Newspaper column 25 May 2022 - Space updates

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to attend the Cornwall Space Cluster conference at Goonhilly Earth Station to learn more about the amazing opportunities on offer for Cornwall from our emerging space industry.

The event showcased why Cornwall is the natural fit for a space cluster and the steps being taken to ensure the county becomes an integral part of the UK’s space sector. It was great to hear of Cornwall’s ambition to be a leader in the UK’s national space programme by 2030, something I am sure we would all love to see.

While I know space is not new in Cornwall, the Ground Station at Goonhilly is celebrating its 60^th year of satellite communications, I do believe that now is the time for us to really push Cornwall’s thriving space sector further than we’ve ever gone before and seize on what could be a huge opportunity for Cornish people and businesses.

Cornwall is already leading some of the biggest innovations currently taking place in space. We have the dedicated horizontal launch site at Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, the satellite ground station at Goonhilly Earth Station, UAV flight testing sites, and businesses and local government using Earth observation and data to solve global and local challenges, such as climate change.

The global spotlight will also be on us this summer when the UK’s first ever satellite launch – the Prometheus-2 mission - blasts off from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay. This is an incredible achievement for the Cornish space sector and something I have worked hard to ensure happens since I was first elected in 2015. I have long realised the potential and importance of this sector for us here in Cornwall and am over the moon to see this project finally come to fruition.

As part of this three-year mission, two satellites will operate close to Earth experimenting and test imaging and interoperability. The Cubesats will be carried on Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket which takes off horizontally from a modified Boeing 747 jet, named Cosmic Girl. They will operate in low Earth Orbit, around 550km above the Earth and 50-100km apart at 17,000mph.

While we are now counting down to the summer to see this historic event take place, hundreds of businesses and organisations in Cornwall have been, and are, working hard collaboratively to shine a spotlight on the county and its space assets and capabilities, putting millions of pounds into the Cornish economy.

As the industry grows, it will not only ensure Cornwall is placed at the heart of the UK space industry, but also bring huge benefits to the county through investment and the creation of highly skilled, well-paid new jobs. 

By 2030 more than 600 people will be employed directly in the space sector in Cornwall, which has the potential to bring in £150 million to the Cornish economy. There are also the hundreds of secondary businesses and tertiary suppliers in the Duchy who are also benefitting from the space industry in Cornwall.

The number of people currently employed by Cornish businesses who work in the data and space sectors is estimated at 1,367 – up 24% since 2018. But there is the opportunity for this number to grow to make up around 2.2% of all people employed in Cornwall.

However, it’s important to remember that the space industry in Cornwall is not only revolutionising our local economy, but also bringing intangible benefits for our youngsters here in Cornwall.

I really do believe that the expansion of the space sector in Cornwall will lift the aspirations of Cornish school children by not only inspiring them but equipping them to become the next generation of astronauts, scientists, software developers, environmentalists, engineers and entrepreneurs. This is truly transformational and will leave a lasting legacy for future generations to come in Cornwall.

We face a number of major challenges here in Cornwall, including the affordability of housing for local people. Whilst I continue to work to find ways of immediately improving the housing situation, part of the long term and sustainable answer will be in growing our local economy and providing better paid jobs. The space sector can play a significant role in helping to achieve this and that is precisely why I have been championing its potential in Cornwall and will continue to do so. 

I believe this is only the start of some of the huge opportunities we will get to see here in the Duchy as the space sector continues to grow and expand. I want us to grasp this chance to put Cornwall on the world space map with both hands and I am looking forward to working with the Government and businesses and organisations in the Cornish space industry to ensure we make the most of this exciting and unique opportunity.

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

Newspaper column 18 May 2022 - Help with the cost of living

 

Last week I was very pleased to see the Queen’s Speech set out the Government’s long-term goals and plans to help families and businesses in St Austell and Newquay.

The Queen’s Speech is an annual address given at the State Opening of Parliament outlining a list of legislation to be proposed in the coming parliamentary session. This revealed the Government’s top priorities, which include growing the economy to address the cost of living, safer streets and supporting the NHS, and builds on what we have already achieved since 2019, during what has been a difficult and turbulent time.

Nevertheless, some critics have complained that the Government didn’t use this opportunity to bring forward further measures to tackle the rising cost of living. I just want to clarify that the Queen’s Speech is not a Spending Review or Budget, and I do not believe it was the right time to discuss this. Announcements of spending and further household support will properly be made by the Chancellor at occasions such as the Budget.

