Newspaper column 29th March 2023 - Good news for our fishermen

Throughout my time as an MP, I have always understood the importance of our fishing fleet to Cornwall, particularly having fishing communities in Mevagissey, Fowey and Newquay.

The fishing community has in recent years gone through some big changes brought about as a result of the UK leaving the EU, amongst other things, so I regularly meet with local fishermen in order to understand their concerns on both national and local issues and how best I can support them.

Last week I was pleased to see a good outcome on a matter than would have affected many of the small fishing boats, under 10m fixed netters, that fish primarily from Mevagissey.

Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (CIFCA), the body responsible for managing sea fisheries and the marine environment around Cornwall’s coast, had been working in recent years to draw up a new byelaw which they believed would protect migrating fish such as salmon that would, if implemented, have seen inshore fisheries prohibited from fishing in their traditional grounds.

This byelaw would also have meant that the smaller boats would have been forced to fish further from shore which led to many concerns being raised, including health and safety as well as economic grounds.

I was told about this early on in 2022 and along with the local Cornwall councillor, James Mustoe, subsequently made representations to CIFCA in order to understand their decision-making process.

It became clear that the evidence CIFCA required in order to make this byelaw was fundamentally lacking but it also appeared that some interest groups within CIFCA were determined to push this byelaw through regardless of this.

After CIFCA recommended to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) that the byelaw be approved, I subsequently met with both the Fisheries Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment to make the case as to why this should not happen.

I was pleased in October 2022 to see the MMO report to CIFCA, as part of the consultation process to make the new byelaw, highlighting the many flaws with the proposal.

Unfortunately, in December 2022 CIFCA’s committee ignored the advice of CIFCA’s own officers and asked for it to be reviewed rather than thrown out. Predictably, this review just led to the same outcome.

CIFCA’s report stated that given the current economic and political situation and considering the comments made by the MMO in relation to the risks associated with the byelaw and its likely lack of support, unless those risks could be addressed, the Chief Officer’s opinion was that this byelaw should not be submitted to Defra and the current Fixed Engines Byelaw 2010 should remain in place.

On Friday the proposed byelaw was thrown out. This is a victory for common sense, and I’m pleased to have backed my fishing communities in their fight against what would have been an incredibly unfair and damaging byelaw.

I would also like to thank the Mevagissey fishermen for taking the time to engage with us throughout and provide the clear evidence that was needed to help us make our case to DEFRA and the MMO that CIFCA’s original proposals were simply not acceptable.

It was good to see Ministers and the Secretary of State for the Environment, as well as the CEO of the MMO listen and this outcome is the right one for Mevagissey’s fishing fleet, whose livelihoods depend on being able to fish their traditional grounds, now and in the future.

I will continue to support my fishing communities in the future and hope CIFCA will learn from this and think again before proposing similar byelaws without having the appropriate evidence to back them up.

There was also more positive news for our fishing communities this week with the announcement that they will be able to net £101million more in catches this year than would have been possible if we were still a member of the European Union.

Taking back control of our waters was one of the key issues raised locally and the reason why many fishing communities like Mevagissey voted overwhelmingly in favour of Brexit. Prior to us leaving the EU, Brussels set the quotas that determined the maximum number of each species that UK boats could land each year and I regularly raised concerns with Ministers on quota sizes that were passed on to me by fishermen in Mid-Cornwall.

That is why I am pleased to see new figures published by the Government show that leaving the EU has boosted the quota secured by the UK by 117,000 tonnes. In the first three years since Brexit, fishermen will have been able to land £262 million worth of extra fish, which is great news.

I have always maintained that Brexit has great potential to bring prosperity and security to this industry in the long run and we are now starting to see the opportunities it has presented us with. However, it is also important that we continue to follow the principles of fishing sustainably.

I will continue to work with the Government to ensure our fishing communities in Mid-Cornwall are heard and listened to, and to ensure that post-Brexit we can have one of the most competitive, profitable, and sustainable fishing industries in the world.

As ever, if I can be of assistance on any matter, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel: 01726 829379 or email: office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 22 March 2023 - Reaction to the Spring Budget

Last week the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced his Spring Budget with a range of measures to support the country’s continue recovery, while also promoting and encouraging economic growth.

We have faced extremely difficult times with the cost of living and energy crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, so I was pleased to see the Chancellor’s statement include many positive announcements for people in Mid-Cornwall.

