Newspaper column 31 March 2021 - The roadmap to recovery continues

This week we took another step on the roadmap out of lockdown. From Monday the instruction to stay at home was lifted and we are now able to leave home without the need for one of the permissible reasons. Also, we can now meet family and friends outdoors in groups of two households or up to six people and outdoor sports and activities can recommence.

I am sure like me, many people will very much welcome being able to see our family and friends, albeit outdoors. I will certainly be making the most of this to catch up with people I have not been able to meet for several weeks.

These deliberate and cautious steps are important to ensure we continue to win our battle against the virus. The Prime Minister is clear that he wants each step to be irreversible, and that this will be the last lockdown needed. So although I understand those who feel frustrated at the cautious approach being taken, particularly in the light of the very positive news of the reduction in infections, hospitalisations and deaths, I believe it is the right approach in ensuring this is a one way street now.

In other news there were a couple of very welcome announcements from the government last week. Firstly, in a review of a number of tax policies the government committed to close the loophole that allows holiday home-owners to avoid paying council tax or business rates. This is an issue I have been campaigning for action on for several years and I know something that many local people feel very strongly about. I am pleased we are now seeing action on this which will ensure in future, those owners which are not genuine business will not be able to avoid paying their fair share of the contribution to local services.

Also, the government announced a new policy to kerb the number of illegal immigrants coming to the UK, whilst ensuring those genuinely seeking asylum will be treated fairly and compassionately.

Again, this is an issue many people have contact me about, concerned at the number of people we have seen crossing the Channel in dinghies, and coming through other routes. Many of those coming were economic migrants and had paid people traffickers to get here.

I believe we need a system that enables people who legitimately need asylum to and be able to go through the legal system more quickly, while discouraging those who seek to abuse the system. It is inevitably a difficult balance to strike, but I certainly want the help we provide to be made available to those who need it most and not based on one someone’s ability to pay the trafficking gangs.

We also need to ensure that those we are legally seeking to deport, because they have come here illegally, are able to be returned without having our legal system clogged up with lawyers exploiting the current system.

The UK has always provided a safe refuge for those who need it and approach us through legitimate means, and we will continue to do so. But we also need a system that makes it difficult for those who seek to exploit vulnerable people and discourages people from making dangerous journeys. The proposals put forward by the Home Secretary strike this balance and address the key points that I know many people have been concerned about. I look forward to this legislation coming forward.

Newspaper column 24 March 2021 - The first anniversary of the first lockdown

This week marks the first anniversary of when our country first went into lockdown because of the Coronavirus pandemic. I am sure none of us expected, twelve months later, to still be living with the consequences of the pandemic and still have our lives so restricted.

It has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us in so many ways and this anniversary gives us a point in time to look back over the year. I am sure we will all look back with a wide range of feelings about all we have lived through.

I know many people want to take a moment to remember those who have been lost to this virus and pay our respects. Before I left for London on Monday morning, I took a moment to visit the local church where people have been tying ribbons to the railings and trees and laying flowers. In Parliament we held a minute’s silence to commemorate the anniversary of the lockdown and remember those who have died. It is important we remember that in the midst of all we have gone through so many families have sadly lost loved ones to this terrible virus.

But I am also sure many of us will also want to say thank you to all those who have worked to support and serve our communities through this year. Of course, top of that list will be our frontline NHS workers who have cared for and treated the sick, and our carer workers who have looked after the elderly and most vulnerable. There are so many others who have gone above and beyond, including our police, school teachers and staff, pre-school and nursey staff, delivery drivers, supermarket workers and local shop keepers as well as an army of volunteers.

As we mark the anniversary of the lockdown we can do so with a hope that the end is in sight. With the successful roll out of the vaccines we know the end to these measures will come soon.

Despite some of the current debate around the future supply of the vaccine, we have already vaccinated over half of all adults in the UK. Just last Saturday we vaccinated 844,000 people. This is an incredible effort by all involved. We should be very proud and thankful of the huge national team effort that has made this possible. Despite the recent question the government remains confident we will have enough supply of vaccine to meet our targets.

Next Monday we take the next step on the roadmap to lifting the restrictions. From Monday we will be allowed to get together with one other household or in groups of up to 6 from different households outdoors, including in gardens. I know I am looking forward to this to be able to see family and friends again. Let us hope the weather is kind to us to allow us to really enjoy meeting up with people.

But it is important we continue to remember that the restrictions that remain in place are there to keep us safe. We only have to look across the Channel to note what is going on in the rest of Europe to know this virus has not yet been defeated. The vaccine is the way to win this battle and we in the UK are ahead in the fight. It isn’t won yet, but victory is now in sight.

 

 

Column 17 March 2021 - The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

The sad death of Sarah Everard, in London last week, has brought into sharp focus the safety of women in the UK. This was then followed by disturbing scenes on Saturday evening as Police sought to break up a gathering of people on Clapham Common.

