Since Parliament returned last week I have been in discussion with colleagues, including our Prime Minister, about the potential Cornwall has to innovate and lead with new technologies, both nationally and internationally.
Leading in this way is not new
for Cornwall. In the halcyon days of the 18th and 19th centuries, parts of
Cornwall were the silicon valley of its time. Driven by the tremendous wealth
and economic investment unlocked by our mining industries, names such as
Richard Trevithick, Sir Humphry Davy and Michael Loam were synonymous with
technological innovation, born in Cornwall and exported around the world, along
with so many sons and daughter of Cornwall to go with it.
Hundreds of years later, as go
through the 21st Century, Cornwall again has the potential to be at the cutting
edge of our nation’s technological future and energy security. We have the
skill development capacity, evolving digital infrastructure, and clear
political enthusiasm to lead. Along with my fellow Cornwall MP colleagues, I am
making the case for us to be at the front of the queue when investors are
considering where to build the data centres, renewable energy infrastructure
and refreshing green initiatives that are going to power our future and connect
the United Kingdom with the rest of the world.
Already, Cornwall is a national
digital interchange with sub sea cables running hundreds of miles to the United
States, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ireland, France and Germany, something
that began with Porthcurno acting as the genesis of worldwide telecommunication
with the submarine cables able to transmit messages around the world in place
from the 1870’s, and in the same way that our successful mining history drove
our past international trading relationships.
As the Chair of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Critical Minerals, a group of cross party MPs who work
together in this area, I see first hand the opportunities young people in Truro
and Falmouth will be able to enjoy over the course of the next few years, and
it is vital the Government continues to provide opportunities for local people
to come the engineers and wider labour force for these exciting emerging
sectors, such as lithium extraction and processing and geothermal energy.
The Prime Minister wrote to me
last week and confirmed the support it is giving to tech businesses, including
the Digital Growth Grant, Shared Prosperity Fund and Local Digital Skills
Partnerships, and I am determined to ensure we get our fair share of this in
Cornwall, to allow us to continue to innovate and lead the way in all of the
above areas and more.
As always, I am fully focused
on the job at hand and if there is ever anything at all I can do to help, then
please do not hesitate to contact me. 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.
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