Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy

This weekend I will be visiting fishermen in Newlyn to discuss the problems they have had over the last six weeks as a result of the stormy weather which has severely restricted the number of days they have been able to spend at sea as well as causing considerable damage to boats and fishing equipment.

While it has undoubtedly been a very difficult start to the year for Cornish fishermen, I think the longer term outlook gives some grounds for optimism because, at the beginning of January, the EU finally put into law a new reform of the Common Fisheries Policy which has the potential to deliver radical change as well as become a potential model for further reform in other areas of European policy.

There are a number of really important aspects to the new CFP deal. Firstly, there is a commitment to ban the discard of good fish. It has always been a disgraceful practice that perfectly healthy fish are thrown dead back into the sea simply because the fisherman who landed them did not happen to have the right quota. That will now end.

Secondly, to help make the discard ban work in practice, fishermen will receive a quota uplift so they can land more. They will also be granted much greater flexibility so that if they unexpectedly land more of one species for which they have no quota, then they will be allowed to count it against quota for another species instead rather than be forced to throw it dead back into the sea. If they happen to do better than expected at the end of the year, then they will also be allowed to borrow some quota from the following year.

The third key aspect of the new policy is that there is now a legally binding commitment to fish sustainably or at what scientists call Maximum Sustainable Yield. This means that we have a policy that focuses on the outcome rather than getting too bogged down in process and all member states in the EU have accepted this approach.

Finally, the new CFP has moved away from a centralised model where the entire EU sets out prescriptive policies. In future small groups of member states who have a shared interest in a particular fishery will decide on the management measures that will deliver sustainable fishing. Because they all have an interest in the future of the fishery, they are more likely to put thought into getting things right.

Taken together, these reforms have the potential to be a radical reform. I really hope both the industry and all EU governments will roll their sleeves up to make this a success.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Children’s Literacy

A couple of weeks ago it was National Libraries Day, which has been set up to promote and celebrate the role of libraries up and down the country. As the Camborne Library is just moments away from my constituency office I was able to pop in after I had finished my weekly surgeries. Despite the terrible weather some people had managed to make it over there and during my visit it wasn’t difficult to see just how important the library is to the community and how dedicated the small team of staff are to running a really useful service. I even signed up myself.

Jim Walters, the senior Librarian, took me through the users of the service and what books people are reading at the moment. Those above sixty probably form the most regular customers and especially utilise the internet facilities, whilst I was also interested to learn that crime and detective authors remain the most sought after.

However I was also really heartened to hear that primary school children are amongst the highest users. This is because various schools are involved in a government led reading competition which encourages students between the ages of seven and twelve to read a book a week. The schools work with county libraries on this and in Cornwall the scheme is flourishing. It is a great idea because alongside getting children reading it introduces them to the library. We have some fantastic libraries in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle and we need to make sure they are supported with the right funding but also that they are used regularly.

Reading is a vital part of a child’s education and in our area it is clear that schools and academies know this. Trevithick Primary School, which educates most of the children who live in Pengegon, places a strong emphasis on reading and literacy with one to one tuition outside the classroom where teachers develop the reading skills of individual pupils. I think this is so important because unless children learn to read and write at primary school and develop basic numeracy skills, then they will struggle to keep up at secondary school and before you know it, their morale suffers and they start to conclude that school is not for them. I have also seen some good work in our secondary schools including a project at Pool Academy where year 7 and 8 children new to the school help mentor children from local primary schools who are about to start secondary school.

Although I don’t have much time anymore to sit down and read a good book I want to make sure our libraries and our education system allow children to do just that. Developing an ability to read well is a crucial stepping stone in a child's education and libraries have a vital role to play.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

DAWLISH

The huge storms that have battered the South West over the past couple of weeks have dominated our area and it is clear that the damage being left behind is going to take quite an operation to sort out. The exceptional weather has been relentless and first and foremost my sympathy goes out to all those affected. People have lost their homes and livelihoods and we need to make sure they can get their lives back on track as quickly as possible. Nowhere is the evidence of the scale of the destruction more obvious than the images of the hanging railway at Dawlish which has cut off Cornwall and much of Devon from any train route to London.

The facts at Dawlish make stark reading. To repair the damage along the 80 metre stretch of sea wall will cost an estimated £30 million. Not only is it a huge expense but Council Workers and the Environment Agency are giving estimates of at least six weeks for the line to be up and running again. This is so frustrating for all rail passengers and especially commuters who are now having to change the way they are getting in and out of work. It is an absolutely vital link for our overall economy and every day the line is down loses money for Cornwall.

The main question is what now needs to be done to make sure this doesn’t happen again and what should we expect in the future. In the short term we need to repair the line as it now stands and the immediate wall. This is difficult because of the ongoing weather but repairs have already started and it will at the very least mean services can start running again.

