Campaign reply - COVID-19 restrictions

Thank you to the many constituents who have recently been in touch expressing concern at the recent introduction of measures from the government to help prevent the spread of the virus.

At all stages of the pandemic the government has delicately attempted a balance between by protecting our NHS in order to save lives and minimising the wider social and economic impact of our restrictions.

It is because of the common sense of the British public that, so far, we have been able to avert an even greater catastrophe. However, we always knew that while we might have driven the virus into retreat, the prospect of a second wave was very real. As in Spain and France and many other countries, we have reached a significant tipping point.

Recently the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser warned that the doubling rate for new cases could be between seven and 20 days and in the last fortnight, daily hospital admissions in England have more than doubled. The UK’s Covid alert level has been raised from 3 to 4 meaning that transmission is high or rising exponentially.

Therefore, the government had to act. If we can curb the number of daily infections, and reduce the R number to 1 or below, then we can protect the NHS, look after our most vulnerable people, and shelter the economy from the far sterner and more costly measures that would inevitably become necessary later.

Together, we can fight back against this virus.

This is very much not a return to the full lockdown we saw in March – Something I could not support at this juncture. The government is not issuing a general instruction to stay at home and the government is ensuring that schools, colleges and universities stay open.

This virus is a fact of our lives and our fight against it will continue until we have access to a vaccine. We will not listen to those who say let the virus rip nor to those who urge a permanent lockdown we are taking decisive and appropriate steps to balance saving lives with protecting jobs and livelihoods.

Parliament will have every opportunity to scrutinise all decisions, MPs will be able to question the Government’s scientific experts more regularly, MPs will gain access to data about their constituencies, and MPs will be able to join daily calls with the Paymaster General.

I completely understand the concerns of those who are frustrated at the latest measures being brought in.

As a Conservative party politician, I believe fiercely (as does the Prime Minister) in personal liberty and free markets. However, given the times we are currently living through, these temporary extraordinary decisions that no Prime Minister ever wants to make, must be brought in.

The South West does have the lowest rates of infections in the UK. However, there was a significant uptick in cases in Cornwall last week and this is expected to continue to rise. This is why the national restrictions will apply UK wide.

I recently met with the Chancellor to discuss plans for the economic recovery and to make representations to him as what measures businesses in my Truro & Falmouth constituency need. I am confident that moving forward and working together we will recover strongly.

The Internal Markets Bill

Thank you to the many constituents who have recently got in touch with me regarding the Internal Market Bill.

At the end of the Brexit transition period, the UK will leave the EU single market. The EU legal underpinnings for free trade in goods and services between the four nations will fall away. To prevent new barriers to intra-UK trade from emerging the Government has proposed a new legal framework: the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

The aims of the Bill are to provide continuity for businesses and citizens and improve competitiveness and business environment across the UK. The Bill will contribute to general welfare and prosperity in all nations of the UK. A UK internal market will help the UK in reaching international trade agreements and allow the benefits of those agreements to extend to all parts of the UK.

The provisions of the Bill set out general principles for market access and support, affecting trade in goods and services. The UK internal market principles would apply all to nations of the UK equally.

There are several principles within the Bill. I will cover a couple of them.

The first principle means that if a good or service can be legally sold in one part of the UK, then it can be sold in any part of the UK. This is the principle of mutual recognition.

The second principle prevents parts of the UK treating goods coming in from other parts of the UK less favourably than local goods. This is the principle of non-discrimination.

Other principles include the introduction of a unified system for the recognition of professional qualifications across the UK for professions that are regulated by law, the establishment of an independent Office for the Internal Market and a proposal that Restricts UK authorities from using their powers after the transition period in a way that might result in the introduction of checks, controls or administrative processes for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.

Importantly for areas of the UK like Cornwall that have previously been in receipt of EU funding, the Bill also creates a new power allowing ministers to provide financial assistance for a wide range of different purposes. This power is intended to be used to replace the funding that the EU currently distributes within the UK. The Bill also contains provisions on government financial assistance and clauses that in effect give the UK Parliament the exclusive right to legislate on how subsidy controls will work in the future.

The Internal Markets Bill is one that will provide the foundation for our internal economy as we move beyond Brexit, and allow the Government to replace EU funding with monies that are better targeted and easier to access than what we have received in the past. It is one that I fully support and I look forward to seeing it pass through Parliament and become law.

