Newspaper Column 29th August 2023 - Cornwall's renewable energy potential

One of the highlights, or lowlights of every summer season in Cornwall is the changeable weather, and we have certainly experienced a very varied time over the past couple of months. Some would argue that the start of the school holidays is invariably accompanied by a downturn in the weather, what I like to call ‘Cornish liquid sunshine’, but what the abundance of rain and windy conditions that we see so much of in Cornwall does illustrate, is the opportunity that we have to harness the weather for renewable, greener energy, much of which we are ideally placed to be at the heart of here in Truro and Falmouth.

One such opportunity is for the delivery of floating offshore wind projects in the UK, and the significant opportunity the technology presents to Cornwall - especially given our county’s core strengths in marine technologies, engineering, research, and innovation.

Projects in the Celtic Sea are vital if the Government is to deliver its target to raise the UK’s floating offshore wind target from 1 gigawatt to 5 by 2030. The Crown Estate recently announced that the leasing round for the region will be launched in mid-2023, which could deliver 4 GW of installed UK floating offshore wind capacity by 2035. This could support up to 3,200 jobs, with the potential of £682 million spend in the local supply chain by 2030.

A key part of the strategy is the TwinHub project, which is the first floating offshore wind project in the Celtic sea, based off the Cornish north coast. This offshore wind farm will produce more energy while taking up comparatively less space and, by 2025, will be generating enough electricity to power 45,000 homes.

Falmouth is one of the deepest ports in the world and is ideally positioned to become an integration port where turbines will be put together before being towed out to sea. Falmouth should therefore receive its first share of the £160 million floating offshore wind manufacturing investment scheme to unlock wider private sector investment in the Celtic Sea.

Cornwall has a rich and proud maritime industrial history. I believe the Government can build on that by supporting investment in the port of Falmouth and the development of TwinHub, as well as ensuring high-skilled, well-paid careers for Cornish young people.

As well as the potential of floating wind power, we also have recently seen exciting developments in green technology, with lithium extraction in Cornwall. Lithium is an essential mineral used in the manufacturing of batteries for electric cars.

As the world races ahead to secure critical minerals, the UK must lead the way towards securing responsible critical mineral supply chains. Cornwall is playing a central role in developing this industry, with a long and successful mining history and a rich mineral endowment. It offers investment opportunities to explore and extract many commodities required to manufacture clean energy.

It is brilliant to see local companies embracing new technologies that allow more efficient extraction of critical raw material. Cornish Lithium, based in Penryn, is pioneering the low carbon extraction of lithium from hard rock and from geothermal

waters in Cornwall and only recently secured a multi-million pound investment from multiple sources, including the Government-backed UK Infrastructure Bank.

Both with green energy and revolutionary technologies, I look forward to continuing work with the Government and local organisations to promote and expand the important role Cornwall plays in these vital industries, 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.

Newspaper Column 22nd August 2023 - Adult Social Care in the Community

As I continue my programme of doorstep conversations throughout Truro and Falmouth this summer, some of the big issues that continue to be regularly raised with me are around adult social care, and health care provision at our hospital at Treliske.

These are both areas which are incredibly important for everyone in Cornwall, and where I have been working very hard to get the positive change that we need.

Firstly, regarding social care issues, this continues to be a real area concern in Cornwall, where we have an ageing population and stretched resources to be able to give people the care continuing care that they often need, particularly when coming out of hospital, which can lead to hospital services being used for longer than they otherwise might be due to the lack of care needed to get people home and continue to look after them there.

The care sector needs more resources, and that is why I was pleased to see the Government recently confirm that it is providing £4,248,271 for Cornwall Council to go towards funding the adult social care sector.

This is part of a further £570 million of ringfenced funding across financial years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025 to local authorities nationally to improve and increase adult social care provision, with a particular focus on workforce pay.

The Government expects this additional funding to support more workforce and capacity within the adult social care sector.

This will help to ensure that appropriate short-term and intermediate care is available to reduce avoidable admissions and support discharge of patients from hospital when they are medically fit to leave.

I look forward to seeing Cornwall Council draw down this funding and use it to support the adult social care sector and the wellbeing of people who need it in the future.

As well as working to improve the funding for our adult social care sector, since my election I have also championed the need for a Women and Children’s Hospital in Cornwall. The Government has listened and acted, and recently provided an update on its commitment to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030 which will now be backed by over £20 billion of investment.

One of these projects is the new Women and Children’s Hospital, which will deliver improvements to patient care and be built at the heart of the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro.

As the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women’s Health, I am particularly appreciative of the benefits this new facility will bring in placing all women and children’s services into one building.

Key features of the new building will include; a consultant-led birthing suite, a midwife-led birthing suite, neonatal intensive care unit with transitional care facilities, dedicated operating theatres, and a paediatric assessment unit.

Work has already started on the site, which should be completed and open by 2028.

Part of what levelling-up means for me is making sure that women and children in our community can access the best quality care for their babies and families right here in Truro. I will continue working with my Cornish MP colleagues to deliver on this and other projects for Cornwall 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.

