Opportunity for All

Now that Covid restrictions have gone, I have the chance to resume visits and meetings with our local schools. I will never cease to be impressed by the commitment and dedication of all our schools and the work they do to give the next generation the best possible start in life.  

Last Friday, I visited the Nexus Campus of Camborne Science and International Academy. The ‘Gifted Programme’ is unique in Cornwall and provides state-funded specialist education to young people with a particular talent for science and maths. During my visit, I met a number of students, some who had recently come into the school as well as others in the sixth form who were contemplating their next step to university.  We discussed a wide range of issues including how the Covid lockdown had affected study, sport and friendships.  Schools worked hard during the lockdown to try to offer online study and, while all schools will find there is some catching up to do, the remarkable thing is how resilient young people are and how quickly they have bounced back. 

On Monday this week, Nadhim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the ‘Opportunity for All’ Schools White Paper that is setting out how the Government intends to level up education. Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of world-class education, and the White Paper sets out key targets and pledges that the Government is seeking to achieve. These include having 90% of primary school children being expected to achieve Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths by 2030 and see the national average grade for GCSE English and Maths rise to 5 by 2030, from 4.5 in 2019.

These targets will be achieved through the introduction of several measures including requiring schools to offer a minimum of a 32.5-hour school week by September 2023 and increasing Ofsted inspections. These ambitious proposals are further expanded by the additional announcement that the Department for Health and the Department for Education will launch a new consultation with a view to developing a stronger national system for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), supporting teachers, parents and most importantly children. This will ensure that no child is left behind in our recovery from the Pandemic and we build back an education system stronger and more resilient than before.

The Opportunity for All White Paper and the new consultation for a stronger national system for children requiring SEND or alternate provision is further building on the announcement from February that Cornwall was one of the 55 areas in England selected as an Education Investment Area. These policies will make a real difference to children across the country.

Since I was first elected, I have made clear that regeneration and job creation have been my top priorities and that includes ensuring that we are opening new routes for people of all ages to learn new skills and enhance their productivity. As such, I look forward to seeing how these new policies will make a tangible difference for all our children in Cornwall, ensuring they have the best start in life.

Spring Conference in Blackpool

Last weekend I was in Blackpool at the Conservative Spring Conference where I gave a speech about the work we are doing to keep international supply chains open, to support the people of Ukraine and secure our food supply. 

In recent weeks, we have all been moved by the incredible courage of Ukraine’s president; by the extraordinary bravery of the Ukrainian army; and by the fortitude and resilience of the Ukrainian people. Ukrainian farmers are showing tenacity in another way. Despite everything, they remain determined to get this year’s crops in the ground, particularly in Western Ukraine. Spring is the season of new life and new beginnings. For farmers, the world over it is a time of hope as they sow their crop for the year ahead, with optimism for what it might bring in the future. 

The determination to get this year’s crop on the ground shows that Ukraine is a country that believes in its future and refuses to give up. Of course, Ukraine is a significant global producer of many agricultural commodities such as wheat and sunflower oil. The invasion of Ukraine has obviously caused some turbulence in international commodity markets. Agricultural commodity prices have always been strongly correlated to the price of energy. The turbulence on the market has brought into focus, once again, the importance of a resilient global supply chain. 

The UK is largely self-sufficient in wheat production and imports a small amount predominantly from Canada. But we are working with like-minded countries around the globe to ensure that trade flows continue, and we are working through organisations like the World Food Programme to identify vulnerabilities in other countries and to play our part ensuring that we get food to those nations in need, including those besieged cities in Ukraine.

Recent events and the impact of the Covid pandemic are also a reminder that domestic food production matters. Domestic food production gives us national resilience. Our new farming schemes in England are supporting our farmers to improve their profitability and output. We’ve just increased the Farming Investment Fund for small technology grants from £17 million to more than £48 million supporting thousands of farmers with their investment plans this year.

Of course, food production and environmental protection must go hand in hand. I’ve always maintained that they are two sides of the same coin. Many of the steps we will take to encourage a more sustainable model of agriculture will also help improve the resilience and profitability of farm businesses. Last year, our world-leading Environment Act became law – creating a new domestic framework outside of the EU. Last week, I set out ambitious environmental targets in priority areas from biodiversity to air and water quality. I want us to use our newfound freedom to do better for our environment – where there is more room for science and less obsession with the legal processes.