I fully understand the concerns, and even anger, that many people have expressed at the scenes as reported, and there are certainly questions that need to be answered as to how the events unfolded. I am pleased that the Home Secretary has responded quickly and asked for an independent, lessons to be learned, report from the Inspectorate of Constabulary. It is right that we wait for this report before jumping to conclusions about the events of Saturday night.

The Police have a very difficult job at this time, as they seek to keep up safe in the middle of a pandemic. They have some incredibly difficult decisions to make every day. It is very easy for us, 250 miles away, to jump to conclusions based on pictures on social media. But I believe we should allow the full details of that night to be reported and then we can consider how they should be viewed and what lessons there are to be learnt.

We must also not allow these events to cause us to lose sight of the tragedy of Sarah Everard’s death. It is deeply concerning that too many women do not feel safe walking the streets of our country, particularly at night. I am pleased that the government already has plans in place to increase sentencing and provide greater safety for women in our country. But it is also right that we look again to ensure we are doing all we can to protect everyone in our country.

We also need to keep everything in perspective, particularly here in Cornwall, where we continue to have among the lowest crime figures in the country. We are fortunate to live where we do and we should never take for granted that relatively speaking, our streets are the safest in the country.

This week the government also introduced a new Bill into the House of Commons that seeks to strengthen the law in a number of important areas. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a major piece of legislation that covers a broad number of areas. One part of it particularly has caused concern in the media regarding the clauses that help the Police to be able to take action to prevent protests from unreasonably disrupting the lives of ordinary people.

I have witnessed for myself too many times in recent years when our capital city has been held to ransom by organisations determined to not just protest peacefully, but to cause the maximum damage and disruption to our economy and people’s lives.  

It is absolutely right that the Police have the powers they need to stop these type of protests from happening. This Bill does not remove our rights to peaceful protest as some are trying to make out. The powers in the Bill put into statute and clarify long established principles that the right to protest does not allow anyone the right to disrupt law abiding citizens from going about their business.

Some have tried to tie the measures in this Bill to the events on Saturday night. This is incorrect and those seeking to do so are, deliberately or through misunderstanding, misrepresenting the facts. The steps taken by the Police on Saturday were taken under the emergency powers they have been given to keep us safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bill going through Parliament has been many months in the making. It is not in any way connected to what happened at the weekend.

The right to peaceful demonstration in our country is a foundation of our democracy. I will always defend that right and all those who seek to exercise it. But what I will not accept is those who seek to destroy our democracy, damage private and public property, and the livelihoods of others in the name of protest. This Bill strikes the right balance and I am grateful that the government is bringing these measures forward.

Newspaper column 8 March - The Road to Recovery begins

On Monday we saw the first steps as part of the gradual easing of the lockdown as we begin the first stage of the Roadmap to Recovery.

As well as people now being able to meet with one person from another household, outdoors, for recreation or leisure purposes, schools and colleges have now reopened for all students.

The Government has always said that returning face-to-face education in schools and colleges is a national priority. The decision to restrict face-to-face attendance in education and wraparound childcare settings has been taken only when it has been absolutely necessary to control the virus and save lives. Being in face-to-face education is the best place for pupils and students and returning children and young people to face-to-face education is, therefore, the first step in easing this lockdown.

I hope everyone returning to school and college has been able to settle in and enjoy their return to face to face learning and particular thanks must go to all teachers and school staff who have welcomed them back, while also working throughout the pandemic virtually and face to face with vulnerable pupils and the children of keyworkers.

Also, from Monday, care homes are able to allow one visitor per resident to come, subject to some conditions, and have physical contact. I know this will be an important relaxation of the guidance for those families who have loved ones in care homes.

As we continue to see the number of cases fall and more people receive the vaccine, we know the end of this pandemic is in sight. It is still important we all keep to the rules and follow the guidance each step of the way to ensure this is the last lockdown we have to go through.

Another important part of our road to recovery from the pandemic was the Chancellor’s Spring Budget Statement last Wednesday, which delivered a wide range of support for people and businesses across Mid-Cornwall.

This is a Budget that delivers for Cornwall. The extension to the furlough and self-employment-income support schemes are welcome, along with particularly the raft of measures designed to further help our hospitality and tourism industries, which I have long-campaigned for, as we look to ease lockdown measures and re-open for what I hope will be a busy summer season.

Consumers will also join me in welcoming the continued freezes of fuel and alcohol duty, along with new incentives to help people buy their first homes, with government-back mortgages up to 95% of the purchase price, and the extension of the Stamp Duty Holiday, will help those who have been able to buy homes during the pandemic complete their purchases as planned.

There is much more to do, but I am proud to be part of this Conservative Government that is doing all it can to help Cornwall and our country recover and build back better.

