Newspaper Column 28th November 2023 - The Autumn Statement

Last week was another really busy one for me, capped off by an exciting visit to South Crofty Mine, which is on the verge of reopening and bringing tin mining back to our Duchy. Nationally the big headlines came from the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. Much like the Budget, the Autumn Statement sets out the government's spending plans and departmental budgets.

In January 2023, the Prime Minister set out five priorities for government. Three of them were economic: to halve inflation, grow the economy, and reduce debt. Since then, inflation has halved; the economy has recovered more quickly from the pandemic than first thought, and debt is on track to fall.

 

Thanks to the stability this has brought, we are now able to focus on the long-term decisions required to strengthen our economy: reducing debt; cutting tax and rewarding hard work; building domestic, sustainable energy; backing British businesses; and delivering world-class education.

Last week’s Autumn Statement marks a major moment as we change gear and focus on how to drive growth in the decade ahead, with the biggest package of tax cuts implemented at a fiscal event since the 1980’s, while getting borrowing lower and inflation falling. These supply side tax cuts are what a Conservative approach to economic growth looks like.

This means combining the biggest tax cut on investment in modern British history with the largest ever cut to workers National Insurance – a £20billion package of annual tax cuts.

The Autumn Statement:

·           Cut taxes for 27 million working people from January by cutting the main rate of National Insurance Contributions from 12% to 10%. For the average worker earning £35,000 a year, that means a £450 tax cut.

·           Cut and simplified tax for 2 million of the self-employed, abolishing an entire class of NICs and cutting the rate of the NICs top rate from 9% to 8% - with an average total saving of around £350 for someone earning £28,000 a year.

·           Cut business taxes by £11 billion – the biggest business tax cut in modern British history by permanently enabling businesses to invest for less and offset investments against their tax bills.

·           Reduce debt, with the OBR forecasting we will meet our fiscal rule to have debt falling as a share of the economy a year early.

·           Cut business rates by freezing the small business multiplier yet again, saving an average shop £1,650, and extending the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Relief for a year.

·           Confirmed plans to boost the National Living Wage to record levels: £11.44 an hour. That is a 9.8% increase, benefiting 2.7 million workers.

·           Helped the most vulnerable with an average income boost of £800. 1.6 million of the families most struggling with the cost of living will have their Local Housing Allowance increased.

·           Boosted pensions, in line with our Triple Lock, by 8.5% - ensuring dignity in older age for those who have worked their entire lives. The basic State Pension will be £3,750 higher than in 2010.

·           Froze alcohol duty, alleviating pressure on the hospitality sector.

·           Increased all working age benefits in full by 6.7%, boosting benefit payments for around 5.5 million households who receive Universal Credit – by an average of £470 a year.

·           Provided support with the cost of living with further Cost of Living Payments this year, helping more than 8 million UK households on eligible means-tested-benefits, 8 million pensioner households and 6 million people across the UK on eligible disability benefits.

·           It will get people into work by reforming welfare and toughening up work requirements.

Following the Autumn Statement, the Office for Budget Responsibility stated that the package as a whole means inflation is forecast to be lower next year than they said at Spring Budget, more proof that our plan is working.

These actions are another step forward in tackling the long-term economic challenges facing the UK so we can build a more dynamic economy that delivers prosperity across our United Kingdom and delivers the change the county needs, and I will continue to do all I can to keep Truro and Falmouth at the heart of the Government’s agenda as we move forward.

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.

Campaign reply - Ceasefire in Gaza

The events unfolding in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) are truly horrific. Israel has suffered the most horrendous terror attack in its history at the hands of Hamas, and Palestinian civilians in Gaza are experiencing a humanitarian disaster. My thoughts are with all those affected. 

The UK recognises the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, and supports a lasting solution for Israelis and Palestinians alike. However, Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people or their aspirations; it offers nothing for them other than more terror and more bloodshed. I therefore support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, deter further incursions and strengthen its security for the long term.

However, the loss of every innocent life is a tragedy, and the UK Government has repeatedly stressed that Israel must take every precaution to minimise civilian casualties, in line with international humanitarian law. Ministers continue to press Israel to ensure that its campaign is targeted against Hamas leaders, militants and military infrastructure, and the UK Foreign Secretary has also called for discipline, professionalism and restraint from the Israeli military.

The rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza is deeply troubling, and I welcome the extensive efforts the Government is making to ensure that vital aid reaches the Palestinian people. Since 7 October, the UK has made available £30 million of additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, more than doubling our existing aid commitment for this year (£27 million). I have also been assured that the UK will consider further support depending on changing humanitarian needs on the ground.

Funding alone is not enough, and work is ongoing with international partners to increase the flow of aid into Gaza. While the opening of the Rafah border crossing is a major step forward, the UK has confirmed that it will continue to work with Egypt, Israel and other international partners to try and increase the flow of support. 

The agreement announced on 21 November between Israel and Hamas to release some of the hostages held in Gaza and to pause the fighting temporarily is a crucial step. This pause is an opportunity to ensure much greater volumes of aid can enter Gaza, and I welcome that the Foreign Secretary has urged all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. 

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me and for raising your concerns about the ongoing situation between Israel and Gaza. I will continue to monitor the situation carefully.

Campaign reply - Together Association, '"Clean" Air, Dirty Money, Filthy Politics

The UK is committed to tackling both the negative effects of air pollution and ensuring motorists can go about their lives in a normal way. These two goals are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are both achievable.

 

The UK Government has and will continue to provide extensive support for drivers. In October 2023, the Government announced a new plan to support people who drive, by keeping motoring costs under control and ensuring everyone has the freedom to drive as they need to.