As the Prime Minister said at COP, we have a chance to end humanity’s long history as nature’s conqueror, and instead, become its custodian – a mantra that has long been at the core of conservatism. Now is the moment and it is a Conservative Government that is leading the agenda.

Tightening Sanctions on Russia

On Monday this week, the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill received Royal Assent and became UK law. This has given the government new powers to act in the public interest and immediately designate individuals and entities under an urgent procedure, while evidence is gathered to sanction them under our own standard procedure.

Denying Russia access to Most Favoured Nation tariff treatment for key imports and applying additional tariffs will restrict Russian exports to the UK. The UK is working with our international partners and is supporting the World Trade Organization to prevent those who fail to respect the rules-based international order from reaping its benefits.

The new law enables the Government to levy an additional 370 more sanctions on Russian and Belarussian assets. This means over 1,000 individuals and entities, including many Russian oligarchs, will now be subject to sanctions since Russia launched the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The Government is clear: we will continue to tighten the screw on the Russian economy in the coming days, as the government makes full use of powers necessary to tackle the biggest security crisis in Europe since World War II.

These sanctions build upon the previous ‘lethal aid’ that the UK has provided to Ukraine with over 3,615 new light anti-tank weapons (NLAWs) along with a range of other defensive weapons and non-lethal aid such as body armour. The Defence Secretary recently informed the House of Commons that the UK will shortly start delivering anti-tank Javelin missiles and that the Government has now confirmed the authorisation of the donation of Starstreak high-velocity, man-portable anti-air missiles, which would allow Ukraine to better defend its skies.

The UK has led the international effort to support Ukraine, cutting off whole sectors of the Russian economy by targeting its defence companies, its trade and transport sector, and working with allies to exclude Russia from the SWIFT financial system. This is having a considerable impact on the Russian economy and the lack of support among many of the Russian people for their government is clear. Just this week, we have seen a Russian News executive bravely risk her own well-being to hold up a sign on Russian-State TV to highlight the frequent lies and falsehoods that a repeated every day by the presenters.

While our actions abroad and on the international stage are vital to ending the horrific conflict, we must also look at what we are doing nationally. I am extremely proud that over 100,000 people have signed up to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees fleeing from their country. 

We have seen exceptional bravery by the Ukrainian people and military in standing up to the bully that is Vladimir Putin and I have no doubt that this will not cease until the country is free once again. 

St Piran's Day 2022

Last Saturday, towns up and down Cornwall celebrated St Piran’s Day. It was great to be able to celebrate it properly again after two years of Covid restrictions.  St Piran’s day in 2020 came just before we went into the first lockdown. I attended the event in Redruth again last weekend.  Although it wasn’t possible to do the usual parade this year, we still had a good turnout.  person in Redruth this year, particularly after last year’s more muted celebration. It was a beautiful, albeit cool day on Saturday and the choir gave a great rendition of Trelawny.  As we celebrated our own Cornish identity and pride, we all also took a moment to pause and reflect as we prayed for the people of Ukraine at this appalling time for their country as their identity, and existence as a nation is under attack.

Over the past few years, we have seen a growing interest in Cornwall’s history and culture. Camborne, Redruth, and Hayle are at the very heart of this revival, and it’s great to see these industrial towns leading the way in promoting our rich and wonderful history. Cornwall has a distinct culture and an industrial heritage to be proud of, with Redruth playing a particularly important role as one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution and as the centre of the Cornish diaspora across the world. In its prime, Redruth was at the heart of the tin mining industry and there were many feats of engineering developed in Cornwall at that time. We exported mining expertise around the globe from Australia and South Africa to California, South America, and Mexico.

Redruth has seen considerable regeneration over the past few years. The Highstreet Heritage Action Zone, centred around Fore Street and the Buttermarket, was awarded £1.68 million by Heritage England last year. This has allowed work on projects like the Buttermarket to proceed swiftly. The current proposals are very exciting, and I am looking forward to seeing how they can play an important role in regenerating the town centre. Furthermore, the Kresen Kernow Cornish Archive, based in Redruth, is an excellent facility to record our history and store important artefacts.  It was a major breakthrough for the town to be designated as the chosen location and has regenerated the old brewery site. Redruth Town Council has shown tremendous enthusiasm for the new archive project and credit should also go to both existing and former local councillors for their support in getting this great project completed.