To put it in to perspective, last week saw Back British Farming Day, the national day to celebrate our support for British Farmers. I took the opportunity to meet with leading Cornish food producer Riviera Produce, who supply to some of the UK’s major supermarkets. One interesting fact I learned from my visit is that currently Cornish cauliflowers reach 95% of British supermarkets, a really positive example of how our supply chains currently work. This is just one element of our current arrangements that would be disrupted if the EU get their way in the current Brexit negotiations. This why the Government is bringing forward the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

Q: Will this end the trade negotiations with the EU? There is no reason why this safety net should undermine the UK’s relationship with our European friends and partners. We are taking the steps that we are in order to ensure that nothing inadvertently compromises our shared commitment to upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, and to ensuring that the original intention of the Northern Ireland Protocol is properly implemented. We are confident that that is the EU’s view as well.

Q: Are you deliberately breaking international law? We still want to reach an agreement with the EU that means we don’t need to use this insurance policy. But it is the responsible thing to do so that we can preserve peace in NI and the integrity of the UK. In the event we are not able to reach a deal with the EU, we will have to disapply elements of EU law if they prevent us from either upholding peace in NI or recovering from the economic shock of coronavirus.

Q: Why did you sign up to an agreement with the EU that you knew you were going to break? We signed up to the Northern Ireland Protocol in the belief that the important areas left to the Joint Committee would be resolved satisfactorily in 2020. That may yet happen. But, unfortunately, while both the UK and EU negotiating teams have worked at pace, we have now reached the point where - because we haven’t yet reached a final deal on some of these tricky issues - we have to consider sensible fall back options to ensure the communities of Northern Ireland are protected if agreement isn’t in place by the end of the transition period. We will, of course continue to work with the EU in the Joint Committee to resolve these issues, however – as a responsible Government – we cannot allow the peace process or other essential parts of Government business to inadvertently be compromised by unintended consequences of the protocol.

If you would like to discuss the Bill or any other matter then please do not hesitate to get in touch – cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Newspaper column 10 September 2020 - Secretary of State's visit to Truro

I hope all pupils at school and college pupils have now been able to successfully return to education over the last couple of weeks.

Parliament’s return last week saw the passing of the Fisheries Bill through its second reading in Parliament, making it closer to becoming law. As well as this massively important Bill, another smaller Bill I have campaigning on, the Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill also passed through its final stages on Friday, and once it has Royal Assent, will become law. This is an important law because it will mean that operators of public toilets, often already hard-pressed parish and town councils will not have to business rates on their toilets, a major part of their running costs, and should mean we should see more of these vital facilities open or re-open in the future. Making our towns and villages more accessible for all.

The day before this piece of legislation that will help our communities came back to Parliament, I was delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Communities, Robert Jenrick MP, who is the Government lead at the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Truro.

As ever when welcoming Ministers or Cabinet Members to our neck of the woods, there is so much to show them and our schedule was jam-packed.

We met with Truro and Newham Business Improvements Districts to discuss their work during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been exemplary in helping the recovery of our businesses and high streets.

We also met with the Truro Towns Board (despite Truro being a city) to discuss the city’s progress with the Towns Fund funding bid. Truro has been chosen as one of 101 towns across the UK to bid for up to £25 million of Government funding, including between £500,000 and £1 million of this funding ahead of schedule to spend on projects such as improvements to parks, high streets and local transport.

This funding should help transform the economic growth prospects of Truro, with an emphasis on improved transport, broadband connectivity, skills and culture and it was great to brief the Secretary of State on our progress so far.

Finally, we visited The Hall for Cornwall, which recently received a £1.5million funding boost from the Government, towards its renovation project as part of monies released nationwide to accelerate projects which will help local areas recover from the impact of COVID-19.

It was a busy but positive visit. One of my roles as MP is to ensure those at the very top of Government can visit our amazing constituency and see first hand the many positives we have, as well as the challenges we face, so I can keep Truro and Falmouth fresh in their minds when it comes to funding requests and problem-solving. The Secretary of State for Communities joins the Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Education, Chancellor and Trade Secretary among others, who I have had visit our constituency in the time since I was first selected to run for MP for this area last year, and I hope to continue this schedule into the future to ensure Truro and Falmouth remains at the forefront of the Government’s plans.

As ever, I am always happy to help with any problems people or have or to answer any questions about my work.  Please get in touch with me by email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, by telephone on 01872 229698 or you can write to me by letter at my constituency office, which is at Lemon Chapel, William Street, Truro, TR1 2ED.