 

The measures include updating guidance on 20mph speed limits in England to prevent their blanket use in areas where it’s not appropriate, and amending guidance on low traffic neighbourhoods to ensure local consent. As part of the review into low traffic neighbourhoods, the Government will consider measures for existing anti-driver policies that did not secure local consent.

 

Furthermore, in the Network North Plan, the Prime Minister announced record investment of £8.3 billion to fix the blight of potholes on roads up and down the country. This tangible improvement to the road network will positively impact motorists across the UK.

 

The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants' landmark 2010 report on the subject found that "in the UK, long-term exposure to man-made PM2.5 is responsible for 29,000 premature deaths per year." The 2022 UK Health and Security Agency report reiterated these figures, emphasizing the continued impact of air pollution and providing a range starting at 29,000. It is important to note that these figures are indeed 'statistical constructs' designed to help understand the scale of the problem. However, what they do stress is that there is a problem which the Government has taken significant steps to address.

 

The Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 require the UK to undertake air quality assessment to assess legal compliance against air pollutant concentration limit and target values and report the findings and associated data on an annual basis. This assessment is done for all local authorities not just those establishing Clean Air Zones.

 

At a local level, the most immediate challenge on air quality is nitrogen dioxide concentrations around roads. The UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations sets out how compliance with existing legal targets can be achieved in the shortest possible time. Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010. Emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 45 per cent and fine particulate matter PM2.5 by 10 per cent.

Campaign reply - Assisted Dying

Coping with terminal illness is distressing and difficult both for the patient and their families. These cases are truly moving and evoke the highest degree of compassion and emotion. 

 

Assisting or encouraging suicide is a criminal offence under Section 2 of the Suicide Act 1961 for which the maximum penalty is 14 years’ imprisonment. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) published guidelines primarily concerned with advising the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutors about the factors which they need to consider when deciding whether it is in the public interest to prosecute a person for assisting or encouraging another to commit suicide. 

 

The House of Commons has discussed the DPP’s guidelines which were unanimously commended as being a compassionate and measured way of dealing with one of the most emotionally charged crimes in the statute book. However, they do not change the law; assisting or encouraging suicide has not been decriminalised.

The DPP further clarified the CPS policy on the likelihood of prosecution of health care professionals, to specify that the relationship of care will be the important aspect and it will be necessary to consider whether the suspect may have been in a position to exert some influence on the victim.

I believe the application of the law should be flexible enough to distinguish the facts and the circumstances of one case from another. To this end, the DPP’s policy offers important and sensitive guidance.

I fully accept that suicide, assisting or encouraging suicide, assisted dying and euthanasia are all subjects on which it is entirely possible for people to hold widely different but defensible opinions. This is why the substance of the law in this area is not a matter of party politics but of conscience, and any vote would be a free one should the law in this area ever be altered.

As you may know, a debate was held in Parliament on 4 July 2022. This was the first time this topic was discussed in Parliament for some time. I want to pay tribute to my colleagues from both sides of the House who spoke bravely with significant contributions.

As the Government takes a neutral position, a change would have to be made via a Private Members’ Bill. If, at a future date, it became the clearly expressed will of Parliament to amend or change the criminal law so as to enable some form of assisted dying, the Government would undertake the role of ensuring that the relevant legislation was delivered as effectively as possible.

Campaign reply - Pensioner Poverty: Age UK Campaign

The Government is fully committed to enabling older people to live with the dignity and respect they deserve. I welcome that in April, the State Pension was increased by 10.1 per cent, in line with inflation. As a result, the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension will be over £3,050 higher, in cash terms, than in 2010. 

Regarding your specific concerns, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and the State Pension. The outcome of this review will be announced in the year following the publication of the relevant indices by the Office for National Statistics, with new rates coming into force in April 2024. Additionally, while I note your concerns about the eligibility requirements of the Cost of Living Payments, I am confident that the Government is providing substantial support for pensioners through the welfare system. 

At the Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced a substantial support package for the most vulnerable for 2023/24, including £300 Cost-of-Living Payments for pensioners; £150 for people on disability benefits; and £900 for people on means-tested benefits, including the 1.4 million pensioners currently in receipt of Pension Credit.

Alongside this, all households, including pensioner households, will benefit from the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG). This guarantee limits the amount consumers can be charged per unit of gas or electricity. The current price guarantee, set at £3,000, will support households until April 2024. Although energy prices are currently below the level at which EPG payments would be made, it will remain in force until the end of March 2024 to protect households from price spikes, putting in place a safety net for the most vulnerable.

Moreover, the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund (HSF) this financial year, bringing total funding to £2.5 billion. I welcome that since its launch in October 2021, the HSF has issued early 26 million awards to those in need of support.

I hope that this response reassures you that pensioners in the UK are being adequately supported and that the most vulnerable will continue to be protected during the months ahead. 

Campaign response - The former Home Secretary

I would like to start by saying that Suella Braverman is no longer the Home Secretary or a Minister in Government. The Prime Minister is clear that the Government must speak with one voice and that all departments and teams should work as one Government. Further, the Prime Minister has also said that all Ministers have a responsibility to be careful with their language.

I understand that the Prime Minister has said that he condemns the violent and wholly unacceptable scenes that took place over Remembrance weekend from the EDL and associated groups and Hamas sympathisers attending the National March for Palestine. The despicable actions of a minority of people undermine those who have chosen to express their views peacefully.

I welcome that the Government is also clear that everyone should be treated fairly by the police and the Prime Minister firmly believes that they continue to do this. 

I can also assure you that there are no plans to introduce a ban on charities handing out tents to rough sleepers. 

Campaign response - Trophy Hunting

Thank you for writing to me about trophy hunting.

I appreciate the strength of feeling around this issue. Around a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction and the abundance, diversity and connectivity of species is declining faster than at any time in human history. Ministers take the welfare of all animals extremely seriously and are committed to strengthening and supporting long-term conservation of animals both internationally and at home.