The Budget contained a number of measures I have long campaigned for, including reforms to childcare, further support to help households and leisure centre operators through the energy crisis, and more help for our veterans.

It was also good to see the Chancellor paint a much brighter picture for our economy than many had predicted in the Autumn. It’s clear the tough measures announced last year to stabilise and protect the economy are working and I believe it is only because of these necessary decisions that the UK will now not enter a recession this year.

The Chancellor also announced that inflation is set to fall by more than half, to 2.9% by the end of 2023, which is great news as inflation is ultimately what makes everyone worse off.

However, the government knows that we are not out of the woods yet and the measures implemented in the Autumn to balance the books have allowed the Chancellor to not only plan a Budget that promotes growth, but which continues to support households through cost-of-living pressures.

The Chancellor has confirmed that the government will continue the energy price cap meaning bills for the average household will remain at around £2,500 per year, instead of rising to £3,000. Rising energy costs is something I know has worried many constituents and I, and the government, have continued to review the situation to ensure we protect households from soaring bills. As we now head into Spring, we will start to use less gas and electricity so this extended help will make sure no one is left struggling.

It is also right that the cost of energy pre-payment meters will also be brought into line with direct debit payments meaning many households in Mid-Cornwall will now see their bills cut.   

I was also pleased, but not surprised to see the Chancellor confirm a further £63million for swimming pools. It is right that leisure centre operators will be provided with this additional funding to help keep pools open in the wake of high energy costs.

This is something I have met with local operators and the government about, and I am glad to see the government has listened to those concerns.

I was also glad to see the government continuing to support the pub trade with a freeze on draft beer duty and I am sure it will be welcomed by businesses in the constituency.

As to be expected, there are those who have used the Budget to claim the Government is doing little to help people, especially those on low income, in light of the rising cost of living and energy crisis.

However, in reality, the total government support over 2022-23 and 2023-24 to help households and individuals with the rising cost of living is now over £94billion – an average of over £3,300 per household. No other Government could, or would, have done more to support households and businesses during these difficult times.

Now moving to another issue I am regularly contacted about - childcare costs. As a father and grandparent myself, I understand from my own family’s experience the burden this can place on working parents. That is why I was pleased to see the Chancellor’s announcement on reforms to childcare, both in terms of additional free childcare for children under five, and increased hourly rates for nursery providers. This will make it so much easier for families to get back to work, and also support the providers of this essential service.

Speaking of essentials, due to our rural locality here in Mid-Cornwall I know that many people are dependent on their cars so I am sure they will join me in welcoming the extended freeze on fuel duty. The Government will be extending the 5p cut in fuel duty for twelve months and not proceed with the planned inflation increase, which will save the average driver around £100 over the next year.

While we are on the subject of transport, the maintenance and repair of our roads is an issue that I know many constituents feel strongly about and so I was glad to see Cornwall will be getting another £5million to tackle potholes from the Potholes Fund, which is being given an additional £200million.

This is all positive news for Mid-Cornwall and I will continue to do all I can to ensure St Austell and Newquay get their share of what has been announced in the Budget.

If I can be of assistance on any matter, please get in touch with my office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 15 March 2023 - The Illegal Migration Bill

As an MP I am contacted about a wide range of issues, but one that has remained very important to me, and one that many people in our constituency have been in touch with me about, is illegal immigration.

Concerns have been raised about the number of people entering the UK illegally and I have continued to flag them with the Government.

That is why I am pleased to see the Government has listened to concerns and is now introducing the Illegal Migration Bill. This landmark legislation will become the cornerstone of our plans to deter illegal immigration.

This Bill has received a great deal of attention over the weekend due to the reaction from some in the media. Unfortunately, this has led to some misinformation being circulated and a misunderstanding by some as to what we are actually seeking to do.

The UK has a proud and long history in being a safe sanctuary for those genuinely seeking refuge from war or persecution, such as we have seen recently with those from Ukraine who have come to Mid-Cornwall.

This country does all it can to help the most vulnerable through safe and legal routes. Since 2015, the UK has offered safe refuge to nearly 480,000 people from all over the world including Syria, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.

However, our hospitality should not be taken advantage of as some have been doing and it is right we close these loopholes while continuing to provide safe routes for those who need it.

This Bill makes it unambiguously clear that those who enter the UK illegally from a safe country are not going to be able to stay here. They will be removed back to their home country if it is safe, or to a safe third country such as Rwanda.