 

However, make no mistake that this Government stands ready to step in and help if needed as it has proven time and time again. As Boris Johnson said, this country has risen to challenges with no precedent in recent history. We have led the way in responding to Putin’s war in Ukraine, and with our world-leading Covid-19 vaccination programme.  But as we emerge from the world economy shutting down due to the pandemic and the biggest war in Europe since 1945, there is a huge global demand for energy and commodities. It is a worldwide issue, not exclusive to the UK.

I am proud that the Government continues to do everything it can to support those hit hardest and is spending £22 billion of help to address the cost of living and cutting hundreds of pounds off household bills. We must remember that the Government has done more than any other in our country's history to provide for the most vulnerable and households at risk of fuel poverty.

Those of us who pay council tax by direct debit should have now had a £150 rebate on council tax as part of the Government’s Energy Bills Rebate. This government scheme to rebate funds from council tax is far more generous and better targeted to help those in need.

We can also look at what this Government has done to increase the minimum wage by 6.6% for those aged 23 and over, bringing the pay of millions of workers up from £8.91 per hour to £9.50 an hour. This equates to a before-tax increase of £1,074 for full-time workers. And 21-22-year-olds have also seen their pay rise by 9.8 per cent to £9.18 per hour. All other rates of the National Minimum Wage have also increased.

Another example of this Government supporting those who need it the most is the Universal Credit Taper Tate cut. Reducing the Taper Rate allows the millions of working families on Universal Credit to save around £9 a week. A single mother of two earning the national minimum wage will see their take home pay increase by around £1,200 a year as a result of the reduction in the Universal Credit taper.

 

I am also pleased to see a new government campaign launched to increase the take-up of Pension Credit as part of wider support with the cost of living. This is worth an average of £3,300 and not only a cash top-up to the State Pension, but also helps with other benefits such as help with housing costs, council tax reduction schemes, heating bills and a free over-75s TV licence. Pension Credit can be claimed online, by telephone or by post. Information is available on Gov.UK website www.gov.uk/pension-credit or by calling the Freephone Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.

 

There is also the Warm Homes Discount scheme providing a £140 rebate on energy bills each for over 2.2 million low-income households, and on top of the measures above, further support was also announced in the Chancellor's Spring Statement, which included doubling the Household Support Fund to £1 billion to be delivered through local authorities to provide help to those who need it most. I am pleased to see that Cornwall Council has been awarded nearly £5m from this fund to help with rising living costs.

 

The Household Support Fund will provide direct help with the cost of food, water bills and other essentials. It is my understanding that this fund will support those households in the constituency who are most in need, particularly those including children and pensioners who would otherwise struggle with energy bills, food and water bills.

 

This week it has also been announced that, for the first time in more than a decade, prescription charges will be frozen to help with the cost of living. Charges usually increase in line with average inflation, but the cost of a prescription will remain the same this year. A move I am sure will help many people in the constituency.

While this Government has acted to help combat the rise of the cost of living, caused by issues around the pandemic and its after-effect, and also Putin’s war in Ukraine, I want to reassure you that the Government will continue to review the situation and stands ready to step in and help if needed.  

 

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

Newspaper column 11 May 2022 - More powers to tax second homes

Since being elected as an MP, I have continually raised concerns about the imbalance that we see with second homes and holiday lets dominating many communities in Cornwall to ministers and the Prime Minister and campaigned for action to be taken to resolve this.

That is why I was so pleased to see that the Government has not only listened to my concerns but is actively clamping down on this long-standing issue, once and for all, by giving Cornwall Council the power to charge double council tax on second homes.

The new council tax rules will be introduced for second and empty homes as part of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill announced in this week’s Queen’s Speech.

This will see Cornwall Council given discretionary powers to levy a premium of up to 100 per cent on council tax bills for second homes that are furnished but not occupied as a sole or main residence.

For the first time ever, and thanks to this Government, Cornwall Council will be able to double council tax on unoccupied second homes, which will not only boost funding for local services, but also discourage owners to leave their properties empty for long periods of time.

This also goes much further than the current rules and means that homes left empty could also see the standard council tax rate doubled after 12 months – rather than the two years at present.