We then need to look into what else we can do. I think a defensive wall further out could help break the waves and act as an important initial check in future bad weather. We should also look at the possibility of a diversionary route in case of further bad weather. Network Rail is already looking into this option via Okehampton and I will be interested to read their conclusions.

These are good ideas but we also need to make sure that whatever is done is not a knee-jerk reaction despite the current situation. I want to make journey times to Cornwall shorter and any changes further up the line need to make sure that happens. As a regular on the sleeper myself I also know how important that service is and current plans for its upgrade, including two new carriages, should still go-ahead. I will be doing my best to make sure that our railway also gets the investment it needs.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Shuttle Service

Last week brought the welcome news that a new shuttle boat service will be opening up for people wishing to travel between Hayle and St Ives. It will be running from April this year and throughout the summer it will be operating on a trial basis to gauge the feasibility of the project for the long term. I have been really pushing for such a scheme for the last couple of years and the organisers have kindly offered me a place on the first ride. I am really looking forward to it.

A new shuttle boat is a great idea because it will boost tourism and trade in both towns and provide a really unique and exciting way to travel between them. St Ives Rib Rides, who will be providing the service have worked together with the harbour authorities to get the project off the ground and whilst there are still the finer details to work out they have really shown some fantastic initiative. When I first looked into this I mentioned the potential of a Hovercraft, inspired by the Portsmouth hover-link to the Isle of Wight. Although the ribs that will be used may not be quite of the same scale they are far more manageable and already proven to be hugely popular. The holiday camps in Hayle have also been very supportive of the scheme and the availability of a shuttle service will add another attraction to their business.

Overall the shuttle boat is another step in the right direction of regenerating the area. The idea has already been floated that once construction on South Quay is complete the shuttle boat can operate from there. Plans for South Quay are already coming to life and construction is well underway. The shuttle boat could one day moor near the new supermarket that will create hundreds of local jobs but crucially not drag customers away from the town centre. It could also drop diners off near the new restaurant or indeed homeowners who have taken advantage of the affordable housing being planned. If visitors from St Ives then want to visit the many independent and older shops Hayle has to offer, they could use the planned footbridge between the Quay and the town and be there in less than five minutes.
The next couple of years will see many changes in Hayle.

It is not just in Hayle where major projects are underway. The new Camborne link road that will regenerate derelict land at Tuckingmill and boost business is making good progress. The Cornish Archive Centre at the site of the old brewery in Redruth will also deliver important local jobs and transform the area. These are the big projects that will kick start the revival of our towns but the many smaller initiatives like the shuttle boat service have a role to play too

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Superfast Broadband

I have always been enthusiastic about the potential for modern fibre optic infrastructure like Superfast Broadband to put Cornwall ahead of the pack and to help overcome some of the geographical challenges we face as a peninsula. Infrastructure today is not just about roads and rail (important though those are), it is also about digital connection. The way that many modern industries like computer software operate means that, if we get the fastest broadband speeds, we are ahead.

Cornwall has so much beauty that many entrepreneurs actually want to set up their business here provided they have the right infrastructure. A couple of months ago I visited Head-Forwards Software which is one of a number of new computer software companies that are bringing new jobs to this part of Cornwall. Evidence suggests that almost 90 percent of the economic benefits of investment in broadband flow to areas outside the South East and the Home Counties. That makes a change and it is why investment in digital infrastructure is one of the best regional policies you can have.

The project to install Superfast Broadband across Cornwall is moving to its final stages. By end of this year they hope to reach their target of 95% of businesses and homes connected. Much progress has been made with over 80% of Cornwall now having access to fibre broadband. This equates to 210,000 premises, 21,000 of which are businesses. By the end of the year, with enough fibre optic cable to circle the globe three times 95% of Cornwall will have access to superfast.

What makes the project even more innovative is that alongside the normal superfast broadband being installed there is a further roll out of an even more advanced system that gives people even greater speeds, known as fibre to the premises or FTTP. Cornwall is now home to half of all the households in the country that have this cutting edge technology which increases internet speeds by up to forty times what we now experience. That's worth repeating: half of all the homes in the UK that have fibre to the premises can be found in Cornwall.

This is really positive news, and whilst I know some people are concerned that their house or business is not yet covered it is reassuring that the vast majority will finally have access by the end of the year. For the last remaining 5% where it is too difficult, the provider is going to make sure they will still see a boost in speeds using alternative methods such as advanced copper wiring or satellite. It is important this is done properly because I want to see every home; even those in the most remote areas see a difference from this investment.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

THE MINIMUM WAGE

As each month goes by, there is growing evidence that the economy has turned a corner. Growth is predicted at 2.4 percent. There have been 400,000 new businesses created since 2010 and over 1 million new jobs. Unemployment is falling and now stands at its lowest rate since 2009. In Camborne and Redruth, unemployment is at 3.3%, lower than the national average.