Cornwall has a unique place within our United Kingdom. It was constitutionally recognised as having its own distinctive character early in our history.  The Stannary Parliament gave Cornwall a veto over certain tax laws recognising that Cornwall contributed so much to the wealth of the nation.  Through the Crown, Cornwall was always recognised as distinct with the Duke of Cornwall going on to become the Monarch.  Cornwall is very committed to the UK union, but we are very proud of our own distinctiveness, and we should find better ways of recognising that within our Constitution.

Click here if you would like to help Ukraine: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukraine-what-you-can-do-to-help 

War in Ukraine

 Last Thursday, the Russian Federation began a horrific, unprovoked attack on Ukraine. This was a premeditated attack against a sovereign, democratic state and the UK government is committed to supporting Ukraine through this dark hour.

We have seen incredible bravery and fortitude from the people of Ukraine.  President Zelensky and the Ukrainian army have shown extraordinary courage in fighting for their country and the invasion has not gone as President Putin planned.  However, we have also seen some harrowing scenes of civilians under attack.

The UK has, for a number of years now, worked to support Ukraine's security and defence. We have trained over 22,000 members of the Ukrainian army through Operation ORBITAL and, since 2019, assisted Ukraine to build up and sustaining a naval capability. In the months prior to the invasion, the UK provided extra support in the form of 2000 anti-armour missiles to help defensive operations.

Over the course of the past few days, the world has worked together in establishing a package of sanctions in response to the illegal actions of President Putin. These sanctions include freezing the assets of all Russian banks with immediate effect, including VTB, Russia’s largest bank, sanctioning over 100 companies and oligarchs at the heart of Putin’s regime, including much of the Russian defence sector, preventing Russian companies from borrowing on the UK markets, effectively ending the ability of those companies closest to Putin to raise finance in the UK. This is in addition to banning the Russian state itself from raising funds in the UK, as previously announced. The UK has also banned Russia's national airline (Aeroflot) from UK airspace, and indeed any aircraft which is registered in Russia or owned, chartered, or operated by a person connected with Russia from UK airspace.

It is clear that Putin has totally miscalculated the nature of this conflict and the nature of the people of Ukraine. With every hour, the passionate desire of the people of Ukraine to defend their country has become more apparent and millions of people around the world have been stirred and moved by their courage.   The UK and allies have been clear all along that there would be a severe cost for any further Russian military incursion into Ukraine. This invasion of a free and sovereign country is not only a tragedy, but it is a colossal mistake, and it is essential that Putin ultimately fails.

Living with Covid and an Escalation of Ukraine-Russia Crisis

Earlier this week we made another important step towards the return to normal life after the Covid pandemic with the announcement by the Prime Minister that all remaining restrictions would now be removed.  The huge success of our vaccination programme and the roll out of booster jabs means that the impacts of the Omicron wave were greatly reduced with hospitalisations held low and with both infection rates and hospitalisations now falling quickly we can make this further step.

From Thursday the 24th of February the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive for Covid-19 no longer applies but it is still advised to limit contact with others as far as possible if you test positive until April, if you can.  The guidance that encouraged teachers and students in school settings to routinely test twice a week has also been removed.  The emergency powers that were given to councils to impose restrictions on venues locally have been taken away, and from April new, more general public health guidance will be issued. 

During the pandemic we had to take some extraordinary and draconian powers to control the spread of the virus, but these were only ever temporary.  The freedom of society and individual liberties really matter, and it is essential that government actively take down the emergency powers and rules that were put in place and allow people to return to life as normal and make their own judgements about risk and their personal safety.   Restrictions pose a heavy toll on our economy, our society, our mental wellbeing, and the life chances of our children. As such, we must use other measures such as the further expansion of our world beating vaccine program.
 
Since the beginning of last year, the UK has consistently been ahead of the rest of the world in protecting out population and we were the first European country to give booster doses to at least half of our population. It is because of this success that we have now been able to withdraw almost all guidance around Covid-19 and are now able to end mandatory self-isolation from today.
 
However, we also want to help the rest of the world emerge from the pandemic.  The UK developed one of the first vaccines to be used.  We have now distributed 2.5 billion doses of the UK-developed AstraZeneca vaccine, just 1 year after the first dose was administered here in the UK. This has undoubtedly saved countless lives and will have made a substantial difference to end the pandemic but there is further to go in other countries and we are supporting programmes like Covax which is operated by the World Health Organisation.
 