We are all too aware of the devastating impact empty second homes and holiday lets have on our communities in Cornwall and that is why this is such great news for the Duchy. This extra funding could not only be used to support, improve, and deliver local services like genuinely affordable housing, social care and children’s services, but also keep council tax low for hard-working Cornish taxpayers. It also demonstrates this Government’s commitment to investing in local communities in Cornwall.

This is something that we have wanted to see happen in Cornwall for a long time and despite many others talking about it, it is this Conservative Government that is bringing in these radical changes to make it happen.

I want to be clear. This is not about holiday lets, which we recognise play an important part in supporting the hundreds of local businesses that rely on tourism. It is about those second homes that sit empty for most of the year. That is not right or fair to our Cornish communities and presents a real threat to the viability of so many villages and towns across Cornwall. As a result of this, and to ensure that genuine holiday let owners are not impacted by these new rules, earlier this year the Government took action to close the tax loophole that some second homeowners had been taking advantage of to avoid having to pay domestic or business rates by claiming their often-empty properties were holiday lets.

 

This was wrong for not only residents, but the genuine holiday let businesses and is something I have been working with the Government to close for some time. Second homeowners will have to pay council tax, and their fair share towards public services, if they are not genuine holiday lets.

This revamped system is a big step forward. Closing the tax loophole and giving Cornwall Council the power double council tax on empty second homes are important strides to ensuring second homeowners fully contribute to the provision of local services. It is only fair that all property owners do their bit to support our communities.

However, I acknowledge there is still much more to do. Housing Minister Stuart Andrew and his team have assured me that they will work with me to look at what other measures need to be taken to address the impact of holiday lets on housing in Cornwall and the Government are committed to looking at what else we can do.

In the meantime, I will continue to work with both Cornwall Council and our Government to bring about the lasting changes that Cornwall needs to address these issues and support residents.

If I can be of any further assistance, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel. 01726 829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk

 

Newspaper column 4th May 2022 - Prorogation, Harry and Ukraine

I wanted to start this week’s column by saying what a great privilege it was to attend Harry Billinge’s funeral last week. Hundreds of people lined the streets to say goodbye to Harry as he made his way to St Paul’s Church in Charlestown, which was packed with friends and family celebrating the life of our beloved D-Day veteran. I believe this is testament to the extraordinary man that Harry was and the mark he left on the lives of so many people.

Harry was given a wonderful service, which was broadcast by national media, and a fitting tribute that reflected his character and faith. I would like to thank Harry’s family for sharing this special time with me and so many others.

Harry dedicated most of his life to ensuring his fallen comrades were never forgotten and I am certain Harry’s legacy will continue to live on. I am honoured to have known Harry and he will be missed very much.   

While we are on the subject of honour, I was proud to have been one of nearly 300 MPs sanctioned by Russia over the war in Ukraine last week. While I cannot assure Putin that I will lose any sleep over the sanctions imposed on me, I can reassure people that I remain united with Ukraine as they continue to fight against the Russian dictator’s illegal invasion.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions about the sanctions, Mr Johnson said: “It is no disrespect to those who have not been sanctioned when I say that all those 287 should regard it as a badge of honour. What we will do is keep up our robust and principled support for the Ukrainian people and for their right to protect their lives and families, and to defend themselves. That is what this country is doing and it has the overwhelming support of the whole House.”

I completely agree with the Prime Minister and the action being taken by this Government against Putin's indefensible actions. I will wear my badge of honour with great pride.

Speaking of pride, I would now like to take a brief look back at some of the huge achievements made by this Government following the proroguing of Parliament last week. Prorogation means bringing an end to the current parliamentary session immediately before the Queen’s speech which will be held on the day that parliament reopens.

Nearly 20 Acts of Parliament have now been passed, which shows we are getting on with the job we have always said we would and I think some of the big ones to highlight, and most relevant to us here in Cornwall, include the world-leading Environment Act, which will improve air and water quality, tackle waste, increase recycling, halt the decline of species, and improve our natural environment.

The Environment Act is also cracking down on those water companies who discharge sewage into rivers, waterways and coastlines, which is an issue I have long taken an interest in, having chaired the cross-party Ocean Conservation APPG from 2015 to 2021 and championed local and national campaigns to tackle this issue in Parliament.  This will see a duty enshrined in law to ensure water companies reduce the impact of discharges from storm overflows. New duties will also require the government to publish a plan to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows by September 2022 and report to Parliament on the progress towards implementing the plan.