The Fisheries Bill

The Fisheries Bill faces its Second Reading in Parliament today. This flagship legislation is the first major fisheries legislation to enter Parliament in nearly 40 years and it seizes on the opportunities that brings and makes clear the government’s intentions to continue to operate on the world stage as a leading, responsible independent coastal state.  This is vital for the future Cornwall's fleet and those communities which depend upon it.

The Bill ends current automatic rights for EU vessels to fish in British waters. If access to UK waters for foreign vessels is negotiated, the Bill will also enable the Fisheries Administrations to ensure that foreign vessels follow the same rules as UK vessels.

The legislation will ensure that fish stocks, and the marine environment, are better protected for future generations with new powers to set UK fishing opportunities and days at sea, new measures for the Devolved Administrations, as well as single set of UK-wide fisheries objectives.

Underpinning everything in the Bill is commitment to sustainability, ensuring healthy seas for future generations of fishermen. This Bill introduces new fisheries management plans which will allow a holistic, sustainable approach to be taken when managing our fisheries. The Bill includes new powers to protect the marine environment in England, Wales, and Scotland, and powers to implement the technical measures necessary to manage fishing activity in UK waters effectively.

The Bill establishes UK-wide fisheries objectives, and a Joint Fisheries Statement which will set out policies to achieve these objectives. This will provide more transparency for our fisheries management policies than was seen under the Common Fisheries Policy. This framework recognises that fisheries is devolved, but each Administration agrees the common objectives that our fisheries management policies must collectively or individually deliver.

Some constituents have recently got in touch expressing their concern regarding amendments to the Bill made in the House of Lords. Whilst I agree with the spirit of the amendments, all four concern to matters which the government is already committed or has the legal powers to enact already; and all have issues with how they interact with the devolution settlements. The government has made clear that it intends to overturn the amendments at Committee stage which I welcome.

The Bill will also ensure:

EU vessels’ automatic access right to fish in UK waters is removed

Foreign boats will be required to be licensed to fish in UK waters and will have to follow the UK’s rules if access to UK waters is agreed.

Fisheries will be managed sustainably.

The UK fisheries administrations will seek to ensure increased benefits from fish caught by UK boats in a way that respects the devolution settlements.

Sensitive marine species, such as dolphins, are protected and the bycatch of unwanted fish reduced.

The UK fisheries administrations will continue to collect robust scientific data on fish stocks and shares it to manage shared stocks sustainably.

UK boats can continue to access any part of UK waters, as they do now regardless, whether they are registered in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

If you want to get in touch with me regarding the Bill or any other matter, then please do not hesitate to contact me:

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Newspaper column 27 August 2020 - nature, exams and eating out

 

Following last week’s GCSE results, it was good to see the proportion of the highest GCSE grades awarded in England this year has jumped by 26%, following the decision to rely on with school-assessed grades to score the estimated marks.

While we are yet to see the breakdown on Cornwall’s results as of my writing this column, I hope they will see a similar trend.

As per my column in last week’s paper, if you have any concerns with marks given, please do contact me on the details below and I will do my best to assist.

In more good news for education last week, it was confirmed that Truro and Penwith College will be benefiting from £1,283,707 of Government funding as part of a national £200million boost for colleges to repair and refurbish buildings from September.

The cash boost forms part of a major £1.5bn investment that will transform colleges over the next 5 years. This initial investment is being fast-tracked so colleges can kick-start work this year and so students and staff will benefit a least a year earlier than originally planned.

This week sees the final days of the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, which has benefited dozens of restaurants and cafes across Truro and Falmouth, with discounted eating from Mondays to Wednesdays throughout August. I have heard many experiences of some of our excellent eateries being completely booked out through the past month on the days when the scheme has been running, and I am pleased this has both kick-started our hospitality economy while also giving people affordable meals after a time of difficulty.

Last week I was also pleased to see that Cornwall has been selected as one of five pilot areas nationally that will test how the recovery of England’s landscapes and wildlife can be driven locally.

Cornwall will receive a share of £1 million of funding to set up ‘Local Nature Recovery Strategies’ (LNRS) pilot studies to help map the most valuable sites and habitats for wildlife in their area and identify where nature can be restored. This could see the creation of wildflower habitat for pollinators, green spaces for people, or new woodlands and wetlands which are important for both healthy communities and in the fight against climate change.