One of the main priorities for the government has been to make work pay again. I have met too many people who say that if they work more than, say 16 hours a week, they lose more in benefits than they would gain in wages. We have to reform the benefits system so that it always pays to work longer hours. The new Universal Credit will have a tapered system so that you avoid sudden drops in benefit entitlements and by placing a cap on the maximum amount any one household can claim in benefits and reducing benefits like Housing Benefit, you increase the incentive to work.

However, the other side of the equation is trying to raise the income on those who are low paid and on the minimum wage. At the moment almost one and a half million people receive the minimum wage which is set at £6.31 per hour. Those who are at the lowest end of the pay spectrum have also had to grapple with the spiralling inflation left behind by the last Labour government. Inflation is now decreasing but the previously high rate has meant that even though there has been a strengthening of our national economy in real terms this hasn’t been allowed to really hit home and find its way into people’s pockets.

At the end of last week George Osborne said that it was time to consider increasing the national minimum wage because the returning strength to our economy means an increase can now be afforded. It's a difficult to get the balance right in a place like Cornwall. On the one hand, we know if we want to make work pay and help those on the minimum wage, we should be trying to increase the pay of those at the bottom. On the other hand we have a larger number of small businesses who are themselves struggling and we don't want to make it harder for them to take people on and create new jobs.

Both George Osborne and the Low Pay Commission, who advise the government on the minimum wage, have signalled that the rate should stand at £7 an hour which would be slightly above the rate of inflation and would see the wage return to its proper value before the recession hit. This will be a welcome boost in income for those on the minimum wage and should also increase the incentive to get off benefits and get into work.

Compassion and Charity in CPR

I have always hated the way some people talk down my home towns. Camborne, Redruth and Hayle have undoubtedly had their share of knocks in recent decades but this is also the part of Cornwall where the work gets done and where stuff gets made. There is real talent here, we can hold our own against any other urban centre in the country and we have an amazing industrial heritage to be proud of.

So I was very annoyed to read a recent article written for the Guardian newspaper by an academic who basically set out to trash our area and claim, extraordinarily, that there was a lack of small local charities. What makes it especially irritating is that I met the author, James Mumford, a year ago because he contacted me about his project. I gave him a whole list of excellent charitable organisations all doing their bit and encouraged him to see their work.

The community at Pengegon he cited is rightly proud of what has been achieved in recent years with antisocial behaviour down dramatically and a strong community spirit. I attended the community fun day last August organised by Claire Arymar and the atmosphere was great. Andy Richards, the local PCSO not only polices the area but runs football and basketball teams for younger residents in his spare time and he and the other members of the neighbourhood policing team have become highly respected.

If he had taken my advice, the author could have visited groups like Home Start, where volunteers offer practical support in the home for struggling parents. He could have visited WILD which supports girls trying to cope with the responsibilities of motherhood. He could have visited Young Mums Will Achieve which raises aspiration among single mothers. He could have visited charities like CN4C, the Redruth North Partnership or the All Saints Community Centre at Tuckingmill which each in turn host many vibrant social enterprises and charities on the front line. He could have visited some of the food banks run by volunteers from our churches. He could have visited great charities like Penhaligon's Friends where volunteers support children who have suffered bereavement. Or he could have visited small youth groups like Searchlight where he would find local children, who haven't got much for themselves, regularly donating some of their modest pocket money to help less fortunate children in developing countries. This part of Cornwall doesn't need lectures on charity.

As for his comments about our schools, I have visited over thirty schools in the Camborne and Redruth area in the last couple of years. Many have opted to become academies and standards are rising with interventions to ensure primary school children learn to read and write and with new school uniforms and a renewed focus on maths, science and languages in all our secondary schools. We can be proud of our schools and the next generation coming through.

The main argument of the article was that small charities have an important role to play in helping to get communities back on their feet. I don't disagree with that. However, there is another factor that holds some parts of the country back: low self esteem. I want to see our towns get their confidence back because we can beat the best of the rest and what we don’t need are people only expressing defeatist and negative sentiments about our area.

The Triple Lock

Over the weekend David Cameron made a really important pledge to continue the ‘triple lock’ protection for pensions if the Conservatives win the next election. This promise was one of the key Conservative manifesto commitments during the election almost three years ago and an election victory would mean it would continue to at least 2020. I think this pledge is really important because the idea is straightforward and because it offers huge peace of mind to people drawing pensions up and down the country and especially in Cornwall.

The ‘triple lock’ is simple. It ensures that state pension pay rises by whichever is higher out of inflation, wages or 2.5%. It also protects the state pension from variation in the economy, because it doesn’t attach payments in any way to average earnings which can fluctuate all the time. By April this year, the basic state pension will be £440 a year more than if it had been pegged to average earnings from 2011 onwards. That is a substantial amount and a huge help in what has been difficult economic times.