There is also the National Insurance Contributions Act 2022, which will increase the thresholds from July and be worth an average of £330 a year—the largest single personal tax cut for a decade; Nationality and Borders Bill, to take control of our immigration system; the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, to make the streets of Mid Cornwall safer; and our Health and Care Bill, which will reduce red tape and help to cut the covid backlogs.

We have also passed the Animal Welfare Act, which has brought in some of the world’s highest and strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals; the Building Safety Act, making homes across the constituency safer; Marriage Act, Skills Act, which will level up economic growth across the country; and many more.

As the Prime Minister has made clear, this Government is focusing on delivering the people’s priorities, and there is plenty more to come in the Queen’s Speech on May 10.

If I can be of any further assistance, my office is available for any constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel. 01726 829379, email – office@stevedouble.org.uk

Newspaper column 27 April 2022 - More on the SPF

 

Last week there was some controversy locally around the amount of funding Cornwall received through the EU. It was incorrectly claimed that Cornwall would have received £100 million a year in EU funding had we remained part of the European Union. I want to start this week’s column by saying that this is absolutely not true.

As mentioned in last week’s column, the Government has now confirmed that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will receive £132 million in funding between 2022 and 2025 to replace EU Structural Funding and help level up the county via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This is in addition to funding from sources such as Town Deals and the Levelling Up Fund which will also be more than £100million.

Local opposition leaders in Cornwall have repeatedly argued that the UKSPF leaves Cornwall with less than half of its replacement EU funding. However, research from the independent House of Commons Library - an impartial and reliable source - shows the reality that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly received an average of just over £50 million per year between 2010 and 2018.

The House of Commons Library researchers also stated, regarding amounts that would have been received had the UK remained part of the EU: “We don’t think it’s possible to meaningfully estimate how much money the UK, or any part of it, would have received if the UK was still in the EU… This is because if the UK had not voted to leave the EU, then the EU budget for the 2021-27 framework period - and therefore the EU funding allocations within that budget - would have been made in a very different political environment…attempting to work out what the resulting budget would have looked like therefore requires so many assumptions as to make the result effectively meaningless.”

When the figure of £100 million was first mentioned a few years ago, I asked the then council administration for an explanation of where it had come from but didn’t receive one. I am still open to someone providing a breakdown of this figure.

While I have no problem with Cornwall Council bidding for £100 million a year as I believe it is wise to ask for as much as possible, I do think it is wrong how this has been twisted and portrayed by some as the Government breaking its promise. This is not based on fact, but rather assumptions, projections and some wishful thinking, and it is wrong to state that we have failed to deliver what we committed to do.

There is no question that we all want Cornwall to receive as much as possible. However, misrepresenting facts and figures to try and mislead people and play party politics does nothing to help our cause in working with the Government. In fact, Cornwall now has by far the largest amount of SPF funding per head of anywhere in England, which will be used to directly tackle issues affecting communities unlike EU funding, which was often wasted or poorly targeted.

It isn’t about how much we receive, but more importantly it is about how that money is spent and used. We are no longer bound by the red tape that restricted how we could spend EU money and the UKSPF will be managed by a local investment partnership, who, as the name suggests, will be local and so have that knowledge needed to know where this money can be best spent to improve Cornwall once and for all. This local body will be able to set the priorities of how this money will be invested. Also, importantly, this funding will not have to be ‘match funded’ as EU grants had to be. This will mean there will be much greater flexibility for us to invest it into things that will really make a difference to our local economy.

I also want to be very clear that this is just the first part of the UKSPF and the Government has said funding will ramp up in future years. I want to reassure you that there is more to come and there is more to do. But for now, we are delivering what we said we would, and we will continue to work to secure all future funding available. I am delighted to be part of a Government that is delivering for Cornwall.

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

Newspaper column 20 April 2022 - Good news from the SPF!

Last week a very important announcement was made for people living in Mid-Cornwall. As promised, the Government has now revealed the details of a new Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) which will replace the EU grant funding Cornwall previously received.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will receive more than £130 million over the next three years, through the fund, which is fantastic news for the Duchy.