It is vital to stop the arrival of illegal boats that have overwhelmed our asylum system, which now costs taxpayers £3 billion a year. Since 2018, 85,000 people have illegally entered the UK by small boat - 45,000 of them last year alone. They all travelled through a number of safe countries where they could and should have claimed asylum while many came from safe countries, like Albania.

The vast majority – nearly three-quarters in 2021 – were adult males under the age of 40 many of whom have paid criminal people traffickers several thousands of pounds to get here. Once they arrive in the UK most are put in hotels, because we as a country do not have the capacity to house them, currently costing us £6 million a day.

Clearly the need for reform is urgent and the Government has prioritised this issue. I believe this Bill, along with the other steps the government is taking, will deliver the deterrent needed to stop people making these dangerous, illegal crossings and crack down on the criminal gangs who are paid extortionate amounts of money to smuggle people into the UK.

Stopping the boats was one of the five promises the Prime Minister made in January. This legislation, along with other measures, will enable us to fulfil that promise. It is deliverable and achievable and removes various barriers that are currently raised to prevent removals. This means we can take immediate action against those who continue to try and cheat our immigration system.

It will also free up capacity so that we can better support those in genuine need of protection through safe and legal routes. As we reduce illegal migration, we will be able do more to help and open up more recognised legal routes. The Bill will also introduce an annual cap on the number of refugees the UK will accept.

The other benefit is that we will be able to work with local councils to come up with a plan which takes into account local capacity for accommodation, public services, and support. This is something which is particularly important for us in Cornwall. This is important as when immigration is not done sensibly it can place a strain on local infrastructure and services, something I know many people in the constituency have been concerned about.

It is right that we look at every option to speed up the progress on returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin and an important part of that work must be to tackle the huge backlog of asylum claims, many of which have no merit whatsoever.

No other government is going to work as hard as this one to try and resolve this issue. In April 2022 we signed a ground-breaking economic and migration partnership with Rwanda. The government has said that as soon as the legal challenges are over flights to Rwanda will restart.

The government has also already delivered the largest ever small boats deal with France; a new, permanent, unified Small Boats Operational Command which will include over 700 new staff; tougher immigration enforcement with 200 new staff and a 50% increase in raids; a new deal with Albania which has already enabled the return of hundreds of illegal arrivals; plans to clear the asylum backlog by the end of 2023; and cheaper accommodation sites so we can move migrants out of expensive hotels. The Prime Minister went to France this weekend to agree further measures such as a detention centre in France more cooperation and more personal working on stopping the criminal gangs.

Of course, there will always be those who will try and stand in the way of this Bill. No other party has come forward with solutions to tackle this global crisis nor have they said they will be supporting this legislation. Instead, it looks like they will be opposing it.

However, I will continue to give my full support to the government and this legislation, and all other endeavours, to secure our borders and tackle illegal immigration.

If I can be of assistance on this matter, or another, please get in touch with my office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 8 March 2023 - Whipsiderry and coastal erosion

One issue that a lot of people have contacted me on over the past few weeks is around the works that are being done on Whipsiderry Beach and the cliffs above it near Newquay.

Any sort of work, particularly on the scale that is being attempted, in this beautiful location, was bound to attract controversy, and this is what has happened. Local people have come together to protest about what is taking place, and the changes to the area that are occurring.

I have been aware of concerns around development on this site since 2016, when it was first brought to my attention, although initial planning permissions were first sought and granted by Cornwall Council’s predecessor way back in 2007, some time before I was first elected as Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay in 2015.

That being said, I did speak out when applications were subsequently made to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), the organisation that regulates marine construction for the controversial ‘concreting over the cliffs’, and to Cornwall Council as the local planning authority for further modifications, both in 2016. I felt strongly enough about these concerns that I made my objections public in 2016, as well as holding a debate in Parliament on the overall way in which the MMO conducts consultations for marine licensing, which has also impacted fishing communities on the south coast, in 2020.

Despite my objections, the MMO and Cornwall Council did eventually give the remaining planning permissions and the Marine License was granted. As a result the developers have been granted the legal permission to carry out the work. Now work has started I have raised the various concerns that have been brought to me about how it is being carried out with Cornwall Council to ensure it is within the permission granted. They have told me they will continue to be in close contact with the MMO, the Health and Safety Executive, and the police to help ensure appropriate action is taken if any breach of licence or crime is identified.