I think the ‘triple lock’ has been a success for the Government and this pledge offers some reassurance for those in retirement. Our pensioners are people who have contributed a huge amount to society and have been sensible in saving money for the future. After a life of hard work and supporting their families, they deserve a dignified old age without financial worry and a pension that provides some security for them. When I meet either groups of older people or individuals I am often reminded of how their pension offers a real lifeline and the capacity for independence which could otherwise be lost.

Some people are critical of the policy and say that pensioners should face cuts too but I think that ignores the fact that people have contributed all their lives. It is strange to criticise a protection for those who have already done their bit.

However, helping provide a little more security for pensioners doesn't negate the need for us to help the next generation too. In many ways it is a difficult time for school leavers who have to contribute more to their university education and young families who find it hard to raise the deposit to buy their first home. It is why schemes like the Help to Buy initiative to help people with their deposit are so important and why we must do more to encourage apprenticeships to give school leavers a good start. This weekend I will be attending the launch of a great initiative from Truro College that wants to encourage business to employ more apprentices throughout Cornwall and is just one example of the important steps being taken to support those just starting their working lives.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

AUTUMN STATEMENT

A lot has been achieved but there is still a lot more to be getting on with. That is the message the Chancellor delivered last week in his Autumn Statement to the House of Commons. I think George Osborne is right to be positive, with original growth figures upgraded to 2.4% for next year it is clear the economy is turning a corner and it is also clear his plan is the right one. We need to continue on the path of cutting our deficit and stimulating growth so that we can balance the books and after five years we could even be running a surplus. I also think that no one is saying this news allows us to rest on our laurels. There is still a long way to go and we still need to provide the right incentives to keep growth going.

There was some good news for Cornwall with the announcement firstly of the fuel price freeze next year. I believe this will be welcomed by many, because people in our part of the world cannot necessarily always use public transport for getting to work and rely on their car which can become really expensive. Cornish Business can also struggle because of their distance from markets and associated transport costs. I have often argued that this needs to be taken into account. The fuel price freeze is important in keeping the costs of living down and I know many families will be pleased with this commitment.

We also need to help our young people find that first job and there was a range of measures announced that will encourage that. When I visit schools in our area and Cornwall College I am always struck by a real culture of striving to achieve excellence and over the past few years I have been really impressed by the young people I meet. They deserve all the help they can get when it comes to moving on and the Government’s move to scrap employers’ National Insurance contributions for under 21’s is a step in the right direction. The Jobcentre will also do more to help sixteen to eighteen year olds find a suitable apprenticeship or traineeship if they are not in work..

There is also some good news for our shops and the High Street with help for those struggling with burdensome business rates. As of next year a business will have up to a one thousand allowance if they have a rateable value of fifty thousand or less and the planned rate rise will be capped and less than originally planned. I often hear of these rates causing concern and this relief is crucial. Overall, we need to make sure that with everyone talking about a recovery this is felt in people’s pockets.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Cost of Living

There was some great news for hard pressed bill-payers last week when South-West Water announced a price freeze for all households and businesses until April 2015. It will no doubt mean a sigh of relief for all those households in our area concerned about rising utility bills who now have at least some certainty in what to budget for water costs. As winter draws in and energy bills increase, I think this news should be welcomed and especially because it comes with a commitment from the water company to look at keeping prices below inflation all the way through to 2020.

Of course bills are still disproportionately high for households in Cornwall and this historic injustice comes from that fact South West Water looks after water quality over a vast coastline but deals with a relatively small population. That said the £50 rebate that was introduced in April this year has been a very welcome start and for the average Cornish household their bill actually fell this year by 7.3%. The price freeze announced last week is another step in the right direction.

Whilst water is important, we also need to look at other ways to cut the cost of living which everyone agrees is a top priority and when I am out knocking on doors in the constituency the subject is never far away. The scrapping of the fuel duty escalator by the government was vitally important for a county like Cornwall because many people who work cannot rely on public transport and have no option but to use their car and our businesses have to transport their goods hundreds of miles to market which is a major cost. Just filling up can be a worrying cost for families and I have always argued for fuel costs to be as low as possible.

When it comes to the cost of energy the government have also very recently announced a range of measures that will lead to a £50 cut in the average household bill which are coming into effect soon. The recent hikes in energy bills have caused a real shock and this cut is absolutely critical to help people deal with this extra burden. It is difficult because energy prices here are largely controlled by wholesale energy prices around the world but suppliers need to be transparent at how they can keep costs down and the government can work with them on this. Progress has been made but it is clear that for now and in the future new approaches need to be looked at.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032

The future is bright for Hayle

It is great to see that at long last developments on Hayle’s South Quay have finally begun. Residents won’t have failed to notice the site of construction workers and vehicles and their arrival marks a new phase in the revival of the town which promises to transform both the landscape and also the local economy. The project is going to totally redevelop a site which was left derelict for far too long and I know I am not alone in looking forward to watching the progress made and ultimately a new and vibrant harbour.