There is a broad consensus now among much of the medical community that we are approaching the Endemic stage of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and that we will need to live alongside it much as we already live alongside seasonal flu or colds.  While we will almost certainly see further variants emerge and will need to maintain some surveillance, we are on a definitive route back to normality.
 

Escalation in Ukraine: 
This week has also seen a considerable escalation in the situation in Ukraine, which has been building for some time. On Tuesday, the Russian Parliament authorised the use of Russian troops abroad and the Government formally recognised the states of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent from Ukraine. The safety and security of British nationals in Ukraine remains a top priority. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Ukraine.
 
In response to the actions of the Russian state towards Ukraine and Russia’s breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by sending troops into eastern Ukraine, the government announced in Parliament new sanctions on five Russian banks and a group of oligarchs.  It is important that we take steps to place sanctions on Russia for the actions it has taken.

National Apprenticeship Week 2022

 Last week was the 15^th National Apprentice Week which brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to raise awareness of the positive impact that apprenticeships make on individuals, businesses, and the wider economy.  In recent years we have started to see emphasis switch back from university degrees towards apprenticeships as a choice for many young people.  It means that they earn while they learn and do not have to take out student loans.  There has also been a growing realisation that an apprenticeship can offer a better career path than a degree for many and that there are no longer any glass ceilings that prevent people from progressing to the top because they embarked on a vocational learning path.

I have always been a strong advocate for apprenticeships. When I was a student, I studied at Cornwall College between 1987 and 1990 for a BTEC National Certificate in Business Studies and then after that a City and Guilds in Agricultural Management. I have always looked back fondly on my time at Cornwall College and valued the skills that I learned there.

The College has a deep-rooted history in our area and has been at the heart of all further and higher education in Cornwall for the last 80 years or so. It is a vital local asset delivering work-based learning in our area, with students able to learn a variety of skills such as plumbing, carpentry, car maintenance, or engineering.

Colleges and higher education providers such as Cornwall College will be vital to people’s prospects and chances as a result of the changing economy and the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Work is changing, and it is important that people develop the skills they need to create new and better jobs.  The various Covid restrictions have interrupted the education of many including those taking degrees and apprentices and we need to help them pick up where they left off.

It is good to see businesses across Cornwall taking advantage of new government support which has recently been increased by £170 million to £2.7 billion in 2024-25. Local Companies such as Blue Flame work with Camborne college and have trained over 60 apprentices since the company’s inception. Similarly, Rodda’s has also supported many young people in learning new skills under their various apprentices’ schemes.

Since I was first elected, I have made clear that regeneration and job creation have been my top priorities and that includes ensuring that we are opening new routes for people of all ages to learn new skills and enhance their productivity. I look forward to continuing to support apprentices across the Camborne and Redruth area as we continue to build back better from the pandemic.

Levelling Up

Last week the Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities announced the much-anticipated Levelling Up White Paper that set up the Governments vision for redistributing much of the wealth in this country away from London toward places like Cornwall. Since I was first elected twelve years ago, I have made clear that economic regeneration in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle was my number one priority so it is very positive to see that the Government is developing the vision for how we can improve all areas not just focusing on the large cities such as Manchester or London.

The new White Paper has set out a new vision for Cornwall within the United Kingdom as we have been designated one of the nine counties invited to negotiate a new ‘county deal’. This will give local leaders more control over areas such as transport, skills, and infrastructure and is part of the largest devolution of power from Whitehall to local leaders in modern times. My hope is that as this develops, substantially more powers will be given to Cornwall Council and Cllr Linda Taylor to help address the housing situation in Cornwall and I am very supportive of the proposals for a revised planning policy on holiday homes and other potential solutions.

The Levelling-Up White paper also referenced and confirmed some funding that has previously been announced, including the £23.7 million packages for Camborne through the Town Deal. Projects such as the ‘Fibre Park’ tech hub, the new funding for the rugby club, and projects regenerating areas in the town centre will make a genuine difference and are a welcome boost for the town.

The traditional, 20th century model of retail taking over the town centre and residential being primarily on estates around the outskirts of town may have run its course.  We need to rethink the purpose of our town centres and more and more retail goes online and goods are delivered directly to the home.  We need to get better at making our town centres more of a mixed space for living and working and improving the public realm and streetscape. As more people opt to be self-employed and often make use of digital media to work from home, there is likely to be a change in what our towns are for in the decades ahead. This new funding for Camborne will give us the finance to promote some of the changes that can secure our future prosperity.

