic but learning from it, and the principles that underpin the Act have never been more important. It will form the bedrock for the NHS to build on in the years ahead.

The Act will improve health and care services in many important ways.

• We have required the inclusion of cancer outcome objectives in the NHS mandate, helping to boost survival rates and improve outcomes for over 300,000 people a year who are diagnosed with cancer.
• We have banned the abhorrent practice of hymenoplasty and virginity testing, protecting and safeguarding vulnerable women and girls.
• We have paved the way for a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, cracking down on the unregulated aesthetics industry and protecting patients from the physical and mental harms that come with botched cosmetic procedures.
• We have further demonstrated the UK’s leading role as an opponent of organ trafficking, by making it a criminal offence to give or receive payment for an organ outside the UK.
• We have made important commitments on the safeguarding of children, and required Integrated Care Boards to set out any proposed steps to address the particular needs of victims of abuse.
• We have provided for the establishment of Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Partnerships, strengthening partnerships between the NHS and local authorities and improving integration and collaboration across the health system.
• We have supported parity of esteem across physical and mental health, to support the mental health and wellbeing of everyone, and to ensure that the right support is in place for all.
• We have made clear the NHS’s duties to commission palliative care, ensuring that people of all ages can benefit from high quality personalised palliative and end of life care if and when they need it.
• We have introduced measures to ensure that our health and social care workforce have the right skills and knowledge to provide informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability by making specialised training mandatory by law.
• We are making services safer by establishing the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, an independent public body which will investigate incidents that have implications for patient safety and help improve systems and practices.
• We have announced a plan for adult social care that will protect individuals and families against unpredictable and potentially catastrophic care costs.
• We’ve placed a duty on government to publish a report detailing our workforce planning and our plan to deliver it. We have commissioned Health Education England to develop a long-term strategic framework, looking at trends across our workforce. We have also commissioned NHS England and Improvement to develop a long-term workforce strategy.
• We have introduced further measures to tackle health disparities, placing duties on ICBs and NHS England to reduce health disparities and making health disparities a key component of the wider duties NHS bodies must consider when making any decisions.
• We have given the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the power to directly introduce, vary or terminate water fluoridation schemes, with a view to ensuring more of the population benefit from fluoridation, which we know reduces oral health disparities and the burden on NHS services.
• And we have delivered landmark modern slavery legislation with a view to eradicating the use of goods or services tainted by slavery in the NHS - representing a significant step forward in the UK’s mission to crack down on this evil practice wherever it is found.

We are continuing to work to a target date of 1 July for establishing Integrated Care Boards, and are working closely with NHS England and stakeholders across the health and care system to ensure operational changes are aligned with legislative changes.

This Act is a major step forward, but it is not the end of our ambitions for the health service. It gives the NHS the levers it needs, but we know that more needs to be done to tackle deep rooted challenges, which this government is ambitious and eager to do.

That’s why the Health Secretary has announced his vision for comprehensive healthcare reform, starting what will be one of the most significant transfers of power and funding from the State to individuals and their families in decades. Our programme of reform will prioritise prevention, offer more personalised care, deliver improvements in performance and back the people making a difference in our NHS.

While the Health Secretary will be setting more details in due course, it is clear that without the Health and Care Act we would simply not have the tools we need to make the NHS the world beating organisation we all want it to be.

Thank you once again for getting in touch, and if I can be of further assistance with any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.