Parliament has now risen for Recess and so I am working in the constituency and looking forward to taking some time off with my family later this week for Christmas.
I hope you will also be able to take some time to enjoy the festive season with your friends and family and celebrate this special day.
Over
the last year I have been contacted about all manner of things, but something
that has remained a very important issue for me and many people in our
constituency, which they have expressed significant concerns about, is illegal
immigration.
That is why I am pleased to see that the Prime Minster has now set out new plans to address this issue. These include a new agreement with Albania so that the vast majority of Albanian claimants can be removed; a new, permanent, unified Small Boats Operational Command in the channel with 700 new staff and tougher immigration enforcement with 200 new staff and better data sharing with banks.
They will also see cheaper accommodation sites so we can move migrants out of hotels such as the Beresford in Newquay and also clear the initial asylum backlog by 2023 by doubling the number of caseworkers and radically streamlining the process.
The
Prime Minister has also announced that legislation will be introduced in early
2023 to make it clear that if you enter the UK illegally you should not be able
to remain but should be swiftly detained and removed.
I
fully support the Government in its efforts to tackle illegal immigration and
look forward to seeing the Prime Minister’s plans in action. 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 Cornwall
However, our hospitality should not be abused as some have been doing and it is right we close these loopholes whilst continuing to provide safe routes for those that need it.
Now turning to some good news for schools in our constituency. Last week the Government announced that it will be providing extra investment for Mawgan-in-Pydar Primary School in St Mawgan and also Poltair School in St Austell to improve facilities as part of School Rebuilding Programme.
This is something that I have been working closely with the Government on as I understand that the quality of facilities in schools can have a significant impact on a student’s learning.
I am pleased to see that the two schools will both benefit from the School Rebuilding Programme, backed by £1.8 billion in 2022–34 to rebuild and refurbish 239 more schools across the country. This will see old buildings updated and modernised to create state-of-the-art sports halls, music rooms, science labs, and dining areas.
It’s
great to see the Government continuing to invest in our schools to provide
children with the best opportunity to succeed and helping them to learn and
develop and achieve their full potential.
Finally, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all those who will be working over the festive period in our NHS and care sectors, those who work in retail and hospitality, our local police and other emergency services and our armed forces who keep us and others safe all over the world, all year round. Thank you for all you do
However you spend your Christmas, I hope you have a good one and I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year for 2023.
My office will be closed from 12 noon on December 22, 2022 and reopen at 10am on January 3, 2023. However, you can still contact me by emailing steve.double.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01726 829379 and leaving a message. I will get back to anyone requiring urgent help.