It has not always been plain sailing for those involved and what has at long last come about began with some considerable objections from English Heritage over the historical nature of the site. They wanted the owners, ING bank, to work more closely with architects specialising in historic renovation and although ING were happy to do this they still objected and referred the decision back up to the government inviting them to block the plans. With both Hayle Town Council and Cornwall Council endorsing the new scheme and a lot of local support, the Secretary of State rightly set aside the objections of English Heritage and did the right thing by giving these plans the green light.

We are now seeing the plans come to life and what makes them so unique is the proposal for a supermarket in the centre at the Foundry end of South Quay with restaurants and other mixed development on the rest of the quay. I think that out of town supermarkets can drain life away from the town centre and the plans for Hayle’s new Asda will bring new life into the town rather than bleed more life away as well as creating over two hundred local jobs. The South Quay proposal will be connected in the most literal sense possible to the rest of the town with a footbridge over the harbour to Biggleston’s, one of Hayle’s oldest shops. When Cornwall Council granted permission to ING, they also included an obligation for the bank to repair the harbour walls and deliver the necessary flood defences which will provide a great foundation for the development.

Looking ahead there are some other brilliant ideas in the pipeline that mean a bright future for the town. There are plans for a redeveloped East Quay to become a new facility that will expand the towns fishing industry. I have argued for a shuttle boat link between St Ives and Hayle and these are starting to move closer to fruition. I think it is clear Hayle is growing from strength to strength and there is every reason to be optimistic for its future.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Europe

Discussion about the EU is never far away in British politics, but over the past few weeks with the EU Referendum Bill currently being debated in Parliament it has found itself right in the political spotlight again. MPs will soon vote on whether we allow the public a say on our membership and it will be the first time the public are permitted a vote on the EU in almost forty years. It is actually a pretty historic moment and one which the Conservatives rightly deserve credit for.

I believe we need a fundamental renegotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU because in certain areas it has become far too powerful and we need to see those powers returned to us. That said, after these negotiations we can also remain an enthusiastic and committed member of the single market which is best outcome for our economy.

There are plenty of naysayers out there who don’t believe the EU can change, and that its tentacles will continue to spread unless we leave outright. I don’t think that is inevitable at all and it is clear that although others countries, such as Germany, want further political and fiscal union they accept that Britain is in a different position and they want to work with us because ultimately they still need our signature on new treaties. To get negotiations right we need to do the right research and William Hague’s competency review into how exactly the EU works and how its laws affect our everyday life in Britain will do just that. It is a huge project that won’t end until next year but it will offer so much useful information at the negotiating table that we must wait for it to be completed.

In the meantime there is also much that can be done now that keeps national powers. Under the Lisbon Treaty, we have a right to opt in or out of EU directives and recently the government decided to opt out of 130 EU directives that Gordon Brown signed up to relating to justice and home affairs and then opted back in to just 35 of them. We have picked and chosen the ones that enhance these areas but left behind needless bureaucracy in others.

My new role in DEFRA also meant I recently announced a vital consultation on how EU agricultural subsidies will be paid from next year onwards which seeks to cut down even further on the red tape from Brussels and which gives our farmers a say in how they work. It is also proof that negotiation works in the EU because the greater flexibility on how we distribute the funds was a key part of the British strategy and we won that right. I believe we should be optimistic when approaching the EU and this bill is a key part of that.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Remembrance Sunday

Last weekend I attended Remembrance services at St Andrews Church in Redruth and also at Illogan in the afternoon. I have noticed in recent years how attendance at Remembrance Sunday services has grown and how there is often standing room only in the church. I am always struck by just how moving the services are and how much respect people rightly show at this time of year.

There was also a great turnout from the various different scout and cadet groups. It is great to see so many of the next generation showing such a commitment and doing their own bit to remember the sacrifices made by our armed forces personnel. The cadet and scout movements have gone from strength to strength in recent years. What they do need are more adult volunteers as they often have a backlog of young applicants but not enough leaders and more needs to be done to encourage adults to join.

We have been through a decade of conflict and there is no doubt in my mind that the difficult operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan have made the public far more conscious of sacrifices made by our armed forces. The wind down of operations in Afghanistan and the handover to the Afghan army is now well underway with a deadline set for the end of next year that will see all but a few of our troops withdrawn. Last year was a terrible one with a very high number of British casualties but the gradual handover of operations to the Afghan army has led to a substantial reduction in the number of servicemen killed in action over the past nine months. However each and every casualty is still a tragedy for the families left behind. After more than a decade, ending the conflict in Afghanistan will be a relief for all.