In 2019, the Government held a consultation on the scale and impact of the import and export of hunting trophies. Over 44,000 responses to the call for evidence and consultation were received and 85 per cent of responses were in favour of further action. The Government’s response to the consultation set out plans to ban imports of hunting trophies from thousands of endangered and threatened species.

The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill was introduced to Parliament in June 2022 as a Private Member’s Bill to ban the import of hunting trophies from around 6,000 species, including lions, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears. My ministerial colleagues and I were disappointed that despite the overwhelming support from MPs and the public, this Bill failed to progress through Committee stage in the House of Lords in the last parliamentary session. I understand that accepting the amendments proposed by Peers would have undermined the Government’s important commitment in this area.

I am aware of the campaign in relation to the King’s Speech and trophy hunting. While I have noted your comments about this issue, I would like to assure you that the Government remains committed to delivering on the manifesto pledge to ban the import of hunting trophies, and Ministers will continue to explore ways to bring this forward. I will continue to monitor this closely.

Newspaper Column 22/11/23 - Green energy and our environment

Last week in Parliament there were a number of interesting developments and a lot of changes in Westminster. I wish the Prime Minister and his new Cabinet well, but while all this was going on, I continued to do what I do best, working hard to be the voice of Truro and Falmouth to the Government, by ensuring you are represented in matters that will bring investment and positive economic impact to our area.

One of the areas that readers will know I am passionate about is the potential for renewable energy in Truro and Falmouth, both as a base for actual renewable energy installations, which have never been so important in our current climate and economic demands, but also for Falmouth in particular as the potential manufacturer for floating offshore wind apparatus.

Over the past week I have worked in a number of areas to progress these issues.

I sit on the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), a cross party group of MPs whose remit is to consider the extent to which the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, and to audit their performance against sustainable development and environmental protection targets.

On Wednesday the EAC held an evidence session titled ‘How can we get more net zero energy projects connected to the grid?’ Along with my Parliamentary colleagues I was about to question the Electricity System Operator, Ofgem and power operators on plans to make the electricity grid ready for Net Zero Britain and the challenges they may face in doing so.

The session focused on the barriers in the roll-out of greater grid infrastructure, how resilient the grid is and how it needs to adapt to maintain resilience in the future. It will examine planning constraints and the future role of localised power generation, such as through community energy projects.

It was fascinating session, which you can watch on the Parliamentary website. The challenge in Cornwall is to increase the overall capacity of the grid itself, and doing so using renewable energy is the natural and best way forward.

On Thursday there was a Westminster Hall debate on floating offshore wind. Developing this type of renewable energy has to be done in a considered way with long-term planning at its heart. This means consultation with existing industries, marine and fishing, so that the future directions of the impacted ports are clear.

It is also vital that we ramp up our support for this industry to signal to the private sector that the Government is serious about FLOW. The external investment into these projects is what will make it worthwhile for communities like Truro & Falmouth.

We also need to move away from a competition culture between the South West and devolved Government in Wales. FLOW benefits will only be worthwhile if we can develop a network of clusters across the entire region and can only be effective at bringing in outside investment with a long-term clear direction for future expansion.

Following the debate I went on to have a meeting with the responsible Minister to make these points and continue the press Falmouth as the ideal location for the manufacture of future FLOW devices.

Finally on my renewable energy list for last week was an informal consultation I am planning to write to local residents about proposed plans to build a new solar farm near Mitchell.

As part of this work I will be inviting residents both in the affected area, but also more widely to complete my short survey on the role solar farms can play in your community, and to let me know what you think of proposals like the one currently on  the table, and of the future of green energy in your community.

You can fill out the survey on my website via the link below:

https://www.cherilynmackrory.org.uk/form/solar-farm-survey

If you would like a paper copy of this survey, please get in touch and I will be very happy to provide one.

Renewable energy is an exciting and growing field, and I will continue to do all I can, both in Westminster and here in Cornwall, to ensure options around it are fully explored and that our communities will be able to benefit from it both now and in the future.

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.

Campaign Reply: Down's Syndrome

I know that with appropriate help and support, most people with Down Syndrome lead healthy, active and more independent lives, achieving more than ever before. I do recognise, however, that those with Down Syndrome face significant challenges across all stages of life.

The Down Syndrome Act requires the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to publish guidance for public bodies to ensure they are clear on how they should meet the needs of people with Down Syndrome. Authorities will be required to take the guidance into account when providing health, education, social care and housing services.

In 2022, a call for evidence was launched to inform draft guidance and the Government encouraged people with Down Syndrome, their families and their carers, to respond. A consultation on the draft guidance will then take place before the final guidance is published in due course.

A named lead on Integrated Care Boards will be responsible for the implementation of guidance, which will go a long way towards ensuring that the guidance is implemented fully and as intended. The guidance will also be laid before Parliament, giving MPs the opportunity to scrutinise it and look, in real time, at how it is working.

It is essential that the voices of those with Down Syndrome, their families and their carers are heard, and that the guidance is fit for purpose.

Campaign Reply: Pandemic Treaty

The Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the greatest challenges to the established international order since the Second World War; a global threat that has required global solutions borne out of global cooperation. I pay tribute to people and nations across the world in confronting such a threat. International collaboration was immensely heartening to witness in the darkest of times.

As in the late 1940s, where, to avert a repeat of the cataclysm of total war, world leaders united to establish the multilateral system we have today, I think it is reasonably fair to argue that a similar effort is required on the part of world leaders to strengthen preparedness for potential future pandemics.

As such, I welcome the suggestion of the former Prime Minister, writing with other world leaders in 2021, that the international community should commit to producing a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response. I understand that the UK has engaged with academics, civil society organisations, trade associations, and other non-state actors to ensure the treaty would foster greatly enhanced cooperation in order to better protect the UK from the health, social and economic impacts of pandemic.