Newspaper Column 14th August 2023 - The Return of Cornish Mining

Last week, as well as spending all hours on the doorsteps of various communities around Truro and Falmouth, talking about your priorities and how I can best represent you as your Member of Parliament, it was also great to welcome another Government Minister to Cornwall for a big positive announcement!

Last Tuesday I joined with Penryn-based Cornish Lithium and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith MP, to announce the £53.6 million investment into the lithium extraction industry by the UK Infrastructure Bank, the Energy and Minerals Group, and TechMet.

Cornwall’s rich mining history is back on the rise and this investment puts us at the centre of the UK’s energy and tech security!

The funding package announced last Tuesday aims to significantly accelerate progress toward the creation of a domestic supply of lithium, which is crucial to support the scaling up of battery production for electric vehicles as well as the development of battery energy storage solutions. It is part of a larger funding package, with a further £168.0 million potential second stage financing, that is expected to provide the equity foundation necessary for the pioneering mineral exploration and development company to achieve commercial production.

The announcement signals a significant boost for Cornwall, aligning closely with the UK Infrastructure Bank’s mandate to support the UK’s transition to net zero and to boost regional and local economic growth. The funding aims to enable Cornwall’s development as an industrial cluster for lithium extraction and will strengthen the move to Net Zero in line with Cornwall’s local industrial strategy.

Once in commercial production, Cornish Lithium aims to build its 70-strong Cornwall-based workforce to over 300. Through its hard rock mine development alone, it is estimated that Cornish Lithium could generate £800 million of economic activity for the local economy over the planned 20-year mine life. This figure is expected to increase further through the Company's geothermal waters project portfolio.

All brilliant news for this emerging and growing sector in Cornwall and one that I will continue to do all I can to support locally as well as championing in Westminster.

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.

Newspaper Column 7th August 2023 - Investing in Local Infrastructure

Last week it was great to see Roads Minister Richard Holden MP on his second visit to our constituency this year – this time to see the progress being made on the A30

On Wednesday amid the rotten weather it was great to catch-up with the teams involved in upgrading this stretch of the A30 between Chiverton and Carland Cross along with Cllr Connor Donnithorne, Cornwall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport, and receive an update from Costain, the team delivering these vital works

It won’t be long now until this project will be completed and the congestion issues we’ve all experienced every summer will be greatly reduced.

As well as seeing the works being carried out on the A30, it was also good to see him get an update from Cornwall Council on some amazing initiatives going on in Cornwall, such as the successful partnership with Operators and the Council to provide free bus passes for Care Leavers. This is something I attended a meeting with the Minister, officials from Cornwall Council and young people with care experience in February, and it was plain to see then, from the passion with which the young people spoke, how important it was to the young people to get this free transport. Since then it was great to see Cornwall Council continue its scheme for free bus passes for Care Leavers, and I will be lobbying the Government to roll it out nationally.

We also spoke to the Minister about the success of Cornwall’s unique “bus fares pilot” which, combined with the government’s £2 flat fare single journey scheme, has encouraged more residents and visitors to get back on the bus. He heard about “interoperability” which means that in Cornwall, you can use any ticket at any bus!

The Minister could also see how Cornwall invests in active travel initiatives like Cornwall’s e-bike share scheme, Beryl bikes which are available at locations all across Cornwall, including Falmouth, Penryn and Truro.

There is so much being done to invest in and improve our public transport networks in Cornwall, making them more affordable and accessible to all. Part of my role as Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth is to ensure key decision makers at the top of the Government, such as the Roads Minister are able to see the unique challenges that we face in Cornwall, as well as how we are dealing with them for themselves, so they can be better informed to support us in the future, as well as take away ideas of best practice, where we are already leading the way, such as the free bus pass for care leavers, so they can be shared elsewhere. My work in this area for you continues…

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.

Newspaper Column - Short-Term Holiday Lets

Now we are in the Summer Recess I have spent the previous week out and about meeting with local people and businesses regarding my work for you as your MP.

Last Thursday I attended a round table meeting on the Short-Term Accommodation Association, industry stakeholders and Malcolm Bell from Visit Cornwall, to discuss the current imbalance of short-term holiday lets in Cornwall.

This is an issue, that along with the housing crisis, is often raised with me and it was good to be able to go to the Falmouth Hotel and join with other local Conservative MPs, Cornwall Councillors, including Council Leader, Cllr Linda Taylor, to take the opportunity to express our concerns about the current state of short-term holiday lets across Cornwall.

Since Covid, we have seen a sharp rise in properties 'flipping' from long term let to short term holiday lets across Cornwall and Cornish Conservative MPs have been pushing the issue in Parliament. The Government is committed to tackling and solving the issue, without damaging our thriving tourist sector.

Among the topics discussed were changes to local planning laws, as well as the registration of short-term holiday lets which will enable better regulation of their use, prioritising the needs of local communities first. 