While much has been made of the slogan ‘Levelling-Up’ since the 2019 election, I am very pleased to see the government is continuing to deliver on that agenda and I look forward to meeting with my colleague Michael Gove in the coming months to ensure that this progress is only built on in the future.

Reducing Sewage in our Rivers

One of the things that we have valued more during this pandemic is the ability to have access to the natural world and outdoor spaces. With all the restrictions in place and three lockdowns, which have required us to stay at home, the ability to get out and exercise, and form a connection with the natural world has been important. Our beaches, in particular, have been a source of comfort to so many of us. 

However, Cornwall, like many parts of the country, has long suffered from the excessive use of storm overflows leading to raw sewage being released into our rivers and oceans and, as flash rainfall events have become more frequent, our Victorian sewerage infrastructure has struggled to cope. Local organisations such as Surfers against Sewage have done a great deal to raise awareness about this issue.

When I became Environment Secretary in February 2020, I made it a priority to clean up our rivers and seas.  One of the first things I did was to set out our expectation that water companies must take steps to significantly reduce storm overflows as a matter of urgency.

Through the Environment Act, we have put in place a package of measures to reduce the harms from storm overflows. This includes new duties on water companies and government and increased monitoring and transparency through the Storm Overflows Taskforce. Monitoring of the network has increased 14-fold in the last five years and the Environment Agency will monitor 100% of storm overflows by next year. We will be publishing a statutory plan by September to tackle storm overflows. We are also bringing the strongest enforcement action against water and sewerage companies that damage our environment, including a record £90 million fine against Southern Water.

This week, we are publishing that new statement and set out our priorities for the water regulator, Ofwat, to make sure that the water industry is delivering for the environment and for consumers. Ofwat, as the economic regulator, is responsible for setting out what water companies should focus their investment on during each spending cycle. The Government is responsible for setting the policy priorities for Ofwat, and we have never been clearer. Ofwat and water companies can and must prioritise action to improve the water environment and deliver a resilient and sustainable water supply.

This builds on other actions that we have taken to improve water quality and the health of our natural environment. We will continue moving forward, improving policies, and working with industry and regulators to clean up our rivers and seas. We will shortly be publishing a public consultation on targets for the priority areas in our Environment Act, including water, and this will be yet another mechanism to drive forward improvements for the water environment. 

Once this pandemic is over, we will have an opportunity through our new policies to do more both to increase and improve the number of people who access our beautiful countryside and to do more for nature’s recovery within these designated areas. With the measures we are putting in place, we will leave the environment in a better state for future generations - and turn the tide on the decline that we have seen in recent decades.

Visit to Redruth Job Centre

 Last week I visited Redruth Job Centre to meet with the team there and get an update about their progress in helping Redruth to recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic.  It was great to hear about their recent work expanding their operations to take on the rest of the building in Redruth. This expansion will allow the team to now run digital support for people across the country, not just in Cornwall and it ensures that the office space will be fully occupied again.

The local jobcentre has also been doing some excellent work locally through the Kickstart programme to help young people get back into work. Kickstart is a government-backed, £2 billion scheme that aims to help young people by supporting those at risk of long-term unemployment into paid, six-month work placements. We know that for young people a lack of actual work experience can be a barrier to getting a foot on the jobs ladder and there is no substitute to trialling work to help them gain confidence. Work helps young people gain experience, build skills, and boost their career prospects. The scheme has already helped over 100,000 young people nationally to get back into work.

The Kickstart Scheme has been open to employers of all sizes to create new roles for young people. Representative organisations, local charities and other groups can also act as intermediaries to help smaller employers apply for the Kickstart Scheme. Employers need to show that the Kickstart role is an additional job that will provide the experience and support a young person needs to improve their chances of permanent employment. Although it was a temporary intervention as part of a package of Covid measures and will shortly draw to a close, it has been a success locally.

Throughout the Pandemic, young people, in particular, have been affected by the lockdown restrictions since the start of the pandemic. The decision to close schools earlier this year did not just have the obvious effects around disruption to exams and teaching, it was much more profound than that. Many young people, including those 16-18 suffered from the isolation and loneliness of the lockdowns. In many cases, this has often left them struggling to find work, with countless feelings left behind.

While visiting the Redruth Job Centre, the staff told me about several of the many Kickstart Scheme success stories they have had recently. One that struck me, in particular, was the 19-year-old young man who was disabled and had been out of work for several months, however, the team had managed to get him a job placement as a teaching assistant in a local school.