 

Discussions are ongoing at the World Health Organisation to this end. I appreciate your concerns about this; however, the Government will not support any treaty which compromises the UK's sovereignty. There is nothing in the proposed treaty that would impact our ability to take decisions about national lockdowns or associated measures at the national level.

 

Once adopted, international treaties only become binding in the UK when ratified by Parliament in accordance with our constitutional process. No international treaty can by itself change UK law. If changes to the law are necessary, then a treaty could not be ratified until domestic legislation, agreed by Parliament, was put in place. 

Campaign Reply: Bipolar Disorder

Living through the pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of people across our country, including those with bipolar disorder, and I know that the Government is taking steps to improve access to mental health support and services.  My thoughts go out to anyone who is affected.

 

As part of the five-year funding settlement agreed in 2019, mental health services will receive an additional £2.3 billion a year in real terms by 2023/24. This funding will enable further service expansion and faster access to community and crisis mental health services for adults, young people and children. This will allow an additional two million people, including 345,000 children and young people, to get the mental health support they need, such as a diagnosis for bipolar disorder. The Government aims to increase the mental health workforce by an additional 27,000 healthcare professionals by 2023/24 to support this expansion and transformation of services.

 

In March 2021, the Government announced that it was expanding its mental health services as part of the Mental Health Recovery Action Plan, supported by £500 million of investment. The Plan aims to respond to the impact of the pandemic on mental health of the public, specifically targeting those who have been most affected, such as young people, frontline staff and those with severe illness. Of this investment, £20 million is being used to intervene early in preventing mental ill-health and reduce suicide risks.

To support the NHS mental health services in the longer term, £111 million is being invested to train the workforce of the future. This will ensure staff are in place to support two million more people to access mental health care and treatment by 2023/24.

 

In the Government's Our Plan for Patients published in September last year, the Health Secretary committed to expanding mental health support for children at school, given that half of mental health conditions take root by the age of 14. This included a commitment to boost the number of mental health practitioners in primary care and to strengthen mental health support in schools. It also included a commitment to improve access to NHS talking therapies and to enhance community support for adults living with severe mental illnesses.

 

Finally, the Government is also investing £150 million in new mental health care facilities, providing compassionate care for those who need it whilst easing pressure on emergency departments, including 100 new mental health ambulances to take staff directly to patients, providing compassionate care in a safe environment.

Campaign Reply: Smoking

As the single leading behavioural cause of preventable death across our country, responsible for around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 premature deaths per year, reducing smoking is crucial for ensuring we live longer, healthier lives.

Significant progress has been made, with smoking rates now the lowest on record, thanks to duty on cigarettes being doubled since 2010 and continued funding of stop smoking services. However, we must reduce smoking rates further given the substantial cost to the economy and the NHS. This is why the Government plans to legislate to ensure that children aged 14 or younger - anyone born on or after 1 April 2009 – can never legally be sold tobacco products. By 2040, these proposals will ensure that smoking is phased out completely among young people.

This legislation will be focused on those who sell tobacco products or buy it on behalf of someone else. The Government has never and will nor criminalise smoking in this country. In addition, I want to clarify that a national licence scheme is not being proposed, which could have placed a greater burden on convenience stores.

Campaign Reply: American XL Bully Dogs

Owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control are already breaking the law, and the enforcement authorities have a full range of powers to apply penalties. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, people can be imprisoned for up to 14 years, be disqualified from ownership, or their dangerous dogs can be euthanised.

Following the rise in tragic dog attacks appearing to be driven by XL Bullies, the Government is taking decisive action to protect the public by adding the XL Bully type to the list of dogs prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act. It will be illegal to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome, abandon or allow XL Bully dogs to stray in England and Wales from 31 December 2023. It will also be compulsory for owners to keep these dogs on a lead and muzzled when in public. A failure to comply will be a criminal offence.

Owners of XL Bully dogs should start training their dog to wear a muzzle and to walk on a lead ahead of the legal restrictions coming into force. Breeders should also stop mating these types of dogs in preparation of it being a criminal offence from 31 December 2023 to sell or rehome these dogs. From 1 February 2024, it will become illegal to own an XL Bully dog if it is not registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs. By staggering these dates, current owners of this breed will have time to prepare for these new rules.

Owners who wish to legally keep their dogs will have until 31 January 2024 to register their dog on the Index of Exempted dogs and comply with the requirements. As part of the process, all owners will need to provide proof that their dog has been microchipped and neutered. XL Bully owners should now arrange this as soon as possible if applying for an exemption.

From 1 February 2024, owners without a Certificate of Exemption could receive a criminal record and an unlimited fine if they are found to be in possession of an XL Bully type, and their dog could be seized. Owners can choose to have their dog put to sleep, rather than keeping them under the new conditions. I am informed that the Government will pay a contribution of £200 per dog towards the costs associated with this; I understand that further details will be available soon.

I am fully aware that the current legislation around dangerous dogs is far from perfect and I hope to help formulate better reform and solutions in the next Parliament. I am assured that Ministers will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, as these important measures are taken forward.

Campaign Reply: Changes to Work Capability Assessment

I want to ensure our welfare system encourages and supports people into work, while providing a vital safety net for those who need it most. 

The world of work has transformed since the pandemic. More people are able to benefit from the advantages and opportunities of flexible and home working. These developments bring new opportunities for those with disabilities to work in a more familiar, manageable, and accessible environment – along with significantly increased employer understanding of the accessibility needs of their staff.

 

The WCA has not kept up with these changes and opportunities for support, and the activities and descriptors of the WCA have not been comprehensively reviewed for more than a decade. Growing numbers of people on Universal Credit and Employment Support Allowance are now being assessed through WCA as not being able to work or even able to prepare for work. 