As we begin to emerge from the lockdown my staff will at some point return to working from the office and I will recommence face to face surgeries. I will provide more detail in the coming weeks, but please be assured I continue to be available to any constituents who need help or advice by email, phone or video call if appropriate. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if we can help in any way – email: office@stevedouble.org.uk of call: 01726 829379.

Newspaper column 24 February 2021 - The Road to Recovery

On Monday, the Prime Minister laid out the roadmap as we look to come out of lockdown. With the success of the vaccination programme, where we have vaccinated one third of our population, including all those most vulnerable to the virus, we are in a position to look to a summer free from restrictions.

In his statement to Parliament the Prime Minister set out the four measures that will be used to test our progress: the continued roll out of the vaccine, the reduction of those needing to be hospitalised and deaths from COVID, that the infection rate does not cause further pressure on the NHS and that new variants of the virus do not undermine the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Taking these measures, we will now enter a three month process of gradually unlocking our society and economy. There will be four steps in this process, and each will be assessed over a five week period before we move onto the next phase.

Phase one will begin on 8^th March when we will see all school children and college students return to the classroom. This will be supported by twice weekly testing of all secondary and college pupils.

At this time, we will also we able to meet one other person from outside our household outside for leisure, rather than just exercise as we are currently limited to. Also, care home residents will be able to nominate one named person to visit them – I know this will be very welcomed by many.

As part of Step one, we will go further and make further changes which will take effect on 29 March, when schools go on Easter holidays. It will become possible to meet in limited numbers outdoors, where the risk is lower. The Rule of Six will return outdoors, including in private gardens, and outdoor meetings of two households will also be permitted on the same basis, so that families in different circumstances can meet.

Outdoor sports facilities – such as tennis and basketball courts, and open-air swimming pools – will be able to reopen and formally organised outdoor sports will resume, subject to guidance.

From this point, 29 March, the legal requirement to ‘stay at home’ will be lifted, although we should all remain cautious and limit our travel as much as we can.

Step two will begin, subject to the four tests, on 12 April. At this time non-essential retail will reopen, as will personal care including hairdressers and nail salons. Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms will re-open, as will holiday-lets, but only for use by individuals or household groups.

We will begin to re-open our pubs and restaurants outdoors, there will be no curfew or limitations around a substantial meal.

We will aim to begin step three on 17 May when most restrictions on meetings outdoors will be lifted, subject to a limit of thirty people. And this is the point when we will be able to see our friends and family indoors - subject to the Rule of Six or the meeting of two households. We will also reopen pubs and restaurants indoors along with cinemas and children’s play areas, hotels, hostels, and B&Bs. Theatres and concert halls will be able to open their doors, and sporting events will be able to welcome spectators.

The final step will begin no earlier than 21 June. With appropriate mitigations, we will aim to remove all legal limits on social contact, and on weddings and other life events. We will re-open everything, including nightclubs.

I am aware that there will be those on both sides of this matter who will feel unhappy with this plan. Some will feel it is too cautious and slow, while others will feel concerned we are moving too quickly. I believe it is a sensible and measured plan that provides a timeframe for everyone to work to.

I remain concerned at the impact this gradual approach will have on some of our local businesses and I will continue to push for further financial support for those businesses who will not be able to open without major restrictions for many weeks to come.

 

Newspaper column 10 February 2021 - Space ambitions and university students

I hope you are all well as we continue through the lockdown.

While we have all been limited with our movements due to the Covid restrictions, I have still been able to contribute to debates in Parliament by speaking virtually in the Chamber via video link. While this will never be a real substitute for the cut and thrust of debate in Parliament, it still allows me to take part, raising issues on behalf of constituents and championing causes for Mid-Cornwall, whilst being able to look at the beautiful Cornish coast from my window!

In the past week I have been able to ask questions of Ministers and take part in debates in Parliament about the future of airspace, our space industry, and also on support for university students during the pandemic.

I welcome the Government’s ambition to have 10% of the global space industry in the UK. It is right that, particularly post-Brexit, we aim to be a significant player in this increasingly important global sector. However, in order to achieve that aim, we will need to have a launch capability here in the UK. We lead the world in the design and manufacture of satellites—particularly small satellites—but we currently then ship them to the other side of the world for launch. Having our own launch capability in the UK will not only be important in an ever more uncertain world but will reduce costs and the environmental impact.

Cornwall is ready to play a major part in this through Spaceport Cornwall, which will be one of the world’s first horizontal launch sites for satellites. With the successful first satellite launch of our partners Virgin Orbit last month, we are now in a position to launch satellites from Cornwall next year that will bring much-needed well-paid jobs to Cornwall and attract business investment, which in turn will aid the Government’s levelling-up agenda in one of the poorest parts of the UK. It will also help to inspire our young people to pursue qualifications in STEM subjects and open up career opportunities in electronics and engineering.