Second Homes in Cornwall

Last week the Government announced a new policy to deal with the problem of second homeowners classifying their property as a holiday let in order to qualify for Business Rates and the associated reliefs.  Under the new rules, a holiday let must be marketed for at least 140 days per year and occupied as a holiday let for at least 70 days per year in order to not be considered a second home.  It is an important step forward to dealing with a longstanding challenge that some villages in Cornwall have faced.

Of the many problems that people bring me each week, difficulty getting access to housing is one of the most persistent and always has been.  Sometimes families that need access to a larger property find it difficult to move up if they are in social housing; local people can find it hard to buy their first property and get on the housing ladder; for those needing a bedsit or small flat, the quality of the accommodation and the overall living environment is often very poor.  The Covid pandemic has meant that people have not been able to holiday abroad and there has been a huge demand for temporary accommodation. As such, a number of private landlords withdrew their property from the residential market and used sites like Airbnb to get a larger income for temporary lets.  That has exacerbated an already difficult problem over the last twelve months or so. 

The causes of the shortage of housing are complex.  It is partly because we have more people moving to Cornwall to retire which increases demand for bungalows in particular.  Family breakdown means that more people live alone or families become split between two properties.  There are too many properties that are left unoccupied when they could be brought back into use and we need to build more housing but in the right places.  I have always argued that we should build new housing but focus on brownfield sites first.  It is worth the extra effort to try to deal with derelict sites at the same time as creating new homes.  Cornwall is a narrow peninsula with a beautiful landscape but it is a landscape that is vulnerable to insensitive development so getting the planning system right really matters.

While addressing housing supply is one thing, affordability remains the biggest barrier to homeownership. To address this, the Government is investing over £12 billion in affordable housing over five years, the largest investment in affordable housing in a decade. This includes the new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme, which will provide up to 180,000 new homes across the country, should economic conditions allow. It will also deliver more than double the number of homes for social rent than the current programme, with around 32,000 social rent homes due to be delivered.

To help those who want to buy their first home, we are introducing a new mortgage scheme to provide a guarantee to lenders offering mortgages for those with a 5 per cent deposit for properties up to £600,000 in value. This was introduced on 19th April 2021 and will help people to secure loans with a smaller required deposit from the outset.

However, in many villages across Cornwall, especially in coastal areas, we have seen much of the housing stock being bought up by 2nd homeowners or turned into holiday homes. This takes much of the community out of these areas leaving few options for local people to live in the areas they often grew up in.  The policy announced this week is a step in the right direction.

Future Agricultural Policy

This week, I have set out more detail of our future agriculture policy. The system of subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy inflated land rents, denied new entrants access to the land and dumped a whole host of absurd and burdensome rules on our farmers.

We are now embarking on a period of change. We have been able to directly involve farmers in designing our policies so we have the best chance of getting it right.

 

Successful and profitable agricultural production is crucial to the continued success of our food manufacturing industry. The food industry is bigger than the automotive and aerospace industries combined, and we have some brilliant examples right here in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle – from Rodda’s clotted cream to Philps pasties and Furniss biscuits. None of our food manufacturers could succeed without the farmers who supply them with high-quality produce.

 

Since the 2016 referendum result, farm incomes have generally recovered. We have seen the price of beef and sheep running at very strong levels. We’ve seen gross margins in some of the cereal sectors increase by around 30%. Now, the shape of our future policy is emerging and we are already rolling out elements of it.

 

We’ve already launched our new Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. This means that any livestock farmer who’s currently a claimant of BPS will be entitled to a funded visit from a vet once a year to put in place an animal health strategy.

 

We’ve also set out plans for the Sustainable Farming Incentive. This is all about trying to incentivise a more sustainable approach to farming right across the farm landscape. Initially, we’re focusing on promoting soil health, but there will be future modules on things like sensitive hedgerow management. Here in Cornwall, we have always looked after our hedgerows and small fields and it is right that our farmers are rewarded accordingly.

 

We are increasing the payment rates for Countryside Stewardship by, on average, 30%.  For those who have not yet engaged with Countryside Stewardship, I would urge them all to look again at it as it will provide a stepping stone to Local Nature Recovery. Most holdings have a part of the farm that is perhaps not really suitable for crop production, less productive, or difficult to work. There is an opportunity to make those parts of the holding a special space for nature – which we will reward under that scheme.