This was a really great opportunity to hear views directly from the Short-Term Accommodation Association and Visit Cornwall and get stuck in on what we need to do to resolve the problems caused by short-term holiday lets for so many here in our community.

As a team, Cornish Conservative MPs and councillors have worked hard with the Government to tackle the crisis of short-term holiday lets. It is essential that we find a solution to the crisis but one which is not at the expense of the tourism industry. So many here in Cornwall rely on leisure and tourism for work every summer and they cannot be forgotten during this conversation.

However, many communities are reluctant to support housing developments because there is currently nothing to stop properties being bought by investors and used as short-term holiday lets, rather than family homes.  Using the planning process, we hope that local communities can finally make a choice in how they wish to resolve this, and we are bringing people together to identify how we can make this work for all of us to be a real Cornish success.

Earlier this year I welcomed proposals announced by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) for a requirement for planning permission to be granted for short-term lets in tourist hot-spots like Cornwall. Pushing those interested in letting their second homes to use this process allows an element of control by local councillors and residents. In Truro & Falmouth this means that each application can be judged on its merit and value to the community. The Government is currently consulting on these proposals.

Since being elected as the MP for my community in Truro & Falmouth I have been resolute in my commitment to change the way housing works in Cornwall so that Cornish families can get on the housing ladder with an affordable home. After many conversations with Ministers by all Cornish MP’s we are finally making some progress that allows local people to take control of the number of holiday lets within our towns. I look forward to seeing the results of the consultation and will push for the Government to introduce these measures as quickly as possible.

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 - Please stand up for high street pubs

Thank you for contacting me about concerns set out by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) over the Government's consultation on high street rental auctions. 

Like you, I recognise how valuable our pubs are to the many people who enjoy them. Not only are they important parts of local economies, but they also bring people together and are often the very lifeblood of our communities.

It is always disheartening to see a pub forced to close its doors permanently. I completely understand that closures can be hard for owners and communities. I also recognise the wider and persistent issue of vacant high street units which the proposed new high street rental auction process is aiming to address. Shops and buildings being left vacant for prolonged periods of times is a blight to our high streets, has a direct and negative impact on footfall and risks businesses shutting down. 

The Government has carried out a consultation on the design of high street rental auctions, including a new permitted development right to allow buildings outside the Commercial, Business and Service Use Class (such as pubs) to change use as part of the new high street rental auctions process. I look forward to reading the Government’s response to the consultation in due course.

I want to assure you that the Government has been clear that the permitted development right, if introduced, would not allow for physical works to be carried out to the premises that amount to development. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has said that: “Where such building works are necessary, a planning application or listed building consent would be required. The premises will revert to its former use at the end of the period of the lease, unless otherwise agreed and planning permission obtained…”.

It will be for individual local authorities – who know their area best – to use their discretion when it comes to using the new powers for high street rental auctions. The aim is not to interfere with properties whose landlords are actively seeking to fill their premises, but rather to provide a tool to local authorities where vacancy rates are a significant issue and landlord cooperation is low.

Existing mechanisms to support community groups to step in where pubs are at risk of being lost without intervention include listing a pub as an Asset of Community Value which allows communities up to six months to bid to buy it if it has been put for sale. In addition, the Government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund is helping community groups buy such assets as pubs so that they can continue to serve their local area.

I do hope that this response has provided you with some assurance. Please be assured that I will be carefully scrutinising the outcome of the Government’s consultation.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Campaign Reply - Do you support changes to the State Pension age?

Thank you for contacting me about changes to the State Pension age.

The Government decided over 25 years ago that it would make the State Pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. The relevant legislation for equalisation includes the Pensions Acts of 1995, 2007 and 2011. 

In light of increases in life expectancy since the 2007 Act, the Coalition Government decided to accelerate equalisation to ensure that the UK pensions system remained sustainable. As such, the 2011 Act brought forward equalisation but capped the maximum increase at 18 months. This meant that the State Pension age for women would still reach 65 in November 2018 but the increase from 65 to 66 would happen by October 2020 rather than April 2020 – at a cost of £1.1 billion to the Exchequer. 

Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Supreme Court refused the claimants’ permission to appeal. Importantly, the case brought before the High Court was dismissed on all grounds, including notice, in October 2019. The Court also ruled that there had been no discrimination on grounds of age or sex. 

Moreover, the Pensions Acts of 1995, 2007 and 2011 were all subject to public consultation and debate in Parliament and were all widely reported in the media. The changes in the 1995 legislation were communicated in leaflets, advertising campaigns and individual letters. The up-to-date State Pension age was also provided to those who requested a Pension Statement. More than 37 million personal State Pension statements were provided between April 2000 and September 2020.

I am aware that the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has concluded the first stage of its investigation into how the DWP communicated changes to the women's State Pension age and is currently reviewing the second stage following a legal challenge. However, the PHSO investigation is a multi-staged process, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment while the investigation is ongoing. Section 7(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 makes clear that Ombudsman investigations “shall be conducted in private”. 

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.