It is not right that such claimants are effectively being excluded from available support and encouragement to access the health, wellbeing and financial benefits of work, particularly when one in five people who are not expected to engage in work preparation would like to work at some point in the future if the right job and support were available.

In Transforming Support: The Health and Disability White Paper, the Government committed to eventually removing the WCA so that there is only one functional health and disability assessment – the Personal Independence Payment assessment. This will mean that there will be no need to be found to have limited capability for work and limited capability to prepare for work to get additional income-related support for a disability or health condition. This reform will ensure that those who are able to can progress in or towards work, without the worry of being reassessed and losing their benefits. It will give people confidence that they will receive support, for as long as it is needed, regardless of whether they are working.

Campaign Reply: Tackling Illegal Immigration

The Prime Minister has been clear since he took office that he will prioritise the issue of illegal immigration. In December 2022, the Government announced five new steps to further curb the issue of illegal immigration. This included a new agreement with Albania so the vast majority of Albanian claimants can be removed, with weekly flights until all Albanians in the backlog are sent home.

The Government is also providing France with £500 million in funding over the next three years, to prevent people crossing the Channel illegally. This is funding an extra 500 officers who will patrol French beaches and a new detention centre in northern France. A new command centre has also been established bringing UK and French enforcement teams together in once place for the first time. These measures are being underpinned by more drones and other surveillance technologies which will help to ramp up the interception rate.

Since these measures were introduced last year, small boat arrivals to the UK are already down by 20 per cent. Albanian arrivals have reduced by 90 per cent and their asylum grant rate including withdrawals is now two per cent. The Government has removed nearly 1,800 Albanian nationals who did not have the right to be in the UK back to Albania. Further, the number of illegal working raids has increased by more than 50 per cent, and arrests have more than doubled. Further, the legacy asylum backlog is down by almost a fifth.

The new Illegal Immigration Act will build on this progress, as it means that someone who enters this country illegally will be swiftly detained and removed back to their home country if it is safe, or to a safe third country. This will help the break the business model of people-smuggling networks, and ultimately save lives.

Campaign Reply: Kept Animals Bill: Cat Theft

I would like to assure you that I fully recognise that the theft of a much-loved pet can have a huge impact on both pets and families. In 2021, the Government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce to investigate concerns about a perceived increase in pet theft. This taskforce gathered, researched and commissioned work to build a clear evidence base of the issue and worked with police, law enforcement, and experts to formulate recommendations. Since publication of the report, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice have been working on implementing the taskforce’s recommendations.

The Kept Animals Bill, introduced in June 2021, was designed to implement several of the Government’s ambitions for animal welfare, including measures to address pet theft. However, I am aware that the Bill’s multi-issue nature meant that there was considerable scope creep, and it risked going beyond the original commitments in the Conservative manifesto on which I was elected and those set out in the action plan. Therefore, the Government announced that it would be taking forward measures in the Kept Animals Bill individually during the remainder of the Parliament. I have noted your suggestion for cats to be included in the offence of pet abduction, and my ministerial colleagues recognise that campaigners have called for this. I will continue to monitor this issue closely.

 

More widely, the Government has legislated to make microchipping cats compulsory. The new rules mean that cats must be microchipped before they reach 20 weeks of age. I am assured that this will make it easier for lost or stray pet cats to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.

Campaign Reply: Electronic Cigarettes: Disposal

I share your concerns about disposable e-cigarettes being littered in the streets of our towns and countryside. The scale of the waste of disposable vapes in the UK is shocking, with around five million disposable vapes thrown away every week. Many of the disposable vapes thrown away each week are not recycled properly and are instead littered or discarded with residual waste.

The Government has launched a public consultation on the Prime Minister’s proposals to create the first smokefree generation and crack down on cheap and accessible disposable vapes. The consultation includes proposals to restrict child-friendly flavours and bright coloured packaging. These proposals will be of major benefit to the environment by tackling a particularly problematic waste stream. The consultation is open to anyone who wishes to make their views known. It is open until 6 December 2023 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping-your-views#how-to-respond

Regarding the waste of vapes, I am aware that retailers that sell over £100,000 of electrical equipment per year are obliged to provide in-store takeback of electrical items, including vapes, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations. Smaller businesses can choose to contribute funds to the distributor takeback scheme instead to ensure vapes are recycled correctly.

Under these regulations, producers of electrical and electronic equipment, including vapes, are required to take financial responsibility for the collection, and proper treatment the products that they place on the market when those products become waste at household waste recycling centres or are returned to retailers. Consumers that wish to dispose of their old vapes can take them to their local authority household waste recycling centre. I am informed that all vapes that are deposited at household waste and recycling centres will be collected and treated.

Finally, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has commissioned research which will better understand the market for, and environmental impacts of, disposable vapes and associated cost inputs. I will continue to follow this issue closely.

Campaign Reply: Vaping and E-Cigarettes

The King’s Speech on 7th November 2023 included The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will restrict the sale of tobacco so that anyone turning 14 this year or younger will never legally be sold cigarettes. While e-cigarettes are not risk free, the Government supports the use of e-cigarettes as a means to stop adults smoking and contribute towards the goal of a smoke free England by 2030. 

Some of the highest success rates of those trying to stop smoking are among adults using an e-cigarette, with evidence suggesting that an additional 70,000 people stop every year as a result of using these devices.  An estimated 2.4 million vapers are former smokers, and Vaping Awareness Month - VApril - highlights the potential health benefits of making the switch.

However, it is deeply worrying that the number of children using vapes has tripled in the past three years, with 20.5 per cent of children having tried vaping in 2023. 