 

The final component of our future policy is Landscape Recovery. This is going to be about much more fundamental land-use change. To begin with, we are looking for 15 projects ranging in size from around 500 hectares to 5,000 hectares.

 

I’ve always said that this should be an evolution, not a revolution, and at the heart of our policies is ensuring that we support farmers to make the choices that they want to make for their own holdings.

Overcoming Omicron

Over the past few weeks and over the Christmas period we have seen a rapid spread of Covid-19 across the country caused by the Omicron variant.  Although it was always predicted that the new variant would spread more quickly it is also now apparent that the symptoms are considerably weaker and that those with a booster jab usually suffer only very mild symptoms.  As a result, although the number of people in hospital is rising, it is far lower than last year at present and infections also appear to be slowing down.  

For the last year, the overall strategy has been to roll out a vaccination programme as the route out of the pandemic and to see a return to life as normal and the government has been rightly cautious about imposing further restrictions in recent weeks.  At some point, we have to learn to live with the virus and the protection that the vaccines are giving now allows that to happen.  The evidence is clear that those that have had no vaccines are at much higher risk of severe illness, while those who have had a booster have the greatest protection.  That is why so much work was done over the Christmas period to increase the number of people with their booster jabs.  Although it is a busy time of year at the best of times, NHS staff and volunteers did some fantastic work to accelerate the deployment of boosters.

However, we also want to help the rest of the world emerge from the pandemic.  The UK developed one of the first vaccines to be used.  We have now distributed 2.5 billion doses of the UK-developed AstraZeneca vaccine, just 1 year after the first dose was administered here in the UK. This has undoubtedly saved countless lives and will have made a substantial difference to end the pandemic but there is further to go in other countries and we are supporting programmes like Covax which is operated by the World Health Organisation.

It is too early to say that this pandemic is over, but it does feel like we may be turning a corner.  I would urge anyone who has not yet had their booster jab to book an appointment as soon as they can and for those who have been reluctant to have any vaccine at all, to reconsider that given the evidence.

Death of a Cornish Comedy Icon:

This week we also saw the funeral of a Cornish comedy icon, Jethro. He was of the same generation as my parents and was well known from a young age for his ability to make people laugh.  During his over 50-year career, Jethro sold more than four million DVDs and regularly shifted 250,000 seats a year on his theatre tours, which included a performance at the Royal Variety. His death is a sad loss for Cornwall, but it was great to see so many people turning out to celebrate his life.

Happy New Year 2021/22

The New Year has always been seen as a chance for renewal, an opportunity to turn over a new leaf or to make a fresh start. At a personal level, many people will resolve to stop smoking, join a gym or make other changes to their life.  After two very difficult years for our country as we have wrestled with the Covid pandemic, here are a few areas where I think our country should resolve to make changes.

Firstly, we all need to learn to live alongside the threat of new variants of Covid and carry on with our lives. Emergency powers should never be used lightly and the restrictions required over the last two years, while necessary, have been quite draconian.  Now that the vast majority of the population is vaccinated and receiving booster vaccinations, we should resist the inclination to bring in restrictions on people’s lives and allow people to manage their own risks in their own way.  We do not want another year where people are told whether they can go to church or attend band practice.

Secondly, we need to finally fix the problems that have caused pressure on the NHS by joining up adult social care and health services.  While there has been a huge increase in funding for the NHS over the last decade, the demands have also grown and there are pinch points that need to be addressed.  A number of doctors surgeries are struggling to recruit the next generation of GPs and too many are relying on part-time GPs.  We are then getting too many people turning up at A&E and, because of staffing problems in nursing care, hospitals are also not able to discharge patients as quickly as they should.  This situation is exacerbated because the clinical staff at hospitals are sometimes too risk-averse in prescribing how much care support a patient needs when discharged which makes it hard to discharge them at all.  The government is making a further huge cash injection into the NHS funded through a new social care levy on National Insurance but we need to ensure that the structural issues that exist in the system are fixed as part of that package.

Thirdly, the problems of mental health have worsened during the pandemic and we need a concerted effort to get it back on track.  Some of it is down to the frustrations of modern life.  For the elderly, it can often be linked to loneliness and for the young, teenage anxieties are exacerbated in the age of social media which can be needlessly cruel.  Then there are all of the issues associated with drug abuse and we have been affected by the “county line” drug problem like many other communities.  Trying to nurture a culture across our society where we focus on wellbeing, recognise the value of friendships, family and nature in helping people stay grounded and encourage people to look out for one another is key.