Many people have made no secret of their scepticism when the Government said Cornwall would not lose out once Brexit was done. Yet again they have been proved wrong by this Government who have fulfilled their commitment to match previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund. Cornwall has by far the largest amount of SPF funding per head of anywhere in England thanks to this Government.
This fund will significantly benefit those communities who truly need it. As I have always maintained, SPF will be better targeted to directly tackle issues affecting communities unlike EU funding which was often wasted or poorly targeted. Cornwall will now have much more say over how this funding is spent based on our own priorities, from supporting local businesses and employment opportunities to reviving high streets and reducing anti-social behaviour. This was not previously possible while we were restricted by the red tape of Brussels. We now have more flexibility to boost local businesses, invest in local people and level up the Duchy. I have always said that we should be measuring the output, not the input, and I am certain that we will be able to achieve more with this funding than we ever did with the EU’s rigid and bureaucratic structural funds. Crucially, this funding will be easier to administer and will be managed by people who know Cornwall best, and what it needs. These funds will help us to make the most of the new opportunities within Cornwall such as the space sector, lithium extraction and renewable energy production as well as providing the education and training local people will need to make the most of these opportunities. I now look forward to seeing real economic growth and job creation in Cornwall.

It is clear that this Government is resolved to fulfilling its commitment to at least match the average spending of EU structural funds over the previous programme. Funding for the SPF will be £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025, with this figure reaching £1.5 billion per year by March 2025.

This is also in addition to other levelling up funding, including the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund and £150 million Community Ownership Fund. On top of this, the Government is also making available an additional £3.7 billion to councils this year.

I am also pleased that Cornwall will benefit from the upcoming devolution deal which means we will have more autonomy from central government. This is something I have consistently asked ministers to support and proves that Cornwall continues to be at the heart of the Government’s levelling up agenda. What is clear is that this Government is committed to ensuring that no community in Cornwall is left behind. I look forward to seeing this fund develop so that Cornwall can finally take charge of its own future and realise its full potential.

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

 

Newspaper column 13 April 2022 - Remembering Harry

I couldn’t start this week’s column without reflecting on St Austell’s D-Day veteran Harry Billinge. I was incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Harry last week. He became very well-known to me and my office and would always say, “I’m no hero, I was just one of the lucky ones.” But the truth is Harry was the absolute definition of a hero. Not only for his actions on D-Day and the service he gave to his country, but also for his tireless fundraising work to honour his fallen comrades and raising awareness.

Come rain or shine, you could find Harry sat in Fore Street, and later Par Market, always with a story to tell and a smile, fundraising for the Normandy Memorial. Harry raised thousands and thousands of pounds to help the memorial become a reality and I am so happy that he was able to visit it last year. I know how much the memorial meant to him. It was fitting to see Harry recognised for his work in his lifetime with, amongst other things, his MBE and a train named after him. He was a humble man and I know both of these meant such a lot to him.
My thoughts are with Harry’s family and all the people whose lives he touched in such a positive way. Harry was adored and loved by so many, he will be a great loss to the town and his legacy will live on.

Speaking of legacies, I am pleased to see that the Government is currently helping Cornwall Council to create one of its own. This is through the launch of a pioneering trial which means residents will pay significantly less to travel by bus from this week. It also aims to cut Cornwall’s carbon emissions.

The reduced bus fares pilot scheme is a first for a local authority and sets out to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by bus. Thanks to £23.5m funding from the Government it means adult bus passengers will, on average, pay one-third less for their fares now that the new summer timetables have been introduced. It is hoped that the pilot, which will run for the next four years, will cut car emissions as road transport currently accounts for around a quarter of all of Cornwall’s carbon emissions. 

I am pleased to see the Government working with the Conservative-led Cornwall Council to ensure that public transport is an option for everyone in Cornwall and also to make a difference to the environment.

I agree with the leader of Cornwall Council, Linda Taylor, when she says: “Making our buses better value and easier to use will give our residents a much more attractive, sustainable travel option and is instrumental in our journey to helping Cornwall become carbon neutral.” 

Following a government Devolution Deal in 2016, which gave Cornwall Council greater power to work with bus operators to transform Cornwall’s public transport network, most of Cornwall’s buses are among the newest in the country, stops have been upgraded and many now feature Real Time Passenger Information displays to give passengers up to the minute information about their journeys.

It is great to see Cornwall leading the way once again and this Conservation council deserves praise for leading this initiative which I am sure will have a substantial and long-term positive impact throughout the county.

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