Child refugees from Calais

 Last week on the 26^th October, the French authorities started to dismantle the camp known as the ‘Jungle’. I believe this was the right thing to do as it should never have occurred in the first place. The reasons for the Jungle are complex but are partly down weak internal boarders across the EU and French law enforcement turning a blind eye for too long.    

With regards to the children in the Jungle in Calais. UK authorities have been working with the French and charities in the camp to establish if any of the children have family connections or relatives in the UK. If they do then they will be allowed to come into the UK. Once in they will either be taken to their relatives or if a family placement is found to be unsuitable, the child will be placed into Local Authority care through the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Transfer scheme.

Some people in the media and elsewhere have commentated about the age of those who are coming into the UK and have asked for dental checks.  Where credible and clear documentary evidence of age is not available, criteria including physical appearance and demeanour are used as part of the interview process to assess age.  We do not use dental x-rays to confirm the ages of those seeking asylum in the UK as this process has been described as inaccurate by The British Dental Association. 

The remaining people in Calais will be offered places around France so they can be properly processed by the French asylum and immigration system. It is important to separate those who are fleeing violence as they are asylum seekers, and those who are economic migrants who do not have the right to be in France. The Government is committed to doing our fair share to accept responsibility for those with links to the UK, as expressed in the Dublin regulation.  If we take every refugee directly from Europe we encourage more migrants to make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean that cost over 3,600 people their lives last year.

It should be noted, the UK is also taking thousands of the most disadvantaged people in the refugee camps around the Middle East, who have had to flee their homes due to the Syrian Civil war. We are also the second highest contributor to aid for the area, only the United States donates more money. Since 2012, we have spent over £2.3 billion on aid to help the Syrians and surrounding nations cope with the humanitarian disaster caused by President Assad’s forces, ISIS and Russia.

     

Grouse shooting

I recently led a debate in Westminster Hall, called by over one hundred thousand people signing a petition to ban grouse shooting.

You can read my contribution here: 

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-10-31/debates/06472E95-10EC-49A0-BF93-84CAD2BE4191/DrivenGrouseShooting

In summary I argued against the ban as there is evidence that grouse shooting, not only helps the environment by reducing flooding and increasing biodiversity, but also rural economies who depend on it as a source of income.   

Newspaper column 2 November 2016 - The Prime Minister's visit to Cornwall

Last week I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister, Theresa May, to Mid-Cornwall.

As I have written previously, I was keen to get the Prime Minister to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity, so she could understand first hand some of the unique challenges we face at this end of the country and why it is essential for the Government to continue its unprecedented investment in the county and the south west region in general.

It is significant that the Prime Minister chose to come to Cornwall so early in her term and reaffirm the government’s commitment to our county. When I recently questioned her in Parliament, the Prime Minister specifically mentioned that her ‘economy that works for all’ includes Cornwall, and my time spent with her last week reinforced that commitment.

Last Tuesday the Prime Minister made the courageous, long-delayed decision to confirm that a third runway at Heathrow is the preferred option for airport capacity expansion in the South East.

This decision is not just about what is right for London but for the country as a whole. I have always believed that expanding Heathrow is the right move for the country and particularly for Cornwall. A route from Cornwall Airport Newquay to Heathrow would immeasurably improve Cornwall’s connections to not only London and the rest of the country, but also to the major international air hub that Heathrow is. Improving our connectivity for both people and goods is a key to future economic growth.

I was pleased to see the Prime Minister start her visit to the South West at Cornwall Airport Newquay. The Prime Minister said on Heathrow’s expansion that,  ‘Not only will it allow the South West's exporters to reach new markets around the world and encourage new tourism investment, it will also bring the prospect of cheaper and more convenient holiday trips to all corners of the globe.’

This is a win-win situation to me. Cornwall Airport Newquay continues to grow, with another route opening only last week, and I look forward to continuing to work with its management and the Government to encourage its own expansion, as well as working towards the other positive improvements outlined above, in the future.