I fully understand concerns by parents about underage sales of vapes and the Government is actively considering proposals to tackle this issue, including restricting flavours, regulating point of sale displays, regulating packaging and considering restrictions on the sale of disposable vapes. 

Working together with the devolved administrations, the Government will ensure a consistent approach across the UK.  A consultation is currently taking place to gather views on several measures to tackle youth vaping.  You can respond to the consultation through this link: https://consultations.dhsc.gov.uk/en/65201ed1f3410a69990d3081

In the meantime, a new “illicit vapes enforcement squad” – led by Trading Standards – will enforce the rules on vaping and tackle illicit vapes and underage sales.  The enforcement squad will have the power to remove illegal products from shops and at our borders. 

Campaign Reply: Ocean Protection

My husband is a hook and line commercial fisherman and his income depends on a healthy sea.  The UK is a global leader in protecting our seas, the ocean and marine life, working with counterparts both in the UK and overseas.

Almost 200 countries agreed a deal to protect nature at COP15 in December 2022, including a global commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and also to protect 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030. I understand that nearly 8.3 per cent of the global ocean is protected. The UK has announced nearly £30 million to support developing countries to deliver the "30 by 30" target. In addition, in March, UN Member States agreed the High Seas Treaty, which aims to place 30 per cent of the seas into protected areas by 2030.

Further, 374 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) protect 38 per cent of UK waters, which are all subject to planning and licensing regimes to ensure they are protected from harmful activities. The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) sets the country on a path to deliver an improved marine environment and halt the decline in biodiversity which benefits us all. As set out in the EIP, the Government has a statutory target to have 70 per cent of designated features in MPAs in a favourable condition by 2042, with the remainder in a recovering condition.

Finally, the first three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) have come into force. These areas of the sea will benefit from the highest level of protection which will exclude all fishing, thus encouraging full recovery of marine ecosystems. For HPMAs to be successful, the Government will work with the fishing industry, other marine industries and sea users in designating, managing and monitoring them.

Campaign Reply: Sewage

I have long campaigned for better water quality and have been a member of Surfers Against Sewage for dozen years, or more.  I agree, the current use of sewage discharges is unacceptable. Tackling storm overflows is a priority and the Government is committed to protecting public health and the environment from discharges.

This is the first Government to take steps to address storm overflows, starting with the landmark Environment Bill. From this, in August 2022, the Government launched the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan, which will require water companies to deliver their largest ever environmental infrastructure investment - £56 billion over 25 years. This is an ambitious plan which prioritises storm overflows that have the potential to cause the most harm while balancing the impact on consumer bills.

Water companies will be required to take measures such as increasing the capacity of their networks and treating sewage before it is discharged, while massively reducing all discharges. Water companies are investing £3.1 billion to deliver the 800 storm overflow improvements across England by 2025. I am assured that Ministers are working with water companies to accelerate these projects.

By 2035, water companies will have to improve all storm overflows discharging into or near every designated bathing water and improve 75 per cent of overflows discharging to high priority nature sites. By 2050, this will apply to all remaining storm overflows covered by our targets, regardless of location. Ministers will review the plan in 2027 to consider further improvement, taking account of innovation and efficiencies. The Government will not hesitate to go further and faster if needed.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has asked water company bosses to submit their plans for every storm overflow in the country, prioritising those that have the potential to cause the most harm, such as those that discharge most, or those that discharge into priority nature sites or bathing waters.

The water regulators (the Environment Agency and Ofwat) recently launched the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever, at over 2200 treatment works, following new data coming to light as a result of the increased monitoring, which has been driven by the Government. Ofwat can fine companies up to 10 per cent of annual turnover. The Environment Agency will act against non-compliance, which can include criminal prosecution for which there can be unlimited fines. 

Courts also have legal powers to prosecute CEOs and company directors where there is evidence against those individuals and where it is in the public interest to prosecute. In 2022, the Government announced plans to expand the use if, and raise the cap on fines that the Environment Agency can issue, meaning sanctions can be imposed more often without lengthy and costly court cases.

The plan stipulates that water companies should publish discharge information in near real time as well as committing to tackling the root causes of the issue by improving surface water drainage. The plan also sets out Ministers’ wider expectations for the water industry, to ensure their infrastructure keeps pace with increasing external pressures, such as urban growth and climate change and to ensure our water supplies remain clean and secure for the future.

To crack down on water pollution, the Government has boosted funding for the Environment Agency (EA), with £2.2 million per year specifically for water company enforcement activity. In 2022, the EA and Ofwat launched the largest criminal and civil investigations into water company sewage discharges ever, at over 2200 treatment works, following new data coming to light as a result of increased monitoring. Investigations look at where sites may be breaching their permits and ensure that companies found to be acting illegally are held to account, up to and including prosecution, which can lead to unlimited fines and companies having to reimburse customers. This follows 56 prosecutions against water companies since 2015, securing fines of nearly £141 million.

At present, money from these fines is returned to the Treasury. However, I am aware of new plans to channel money from water company fines into environmental improvements. This could include initiatives to restore our water environments by creating wetlands, re-vegetating river banks and reconnecting meanders to the main channel of rivers. In November 2022, Ofwat announced that almost £135 million would be returned to customers as a result of companies underperforming against their performance commitments.

Newspaper Column 14th November 2023 - The King's Speech and what it means for Cornwall

Last week King Charles III delivered the King’s Speech to both Houses of Parliament, and to the nation at the State Opening of Parliament. The King’s speech outlines the Government’s priorities for the next session of Parliament, and in doing so, introduces the bills that we as MPs will scrutinise, debate, and vote on before they become law It was the first King’s Speech in more than 70 years, a sombre reminder of our late Queen, but also a celebration of our nation’s amazing history of culture and tradition. I was honoured to join my parliamentary colleagues in the House of Lords to witness it.