I think that the legacy of these conflicts will continue for years because of the extremely young and wounded soldiers they have left behind. We owe these people, who have given up so much at such a young age, all the support they need to help them build new, happy and long lives for themselves. Charities such as Help for Heroes, the Army Benevolent Fund and the Royal British Legion do just that and they have been integral to helping people recover not just from the physical but also mental difficulties that come from being exposed to war. I think their work is absolutely vital.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Community Spirit

One of the advantages of being MP for Camborne and Redruth is that I am able to visit a huge amount of brilliant and vibrant charities and community groups throughout the constituency whose work is invaluable to so many. There is a diverse and skilled group of charitable organisations in this part of Cornwall who either specialise in certain issues or bring together different community services under one roof and their amazing work often goes unsung.

A few weeks ago I visited All Saints Community Centre is Camborne who do a fantastic job in providing a base for a range of voluntary organisations to operate from. There are groups for the elderly, who provide meals and a social setting which I think is vital and following recent news it is clear more needs to be done to stop the elder generation becoming lonely. There are also youth groups and a host of different activities such as Yoga and Zumba on offer for people of any age which have really taken off in recent years. The Centre provides office space for some important groups such as AA and there are various services on offer to help those who have been unemployed and need some basic literacy and numeracy training. I was lucky enough to attend the tenth anniversary of the Centre a couple of years ago and it was great to catch up with such an asset to the community. The work of its community development co-ordinator, Treve James, should be commended.

There are other community groups that make up a vibrant network throughout the area. This summer I popped in to the Pengegon Community fun day which growths from strength to strength. It is a great example of a local community getting together to change their neighbourhood for the better and the ongoing work at Pengegon has really paid off with local residents now taking great pride in their area. Whilst All Saint’s provides some great utilities in Camborne, the Elms in Redruth offer a similar service and are the base for Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change, or CN4C who do some fantastic work fostering social enterprise. There are also more specialist charities that offer a unique service such as Penhaligon’s Friends who offer crucial support to young people dealing with bereavement.

Tackling social breakdown and reviving our sense of community spirit is a difficult task but it is these groups who are at the fore. I believe strongly in the idea of the Big Society, but that also this idea of voluntary help in the community is nothing new and I have seen it all my life in Cornwall. What it does need is a committed group of volunteers and whilst the groups I meet are always on the lookout for more, we are fortunate to have some brilliant ones already.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Revitalising our town centres.

I have always said that economic regeneration was my number one priority as an MP, and it is clear there are some exciting projects on the way that will bring much needed jobs and investments into our towns. Both Hayle Harbour and the Redruth Archive Centre are major schemes that will deliver local employment and transform the area. They will also bring new life into our towns rather than drain activity away to the outskirts.

It cannot be denied that the economic landscape of towns and cities has dramatically changed over the past twenty to thirty years and whilst out of town retail parks often provide an easy retail space for business, I still think our town centres have a vitally important role to play. We firstly need to get more innovative retail projects underway by redeveloping brownfield sites in the centre that can easily be turned into useful spaces for the larger and popular retail chains that will automatically increase footfall. I think that plans for South Quay in Hayle could provide a good example to follow.

We also need to look at the issue of business rates. I visit many small and medium sized businesses who take great pride in what they do and their shops mean so much to their customers but who still struggle to pay when it comes to rates. I think this can be a really difficult burden especially to those starting their own business. It is a brave decision and those who have taken a chance need all the help they can get. There are rate relief schemes offered by the Government which can be a great start and I think that longer term we should see if more can be done.

We also need our shops to work together to deliver a vibrant town centre and promote fresh ideas to get people back into town. In Camborne traders have got together to create a ‘Business Improvement District’, or BID, which does just that and when I have attended their meetings I am always struck by just how much they get done and their innovative ideas for the future. They have only been around for a year but during that time they have organised two months free parking in Trevithick Road car park, produced some really useful promotional guides on Camborne and developed the www.cambornecando.co.uk website alongside a load of other projects. Plans for the future include a music festival in November and some great produce markets on certain Fridays. I think where BID have got it right is looking at a range of options to revitalise the high street and with initiative our town centres will continue to have a bright future ahead.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Keeping a Running Track in Camborne and Redruth

I have been running since I was nine, when I first joined Cornwall Athletic Club. Throughout my twenties I was running for Cornwall and at the peak of my fitness I was running around 80 miles per week. It was a big part of my life, and a lot of it revolved around training at Carn Brea. The track means a lot to me, as it does to a lot of people and organisations such as Carn Runners and Hayle Runners.

It is clear from discussion with local councillors that they are considering a few possible sites for a replacement running track with the existing site being sold to fund a major renovation and upgrade of the facilities at Carn Brea Leisure Centre. There a several options for the location of a new track in the Camborne and Redruth area, not least one of the schools or the land next to the all weather football pitches at Cornwall College. However, there are voices claiming that Truro might be a more central location and easier to get to. They couldn't be more wrong.