Of course a decision on airport expansion is not the only way in which we are looking to improve Cornwall’s connectivity. The Prime Minister has been vocal about putting the South West at the heart of the Government’s transport investment plans.

A major part of the Conservative 2015 manifesto was a commitment to transport improvements. In Cornwall this included improvements to the A30 and our railway network.  

Of the £15bn government investment in the national road network, the dualling of the A30 is part of the largest single project. By 2018 the Government will also have provided the funding to replace the old Intercity trains on the Penzance-Paddington route with new rolling stock that will be quicker, more reliable and more comfortable than the current trains that are now 40 years old.

With Brexit talk still dominating the headlines I was also pleased to be part of a meeting at Cornwall Airport Newquay with the Prime Minister along with Cornwall Council and business leaders. I felt this was really positive and we presented a clear positive view to the Prime Minister of the massive potential Cornwall has post Brexit.

Newspaper column 19 October 2016 - Questioning the PM on funding for Cornwall

The Brexit debate rumbles on. Last week I was pleased to be able to ask the Prime Minister, at the first PMQ’s after the conference recess, for an update on post-EU funding for Cornwall.

One of the key questions asked by people in Cornwall since the referendum has been whether the UK Government would be committed to support the Cornish economy following the ending of funding through the EU.

Despite several rounds of European Regional Development funding the Cornish economy still lags around 30% below the UK average. In my mind this points to the failure of the European funding that we have had in the past to really make any difference to the people and businesses that really need them.

The previous rounds of EU funding that we did get were meant to create 10,000 new jobs in Cornwall. In fact, in the past 10 years or so, it has helped created only around a third of that number. That Cornwall has now qualified for a third round of EU economic aid demonstrates that the funding is failing. It is not lifting the Cornish economy as it was supposed to do and has not raised wages or the standard of living in the way it was designed to.

There are some very practical reasons for that failure. We are not able to spend the funding on what we need to in Cornwall. How we should spend it has been dictated, Big Brother fashion, by the EU. The EU funding we had was designed for a Europe-wide programme that does not fit the Cornish economy and often applicants were forced to fit proverbial round pegs into square holes in order to try to access the money.

As an example, what Cornwall really needs in larger businesses moving into our Duchy that will bring significant investment and job creation. However the current round of funding through the EU excludes larger businesses – the very thing we actually need. 

Throughout the referendum campaign I argued that should we vote to leave the European Union, we would have the potential to replace European funding with our own regional economic programme that would be less bureaucratic, more effectively targeted and better value for money for the British taxpayer.

With this in mind I asked the Prime Minister whether she agreed with me that Brexit will allow the Government to bring in just such a programme, as well as whether she could provide an assurance that her government will continue to invest in the poorer parts of the country like Cornwall once we leave the EU.

In response the Prime Minister provided me with the reassurance that in line with her goal for an economy that works for everyone, for every part of our country including areas like Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, she would be open to further discussions with Cornwall on ways in which the Government can improve the Cornish economy for the future.

I am pleased that the Prime Minister has been clear she will continue to work with us to ensure we deliver what Cornwall needs. I believe we have an opportunity to develop an economic programme that will be more effective than what we have had in the past through the EU. There are many other aspects of our Brexit negotiations to consider with them in the last week seemingly encompassing everything from immigration to the price of marmite. I will do all I can to make sure Cornwall gets the best deal for our future.

The sale of kittens

I totally agree that kittens and other pets should be sold in good condition and well looked after. Currently under the law it is a criminal offence to keep any animal in a poor condition or cause any unnecessary stress to animals. This includes not treating any diseases, underfeeding or inappropriate housing/environment.

The Government has produced a guide for buying a cat or dog. It gives advice on what to look for when buying a pet to make sure the illegal trade in animals isn’t being fuelled. You can look at it here: 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buying-a-cat-or-dog

The next time I meet with the Minister responsible, George Eustice, I will raise the point about kittens not being included in the review of legislation.