The speech focused on the Government’s commitments to the British people. His Majesty spoke of economic growth and the steps being taken to reduce inflation and to ease the cost of living for families. He spoke about how we can safeguard people’s health and security, and he spoke about new investment into businesses to fund new jobs and help local companies grow. Most importantly, the speech set a course for how this government will deliver for communities across Britain, and I want to take this opportunity to tell you all just what this will mean for our great Cornish community.

The King announced new legislation to ensure our energy security, reducing our reliance on volatile international markets and hostile foreign regimes, all without burdening families with ever-increasing bills. Cornwall is at the forefront of Britain’s transition towards renewable energies; the new age of Cornish mining will revolutionise British energy for generations to come.

I am proud that as a nation we are decarbonising faster than any other in the G7. In Cornwall we are already investing in critical minerals, and other forms of energy like solar and the floating offshore wind for the Celtic Sea which are being built right here in Falmouth! It is essential though that we consider how this energy is stored and used. We have the supply of green energy, and we have the drive to invest and grow green Cornish industries, but we need more and better battery storage and cables if we are to use it, and we need them right here. The King announced new investment to reform local grid connections, and I want to see this money spent right here in Cornwall.

The King spoke about Network North, our new rail investment plan to build the essential local connections communities need across and the north and midlands. In Cornwall we’ve already doing this; the plans for the Mid-Cornwall Metro, an affordable, fast, and regular shuttle between Falmouth, Truro, St Austell, and Newquay is exactly what this commitment will be. A local solution to rail transport, which opens the door for businesses to invest and grow, improving access to jobs and education and giving those less able the same freedom of movement we all deserve. This targeted, sensible approach to local public transport is exactly what communities need to create sustainable levelling up everywhere. It is not a new approach, it is a refined approach, and in Cornwall we are already a step ahead in showing how it can be done.

Connectivity is not just about the railways of course. We are a nation of drivers, and we have an opportunity we cannot ignore to grasp new technologies and innovation to make our roads safer, better, and more accessible. The king spoke about the Automated Vehicles Bill, new legislation to introduce self-driving vehicles to our roads. In rural communities it is all too easy for people, especially the elderly, to become isolated. We have seen this all too often, and that is key to why this bill matters. Self-driving cars improve connectivity, access to public services, and will reduce traffic on our roads. This is the most comprehensive legal framework for such technology anywhere in the world, with safety at its core. We’re updating our roads in Cornwall, and the new A30 will be one of the best, modern roads in the country once completed. Now it’s up to us to take the next step to use them to bring people together.

As well as high-tech roads, the King spoke about high tech business. The Government is introducing the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Bill, and the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill. Recently the Prime Minister talked about how we introduce AI to the economy, and bills like this are how we do that. The transformation will happen right here. Cornwall has the best digital connectivity in the country. We were the original Silicon Valley, and with the support of individuals such as Richard Ambler from Truro City Council, Cornwall’s digital potential can be realised. High-tech companies can and should be based in Cornwall, and we will make that possible whilst protecting consumers, and employees at every step.

The King spoke about our NHS, and the work the Government is doing to cut waiting lists and transform the way local health services train and recruit new staff. Once again, Cornwall is leading the way. Treliske’s new women and children’s hospital is pioneering approaches to patient care, integrating services within a well-trained and supported specialist team for the first time. The results are already clear to see. Treliske currently has no vacancies at all for midwifes, and in fact has a waiting list for people wishing to apply. That is an extraordinary achievement! Working closely with local schools and colleges, our Royal Cornwall Hospital will expand this approach with training, apprenticeships, and support to enable a professional team at the hospital drawn from right here in our community.

The King spoke about public safety, tacking crime and keeping our communities safe from, anti-social behaviour, terrorism, and illegal migration. We can all agree with these commitments, and Devon and Cornwall Police do a fantastic job of keeping us safe. We have more police now than ever before, and we are using our police more efficiently than before. In Truro we have introduced an anti-social behaviour officer, to liaise with communities directly and our regional elected Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez I know does an outstanding job in keeping our community safe.

This King’s Speech was about community, and it was about setting a course for government with long-term decisions for stability and progress. I want to thank his Majesty for his dedicated service, and for delivering this speech. These commitments matter for everyone in our community now and in the future, and with your help we can set out and do the work to keep our great Cornish community safe, prosperous, successful, and a place to be proud of.

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.

 

 

Campaign Reply: Healthy School Meals

All children should be able to access healthy food at school every day. With the help of good nutrition, pupils will be ready to learn and have the chance to achieve their full potential. It will hopefully encourage healthy and stable eating habits for life.

The Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014 set out guidance on how schools should provide children with healthy food and drink options to get the necessary energy and nutrition throughout the school day, including that meat or poultry must be offered on three or more days each week, and that milk must be available for drinking every day. Schools must also do all they can to make free water visible and easily available. The Government continues to promote compliance with the School Food Standards and will keep this under review.

In 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper outlined plans to strengthen adherence by: trialling coordination with the Foods Standards Agency; providing funding of up to £200,000 for a pilot Governor Training Scheme; and encouraging schools to set out their whole school approach to food in a statement on their website. The Government is encouraging schools to respond to feedback from parents about their school meals provision and to act reasonably to ensure the needs and beliefs of their school community are being met.

Campaign Reply: Liver Disease and Liver Cancer

Liver disease is currently the second biggest cause of premature mortality and lost working years of life in England and Wales. There was an increase in alcohol-related deaths during the pandemic, exacerbating the significant rise in deaths from liver disease over the past 50 years.

Likewise, I am concerned that liver cancer has the second fastest increase in incidence of any cancer in the UK and has shown the fastest increase in mortality rates over the past decade of any cancer for men and women.