With our vast array of different habitats Cornwall is a natural choice to be a pilot, and I look forward to seeing what Cornwall Council, along with local stakeholders can achieve with their share of this funding.

Finally, the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics last week showed that the number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Cornwall has nearly halved in the last week of tests, dropping from 14 to 8, more evidence that we are winning the fight against COVID-19 and my thanks continue to go to all those involved in the frontline battle against this virus.

As ever, my team and I are here to help and if you need support with anything, please get in touch with me at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, or on 01872 229698 or you can write to me by letter at Lemon Chapel, William Street, Truro, TR1 2ED.

 

 

Protect the Hen Harrier – Campaign Response

Thank you to the many constituents who have recently got in touch with me regarding the Hen Harrier campaign.  

All wild birds are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and there are strong penalties in place for offences committed against birds of prey and other wildlife. Anyone wishing to kill or take wild birds can only do so when operating under a licence. Wildlife licences are used for a range of essential purposes including to protect public health and safety, prevent damage to livestock and agriculture, and to allow important conservation work to take place in accordance with the law.  

In recent decades we have witnessed serious declines in the populations of herring gulls and lesser blackbacked gulls (declining by 60% and 48% respectively). These species were removed from general licences last year and an individual licensing system was introduced to ensure that lethal control is kept within a sustainable level in rural areas where the traditional colonies have experienced the most dramatic declines.  

To address concerns about killing birds of prey, the government and enforcement officers have identified raptor persecution as a national wildlife crime priority. The National Wildlife Crime Unit monitors and gathers intelligence on wildlife crime, including raptor persecution, and aids police forces in their investigations when required.  

Ministers have always been clear of the need to gradually phase out rotational burning of protected blanket bog to conserve these habitats. There has been good progress in promoting sustainable alternatives and there is legislation which is being looked at which could help achieve this. The England Peat Strategy will be published later this year which will detail further how we can protect, restore and reduce damage to our peatlands.  

The government is concerned about hen harrier populations, which is why it took the lead on the Hen Harrier Action Plan. The plan sets out what will be done to increase hen harrier populations in England and includes measures to stop illegal persecution. 

If you have any other concerns about any other issue, then please do not hesitate to contact me: 

cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk

Newspaper column 20 August 2020 - Results

Today students across Truro and Falmouth will be receiving their GCSE results, following AS and A-Level students getting theirs last Thursday. I wish all students the best of luck with their results in this particularly unusual and difficult year.

Back in March, the Government took the difficult decision, in light of the public health emergency, to cancel all GCSE, AS and A level exams due to take place in schools and colleges in England this summer.

Since exams were cancelled, Ofqual, the independent qualifications regulator, developed a process that provided a calculated grade for each student for each subject, which should have reflected their performance as fairly as possible. While no alternative system could be a perfect substitute for real exams, the over-riding objective of the system was to ensure that wherever possible students received qualifications this summer which have the same value as in any other year and which would enable them to move on successfully.

Since the AS and A Level results were published last week, I have been contacted by numbers of students from across Truro and Falmouth who were concerned with their grades following results day.

I fed back both the number and nature of these complaints to Government, along with colleagues, and am pleased to see they have listened and changed the process accordingly, and on Monday Ofqual announced that A-level and GCSE students in England will be given grades estimated by their teachers, rather than by the system previously planned.

Students will now receive the higher of their teacher-assessed grade or their moderated grade.

As with many things this year, these are unprecedented times with huge decisions we never thought we would have to make, and it is only right that the Government should listen and be able to adapt its processes accordingly.

I will continue to work with colleagues locally and nationally to get the best outcome for local residents.

However given that this is a new system, there will always be some queries with the results, where the process gets it wrong. In these cases, there are several things you can do.

The National Careers Service runs an Exam Results Helpline for students who want advice on their next steps, including appeals and autumn exams. The helpline is free and will be open from 12-28 August from 8 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week on 0800 100 900.

In addition, student who have missed the grades for their university offer are advised to contact their university directly.

Universities have committed to be flexible and most are considering a wide variety of factors in addition to the grade awarded.

Of course students who have concerns with their grades are also more than welcome to get in touch with me direct and my team and I will do our best to support you through this process by signposting and getting in touch with the relevant departments.

Anyone with concerns about their grades or anything else, should please get in touch with me at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, or on 01872 229698 or you can write to me by letter at Lemon Chapel, William Street, Truro, TR1 2ED.