The thing we need now is for the regulations to be put in place. Horizontal launch, which is basically little different from a large passenger jet taking off, until it reaches altitude for rocket launch, should not be bogged down by unnecessary regulations that are required only to cover vertical launch. I therefore asked the Minister to look carefully at the regulations to ensure that they differentiate between launch mechanisms and are fit for horizontal launch so that Spaceport Cornwall can lift off as soon as possible.

I also questioned the Minister on behalf of university students from Mid-Cornwall. I have been contacted by many students and their families who are concerned that they are still being made to pay their rent in full for their university accommodation despite not actually being at University or able to attend lessons in person due to the pandemic.

While it is welcome that some universities and accommodation providers are providing partial rebates to students, too many still are not. I asked the Minister join me in urging all those accommodation providers to show some flexibility and provide a partial rent rebate wherever possible, and was pleased to hear them agree with me and urge all providers of university accommodation to give a partial refund for this period in which students cannot all access their accommodation.

These are just two of the contributions I have made to Parliament in the past week. There are always issues to be raised on behalf of the communities I have the honour to represent and it is good that even in these difficult times, I am able to do so and fulfil my role as MP on your behalf.

Remember although I office is closed all of my staff and I are working from home. We are currently assisting several hundred local residents every week with a wide range of issues, both COVID related and wider issues such as housing, benefits, health and employment matters. If there is anything you feel we may be able to help you with please do not hesitate to get in touch – email: office@stevedouble.org.uk or call 01726 839279

 

 

Newspaper column 3 February 2021 - Good news with vaccine rollout

 

Last week saw more progress with the vaccination as the latest figures, released on Thursday showed that 74,192 COVID-19 vaccines have now been given in Cornwall, with 78.9% of people over 80 now having received their first jab. In Cornwall every care home where it is possible to deliver the vaccine safely has now received it.

Nationally 5 in 6 people over that age 80 have now had the vaccine, along with 2 in 3 people aged between 75-79. On Saturday 598,000 people received the vaccine across the UK, a new daily record. In Cornwall we are seeing delivery of the vaccines ramping up in a similar way.

With the mass vaccination centre opening at Stithians Showground last week, and another one opened at the Royal Cornwall Showground this week, these figures will continue to accelerate as more supply of the vaccines becomes available.

I hear good news stories every day from people who have had the vaccine and continue to be impressed by the commitment shown by all involved in the vaccine rollout. One such story, that gained national publicity at the weekend is the impressive efforts by St Austell Healthcare, who administered an additional 1,000 vaccines within 24 hours of being notified on an unscheduled delivery, clearly pulling out all the stops to make sure the people who need it most get the vaccine.

In more positive news, on Thursday, Novavax published phase 3 trial data from its UK study for its COVID-19 vaccine, showing it to be 89.3% effective in preventing coronavirus in participants, as well as being effective against the new UK variant.

This is the vaccine trial that I participated in, although I don’t yet know whether I received the actual vaccine or a placebo, so I am pleased to have contributed in a small way to this good news.

Thanks to the work of the government’s Vaccines Taskforce, the UK has secured 60 million doses of Novavax’s vaccine to be delivered in the second half of this year, if approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, who will assess whether the vaccine meets robust standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.

This is all good news, but I couldn’t finish my column without touching on some of the negativity from the end of last week concerning the EU and its appalling behaviour around the handling of the exporting of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. Make no mistake about it, one major success of Brexit so far has been that the UK has been able to get its own vaccine rollout up and running quickly and in doing so start vaccinating people in greater numbers than members of the EU.

This was thrown into the spotlight last week when the EU became angry that Britain was getting its UK-made contracted supplies from AstraZeneca while it was yet to begin. In retaliation the EU announced it was introducing export controls on coronavirus vaccines made inside the EU to try to protect its supplies, including threats to put checks on the Northern Ireland border to prevent vaccines produced in the EU from reaching the UK. The Brexit deal ensures there are no obstacles to trade between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

 

Their decision united many people, including The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, in condemning their actions, and forced a quick u turn from the EU – which was very welcome.

The UK-Ireland border was one of the most difficult problems to overcome in the recently agreed Brexit deal, following the UK's departure from the EU. During the negotiations the EU lectured us about the importance of respecting the detail of the arrangement and respecting the Good Friday Agreement; how peace in Northern Ireland was at stake. Yet the impression the EU gave last week is that those concerns can be quickly disregarded, if the EU feels its interests are at stake.

I was pleased that the Prime Minister rose above this and calmly addressed this issue which forced a u turn from the EU. Whilst we all understand the importance of addressing this pandemic at a global scale, we cannot allow the EU to ride roughshod over contracts and agreements in place simply to cover their bad handling of the situation. The UK has done more than any other country to use our resources to support the global effort and I am sure we will continue to do so, but not at the expense of our own citizens.