This is an emotive issue, but there is a wider conversation to be had about coastal erosion in general; the impact it has on our communities, and the steps we take to deal with it. The Whipsiderry site is particularly complex due to the building work that will happen above the cliffs, but even without this, the land above the beach and associated infrastructure will have been at risk due to advancing coastal erosion. This is something that we see across our constituency in various forms, both at Newquay, but also at Mawgan Porth, where the shifting of the sand dunes will present a challenge for local businesses and road users in the coming years, and on the south coast where cliff falls have led to the coast path being diverted at Charlestown, and putting gardens at threat in Mevagissey, and in Pentewan, where the potential failure of historic artificial coastal defences could put low-lying properties at risk of flooding.

 With rising sea levels and more extreme weather events forecast to happen more frequently, we need to do all we can both in central government and locally, to help communities be resilient to these changes, to adapt and survive. DEFRA is already taking some steps in this area, such as with the innovative Making Space for Sand project. The coming years will present some huge challenges in this area and it is important all involved listen to the concerns of local people and work with them to come forward with the most appropriate measures to project homes and livelihoods along with being sensitive to nature.  

If I can be of assistance on this matter, or another, please get in touch with my office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 1 March 2023 - Ukraine anniversary

Last week marked the one-year anniversary of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Russia launched military action in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and since then the UK has played a leading role in the international response to support Ukraine.

While Russian forces continue to carry out a full-scale assault on the country, we will continue to stand with Ukrainians in their struggle against oppression.  

However, this has not come without a price. Putin’s war in Ukraine has had far-reaching implications for not just this country, but around the globe, and has led to soaring energy costs.

Earlier this week Ofgem announced that from next month the energy price cap will fall to £3,280 per year for average households – down from the £4,279 figure from January to March which reflects the fall in wholesale energy prices. However, oil and gas prices remain high and bills steep.

Last year the government introduced a package of support measures worth billions of pounds to ensure households don’t suffer through the winter months, including the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG).

This has protected people from sky-rocketing prices as we would have seen annual energy bills soar to over £3,500. I understand this would have been impossible for many households in Mid-Cornwall to afford, so under the government’s Energy Price Guarantee, energy suppliers were restricted in what they could charge households per unit of energy with the government making up the rest.

This has kept bills for a typical household to around £2,500, saving people £900 over the winter months. I am pleased to see this support will continue for another 12 months from April, saving households an average of £500 for 2023 to 2024 in the face of energy prices that are forecast to remain high.

It’s good to see the government continuing to review its response to the international cost of living crisis caused by the war in Ukraine and provide further funding and support to those who need it most.

We understand the pressure many people are under to pay their bills and so to ensure no one struggles, other extra support will also be available to help the most vulnerable.

A further £1,200 of support in direct targeted payments is being provided to help households this year, with £26 billion worth of targeted support to protect the most vulnerable announced by the Chancellor for the next financial year.

From April, those households who need it most, will receive additional cash payments to help with energy costs, including £900 to households on means-tested benefits; £300 for pensioner households and also £150 to people on certain disability benefits.

Cornwall Council will also receive more than £9 million of additional support from the government to help families that need support as part of the Household Support Fund.

This is a discretionary fund provided to local authorities so they can provide support to vulnerable families struggling to cover essential costs who may not be eligible for other Government support schemes.

This funding takes the total level of support provided to Cornwall Council for this fund to nearly £23 million which is locally targeted and spent to enable it to reach those who need it the most.

Last year the Government also introduced the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) so every household with a domestic electricity connection was given a £400 discount on their energy bills, amounting to £66 or £67 per month.

More than £7.2 billion has been provided to households so far and on Monday the government’s online application portal opened so that households without a direct relationship to an electricity supplier, such as those living in park homes and care homes, can now apply.

This is something constituents have contacted me about and I have been calling on ministers to ensure this support is implemented as quickly as possible so am pleased to see the application portal is now open.

I would encourage all eligible households to apply as soon as they can as the sooner you do the sooner you will receive the help.

The Government has already delivered an unprecedented package of measures to help households across the UK and the support provided through the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme have covered around half of a typical household’s energy bills.

As we are now heading into Spring and the lighter and warmer months, we are more likely to use less gas and electricity, however I, along with the government, will continue to review the situation to ensure those who need support receive the help they need and that no one is left struggling.

If I can be of assistance on this matter, or another, please get in touch with my office by calling 01726 829379 or email office@stevedouble.org.uk