I have done a bit of basic research into journey times between various towns and Redruth or Truro. Accessibility is not just about distance, it is also about traffic congestion. Any tourist visiting Cornwall could be forgiven for assuming that "Truro" might be Cornish for traffic jam! Redruth is far closer to the main A30 trunk road and is more accessible for the county as a whole.

It is no surprise West Cornwall towns like Falmouth, Helston, Penzance, Hayle and St Ives all find Redruth easier to get to than Truro. However, my research also shows that the vast majority of towns to the north also find Redruth easier to get to. Drivers coming from Newquay, Bodmin and Wadebridge would take exactly the same time to get to the Redruth site as they would to the one in Truro, and this includes at busy times such as the school run and after work when people are visiting the track. Only residents of St Austell could travel to Truro quicker and this would only be by a few minutes, assuming they were lucky with the Truro traffic. Redruth is overall the easiest location to get to when measured in journey times. The new eight lane track also needs to be as central as possible because the one at Par, which is just six lanes, is not suitable for all competitions. We should also look at local populations. A track in Camborne or Redruth would service the local population of around 59,000 people whereas there are just 22,000 people in Truro.

With deliberations in Cornwall Council still ongoing, we can only hope that common sense prevails. It is important to think about the more local benefits as well such as the number of schools in the area and the existence of clubs. The main athletics clubs in Cornwall are Cornwall Athletic Club, Newquay Athletic Club, Carn Runners and Hayle Runners. All of these clubs would be better off with a track located in the Redruth area. Truro is well known for many things but athletics is not one of them, so why build the track up there in the middle of their traffic jam?

The future of cinema entertainment

The Regal Theatre and Cinema in Redruth has been a vital lynchpin for the community for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of it is going there with my cousins to watch Star Wars as a boy. It hosts performances by many local drama groups and is currently gearing up for a slate of core Christmas events.

Earlier this year, the Regal completed a £1.5 million investment to upgrade all of its facilities. It is a great vote of confidence in Redruth coming from one of the town's most important businesses and together with the plans to build a new Cornwall Archive Centre at the site of the old brewery, I hope that it can be a catalyst for a lot more investment in Redruth and deliver a revival in the cultural life of the town.

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Regal and see for myself the fantastic changes that have been made. As a venue for live performances it now rivals the Hall for Cornwall but it offers something else far more forward thinking called "stage to screen". I have always been very interested in how we can use rapidly advancing digital technology to deal with the fact that Cornwall is a peninsula and a long way from major population centres. The advent of teleconferencing and the fact that it is now available to all through applications like Skype has already done great things for business. It is now less important to travel for meetings.

Now the Regal is doing the same thing for the best live performances London theatre can offer. The idea is simple, there is an agreement between firms like the Regal and the National Ballet, Royal Opera and National Theatre. Stage performances from London are broadcast live to an audience in Redruth as the performance takes place. The atmosphere from the audience at the live theatre immediately spreads to the audience in Redruth. It is just like being there yourself. Furthermore, the upgrade delivered at the Regal means that the seats are better and there are some private boxes which are excellent for private family events or corporate hospitality.

My wife has always loved theatre and last year we went to see War Horse which is probably my favourite ever stage show. In recent months the Regal has screened Swan Lake and The Audience which plots all the Prime Minister the Queen met. Between now and Christmas live shows from London include The Nutcracker, Hamlet, Spartacus. But to anyone who has not seen it, I recommend a visit to the Regal to see War Horse which arrives in the New Year.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

The challenges facing DEFRA

Earlier this week, all three parties had reshuffles of their front bench teams. While there were no big changes to the members of the cabinet, there was quite a lot of change within the other ministerial ranks. I was delighted to be made a minister in the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

I grew up on the family farm at Trevaskis and spent ten years working in farming before I went into politics so it has always been an issue close to my heart. Cornwall is also affected more than most parts of the country by the decisions taken by DEFRA. Firstly, we have historically always suffered from high water bills. The fact that we have to maintain water quality on such a large coastline but have a small population means that the cost of investment has had a big impact on individual household bills. In my first year as an MP I, and other Cornish MPs, made a really concerted effort to get some redress to help alleviate the problem and since April this year there has been an important first step with a £50 rebate off the bill of every household.

Secondly, Cornwall still has a very important fishing fleet operating mainly out of Newlyn but Hayle also has a small fishing industry. It already houses a distribution centre for most of the lobsters caught off the Isles of Scilly. A couple of weeks ago I met the harbour master to discuss plans to develop mussel beds in Hayle and there are some really interesting plans being put forward by the town to renovate East Quay into a new facility to develop fishing further. In Redruth we also have Falfish, Cornwall’s leading fish processing plant and a well known market leader when it comes to Cornish scallops. For as long as I can remember, the lack of flexibility in the Common Fisheries Policy has been a problem for fishermen but there are some important changes underway which means decision making will start to be returned to national governments.