Newspaper column 12 October 2016 - The Prime Minister's speech

Last week was the Conservative Party conference and our new Prime Minister’s first real chance to lay out her vision for our country.

In her closing speech she presented a vision of a country that works for everyone and touched on a number of key issues and steps to achieving this.

It marked a shift in emphasis after six years where we have had to address the deep financial challenges the country was facing in 2010. Although there is clearly still work to be done in ensuring our country lives within its means, Theresa May clearly intendeds to look to the future and the type of country she wants to build. I welcome this.

The biggest issue facing us as a country is clearly implementing the decision by the British people to leave the EU. I was pleased that the Prime Minister sent a clear message that we will respect the democratically made decision and ignore those who are calling for it to be rerun, cast aside or fudged. We will be leaving the EU and we now have a timetable for when this decision will be implemented - in the first part of next year. This will be followed by a Great Repeal Bill that will legally pave the way for us to leave the EU and re-establish the sovereignty of the UK Parliament over all matters that are currently controlled by Brussels.

The PM also made clear that she understood that the referendum result was not just about leaving the EU. It was a deeper expression of people’s frustrations and anger at the disconnection people feel to the political systems, along with the desire for us as a country to take back control over our own affairs, especially in areas such as immigration.

This will be a lengthy process which will have any number of twists and bumps in the road. But I believe Theresa May has shown that she gets it and will deliver on Brexit.

Other highlights from the Prime Minister's speech include an announcement to continue to reform welfare and the changes to assessments for ESA as I wrote about last week, reform of corporate governance to ensure all businesses are run accountably and with long-term interest clearly in mind, strengthening workers’ rights, bold new education reforms – so that every child has the chance to go to a good, local school and that they are not held back by where they live or how much money their parents have and continuing to invest in our NHS – £10 billion extra over this Parliament, which is only possible because of the strong economic foundations we have built.

I am proud to be part of the Government that is working to achieve the Prime Minister’s vision and look forward to continuing to practically apply it for the good of Cornwall.

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events

Newspaper column 5 October 2016 - Changes to ESA

This week the Conservative Party held our annual Conference, which today concludes in Birmingham. As usual there have been a number of announcements of new policies. There was one in particular that I was very pleased to hear.

As your Member of Parliament a great deal of my time is taken helping and supporting people who encounter issues with the systems for claiming benefits there are entitled to.

One of the issues that I most often encounter has been with constituents encountering delays and processing issues with their Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims.

ESA was brought in by the last Labour Government in 2008 as a replacement to Incapacity Benefit. It is the benefit that people claim when they need support as they are unable to work due to illness. When ESA was first brought in there were many problems with its operation, which the Coalition Government set to fixing, not least the lack of focus on mental health disorders. ESA in 2016 is much more fit for purpose than in 2008 but there is still more work to be done.

One particular issue that has concerned me since I have been an MP has been the requirement for ESA claimants to be re-assessed regularly even when their condition was clearly a long term illness or disability with little chance of improving. I was pleased then that last weekend the Work and Pensions Secretary announced that people claiming ESA who have chronic conditions, that are unlikely to get well, will no longer have to attend repeat assessments to determine whether they are still eligible to claim the benefit. That people did have to attend multiple assessments, when they had conditions that were never going to get better, and in fact often only get worse, did strike me as being counter-productive and something which hindered those who we should be trying to help. Since becoming MP I have lobbied DWP Ministers many times on this issue and am pleased to see that the Government has now listened and made the changes that were needed.

The challenge now is to ensure our benefits system remains there to not only help and provide for those people who are unable to return to work but also support those who are able to get back and find a job. I am a passionate believer that for the vast majority of people claiming benefit, we should be doing more for them than just paying them money to live. Providing a package of support, not just monetary, for those who are able to return to work is a much more positive way of helping those who need it. I will continue to work both in Cornwall and in Westminster to ensure the benefits system is one that is fair for all.

As always, my team and I are here to serve the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at: www.stevedouble.org.uk/events