Improving diagnosis of liver disease appears to be crucial to improving outcomes for liver cancer and helping patients to access early surveillance.  Patients diagnosed with liver cancer in stage 1 have significantly better survival rates compared to those diagnosed at the latest stage (78 per cent vs 20 per cent).  

The Government’s expansion of community diagnostic centres will support earlier diagnosis and improve health outcomes. In addition, the NHS Health Check for 40 to 74 year olds also aims to identify people at risk of liver disease and refer them for further treatment and investigation. I recognise the urgency of the British Liver Trust's campaign to ensure that as many community diagnostic centres as possible have access to FibroScan testing.

Community Liver Health Checks are being funded in 12 areas to identify patients with liver disease earlier, with liver disease being the biggest risk factor of HCC. These pilots will ensure that more people at high risk of HCC are offered and receive six monthly liver surveillance by ultrasound.

More can, and will, be done to tackle liver disease, and I will continue to monitor this issue closely.

Campaign Reply: Benefit Sanctions

The Government is committed to delivering a welfare system that encourages and supports people into work, while providing a vital safety net for the most vulnerable.

As you note, the Chancellor recently announced that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will review the sanctions regime to ensure that benefit claimants are moving into work. This review stands alongside measures outlined at the Spring Budget 2023, which included automating parts of the sanctions regime and ensuring that DWP Work Coaches have the tools and training to implement sanctions as effectively as possible.

While I note your concerns about these announcements, sanctions underpin the work-related activities a claimant will have to do in order to get full entitlement to Universal Credit (also known as "conditionality") and are a key part of a fair and effective welfare system. It is right that the welfare system encourages claimants to take reasonable steps to prepare for and move into work.

Sanctions on Universal Credit only apply if claimants fail to meet their agreed requirements without good reason. If information amounting to a good reason comes to light after a sanction has been applied, the sanction can be overturned and the money repaid via mandatory reconsideration.

The DWP has a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs because of a sanction.

Campaign Reply: School Building Safety

I completely understand your concern about the disruption to students, teachers and parents at schools, colleges and maintained nursery schools which have buildings with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Over the last year, the Department for Education has been engaging with educational settings to identify buildings which may have RAAC. Up until now, the advice has been to take RAAC areas out of use immediately if assessed by surveyors as ‘critical’. Where they were assessed by surveyors as ‘non-critical’, the Department for Education did not consider the risk to require that these spaces be taken out of use. However, that position has now changed, following recent cases that came to light over the summer. 

As a consequence, from 31 August, the Department for Education has been advising schools, colleges and maintained nursery schools with buildings with RAAC confirmed by a surveyor to take the affected space out of use until suitable mitigations have been put in place. This is a necessary and precautionary step to protect the safety of students while adequate mitigations are being put in place. 

Every school or college with confirmed RAAC is assigned dedicated support from the Department's team of 80 caseworkers. Project delivery teams are on site to support schools and colleges to implement mitigation plans. They will work with them to put in place a bespoke plan that supports face-to-face education for all pupils as soon as possible based on their circumstances. Mitigation plans include other spaces on the school site, or in nearby schools or elsewhere in the local area, until building works are carried out or temporary buildings are installed.

The Government is funding the emergency work needed to mitigate the presence of RAAC, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. All reasonable requests for additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall, are being approved. The Government is funding longer-term refurbishment or rebuilding projects to address the presence of RAAC in schools. Schools and colleges will either be offered capital grants to fund refurbishment work to permanently remove RAAC, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, including through the School Rebuilding Programme. The Government is working closely with responsible bodies to assess what the right solution is for each case.

Whilst this is a very difficult decision, the UK Government has been proactive in addressing this issue - in sharp contrast to the devolved administrations - and has been updating guidance and prioritising the safety of students ahead of the new term. The vast majority of schools are unaffected and children should attend school as normal this term, unless parents hear differently from school leaders.  

I want to reassure pupils, parents and staff that this Government is doing whatever it takes to support our schools and colleges in responding to RAAC and minimise disruption to education.

Campaign Reply: Save the Bees

Pollinators are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production through pollination. They contribute an estimated £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production by improving crop quality. They are also vital to the wider natural environment, pollinating wildflowers and trees which then support other insects, birds and mammals.

However, Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) are one of the five drivers of biodiversity loss globally and are estimated to cost the economy £1.8 billion per year. The refreshed Great Britain Invasive Non-Native Species Strategy aims to minimise the risk of introduction and establishment of these invasive species and reduce their negative impacts. It provides a framework to deliver the most effective response to preventing, eradicating, and managing invasive non-native species. The strategy contains 55 key actions outlining how seven outcomes will be achieved by 2030.

Defra recognises that the Asian hornet is an invasive species which poses a serious threat to honey bees and other pollinators. Since 2015, the Government’s joint Asian hornet contingency plan sets out actions that will be taken in cases of the Asian hornet being discovered in Great Britain. Ministers have also funded the non-native species information portal, including its alert system, which plays an important role in tackling the threat posed by the Asian hornet, as well as horizon scanning exercises which help to understand the potential of future threats.

I am aware that there has been a number of sightings of the Asian hornet in the UK in recent months, and that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been taking contingency action. While there is not currently a requirement for local councils to take action against Asian hornets, I recognise that raising awareness is essential to the response. By ensuring that officials are alerted to possible sightings as early as possible, swift and effective action can be taken to address the threat posed by Asian hornets. If you suspect that you have seen an Asian hornet, this should be reported either through the ‘Asian Hornet Watch’ app or by emailing: alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk.

More widely, the Pollinator Action Plan sets out how the Government, beekeepers, conservation groups, farmers, researchers, and the public can work together to help pollinators in England thrive. The plan focuses on strengthening the evidence base to improve our understanding of pollination, managing land more effectively, sustaining pollinator health of managed and wild populations, and engaging the public through Bees’ Needs events.