Agriculture also suffers from its share of problems caused by the Common Agricultural Policy and there are some complicated changes about to be implemented. Cornwall has an important farming industry but there have been huge changes in the fifteen years since I left the industry with a smaller number of large players. This part of Cornwall has the most productive agricultural land in the county and is home to Cornwall’s biggest growers of potatoes, cauliflowers and daffodils. With a growing world population, food security is once again becoming an issue so we will need to have a vibrant farming industry in the future. I have always been keen to explore ways of making it easier for new entrants to get into farming because all successful industries need new people bringing fresh ideas.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

New policies at conference

The month long party conference season has finally drawn to a close. As always, those whose job it is to plan and manage such events have had to battle against the various noises off and awkward questions from the media as they try to get their policy announcements heard.

The Liberal Conservative government has made a number of significant announcements. Firstly, we have announced plans to introduce free school meals for all children of infant school age. When I visit primary schools in this area, one of the issues head teachers raise is that they have many children on their school roll whose families would be eligible to receive free school meals but are either too proud to apply or are unaware they are eligible. Sadly, some children also prefer snack foods to wholesome cooked meals. Making it automatic for all young children to receive free school meals will encourage healthy eating at a young age and there is evidence that this can improve attainment at school.

Next was the decision to accelerate the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme which is helping thousands of first time buyers get on the housing ladder by underwriting some of the lenders exposure to enable mortgage companies to offer 95 percent mortgages on new build houses. Last week I visited a Linden Homes construction site at Pool and it is clear that this policy has enabled them to get on with the work of rebuilding derelict sites in our towns. Margaret Thatcher made home ownership in Britain the norm rather than the exception and it would be a backward step if home ownership became the preserve of a privileged few again. Until the credit crunch, 95 percent mortgages were very common but now first time buyers are being given the impossible task of raising a 30 percent deposit. If we want to help people get on in life, we have to help people buy their first home.

We also saw more proposals to help the long term unemployed back into work. The evidence is overwhelming that experience of work is the single most important thing we can give the long term unemployed to help them regain their confidence, move closer to the job market and find a paid job.

When I worked for David Cameron in opposition, he was always clear that marriage should be recognised in the tax system and this pledge has finally been delivered. Most other countries already do this. In future, all married couples on basic rate tax will be able to transfer up to £1000 of their tax free allowance to their spouse. It will be especially beneficial to those couples who have young children and where one partner juggles working part time with caring for the children. When you are married you share many responsibilities. It is only right and fair that the tax system should reflect the way people live.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.

Opportunities for the next generation

Earlier this week, I took part in a panel discussion organised by Youth Parliament representatives in Cornwall. Every two years, elections are held to elect six representatives from local schools to represent the views of young people. I have always been supportive of the project because I think it is an excellent way of teaching young people about politics and citizenship and learning to speak in public can be a great confidence boost for those who get involved.

Our most lively discussion concerned the image of young people. By a show of hands every one of the fifty or so young people attending felt there was a problem with the way they were portrayed by the media and that older generations were suspicious, fearful and distrustful of them. There were plenty of anecdotes to reinforce the point. There is not much new about generational conflict. Phrases like, “the youth of today” or “the young ones” are parodied clichés for a reason. However, for some reason the perception of distance between generations seems greater now than it was.

In some ways we have put up new barriers between generations. For instance, changes in the law make it far harder for a small business today to offer a weekend job to a fourteen or fifteen year old than it was just twenty years ago. A few years ago there was controversy about a new electrical device called a “mosquito” which emitted a high pitched noise designed only to be heard by teenagers as an irritating humming sound. It was used by some shops to deter all teenagers from the vicinity. It is difficult to imagine a more anti-social device.

On one level, the commitment by younger people to their community has never been greater. Membership of groups like the cadets is at an all time high and many sports clubs have more interest than they can accommodate. And you only have to look at any mantelpiece to know how much pride parents and grandparents feel for the next generation coming through.

Concerns about opportunities for the next generation are also high on people’s agenda. There is an understanding among many of retirement age that theirs was a generation that had a free university education if they wanted it, found it relatively easy to buy their first home, saw their property go up in value and sometimes enjoyed generous final salary pensions. Meanwhile, the next generation leave university in debt, find it hard to raise the deposit to buy their first house and are soon told they had better start saving for their retirement. However, the unanimous show of hands at last week’s debate showed that the supportive concern many older people feel for the generation leaving school today is clearly not being communicated.

George Eustice can be contacted at george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk or 1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 8JD or by telephone on 020 72197032.