Finally, here in Cornwall, we need to make further progress in addressing our housing shortages.  Some of it is due to second home ownership in coastal villages but it’s also more complex than that.  There are also many people who are choosing to retire to Cornwall for understandable reasons and in some of our towns, the problems of family breakdown mean more households divided which places pressure on housing availability.  We do need to build new homes but must build on brownfield sites before greenfield sites and we must go the extra mile to ensure that homes that are built are aesthetically beautiful and fit the local built environment.

The end of 2021 was a difficult one for the Prime Minister and the government with controversies and challenges on multiple fronts.  For our part, we will be wanting to put some of these problems behind us in 2022 and get to work on the big issues our country faces as it gets back on its feet.

I wish you a very happy New Year and a successful 2022!

2021 Christmas Message

This week there was an extended Cabinet meeting to consider the latest evidence on the Omicron variant of Covid and assess whether further restrictions are needed.  The government has decided not to introduce any further restrictions at this stage but to keep the matter under close review.

There are times when you have to make big decisions on issues but with very limited evidence and the current situation reflects just that.  We know that the new variant is spreading very quickly but we always predicted that it would so that is not really a surprise and is in line with expectations.  The key doubts are around the severity of symptoms and the extent to which the vaccines that we have all had will provide protection.

The Omicron Variant was first discovered in South Africa and they are judged to be about 2 to 3 weeks ahead of us.  Infections also grew incredibly fast but are now starting to fall quite quickly which is encouraging.  There is also some evidence that the symptoms are milder than previous variants with those who do end up in hospital typically staying for 3 or 4 days rather than the average of 10 days for previous variants.  It is very hard to estimate the number of daily hospitalisations we might have and models range from a few hundred to many thousands per day, but the best estimate is that it might get as high as 3000 per day which is about 25 per cent lower than the peak earlier this year.  The 4000 per day admissions earlier this year put pressure on the NHS but was manageable.

The key unknown factor is the extent to which the vaccines we have to reduce the severity of symptoms.  The big drive for people to get their booster jab is for the very good reason that the early evidence suggests that having a booster significantly reduces the chances of infection, perhaps getting up to an 80 per cent reduction. Almost all of the older, more vulnerable cohorts and many others have now had their booster jab and those who have not yet got round to it should try because it is crucial to our efforts.  The double vaccinations will provide some protection against symptoms but limited protection against infection and uncertainty about the extent to which a double jab will reduce the severity of symptoms is where the doubt lies and the risk exists.

We have had two years now of using emergency powers to impose exceptional and highly illiberal restrictions on people’s everyday lives: telling them where they can meet, how many people they can meet, whether they can attend band practice or play sport or go to work.  You can’t maintain those sorts of extraordinary powers indefinitely which is why the government is trying to chart a different course this time, being honest about the risks we face, unable to rule out the possibility of taking further legal restrictions but being deeply reluctant to do so and instead relying on individuals and families to exercise their own judgement and manage their own risk and try to reduce their exposure in their own way.  There is evidence that they are doing just that which makes the impact of further legal restrictions more doubtful.

Despite the uncertainty we face, Christmas must be is a time for hope and optimism. It is an opportunity to speak to family members and spend time with friends without the frequent pressures of work or normal life. I am pleased that Christmas will be proceeding as normal this year.  The social distancing needed to slow the spread of Covid-19 over the last couple of years has made people value friendships and family connections and realise the importance of these relationships. Given the frantic pace of life in the modern world, we had perhaps lost sight of this as a society at times.  While many may be finding it difficult this Christmas, we must all try to make an effort to maintain the important links to those most important in our lives and continue to look out for one another.

I wish you all a very merry and happy Christmas!

Visiting Pool Academy

Last week, I visited Pool Academy and met a group of students to discuss some of the key issues concerning them ranging from the environment and climate change to housing issues in Cornwall and economic opportunity for young people. The questions were thoughtful and we had a detailed discussion around some of the challenges facing the local area.  

On climate change, we talked about the progress that had been made at Glasgow and the importance of having hope and optimism rather than a culture of despair.  On housing, there are specific challenges in Cornwall and we talked about the proposals from Cornwall Council to require planning for change of use to a holiday let or maybe a higher council tax for second homes.  And on local opportunities, we talked about the development of a new computer software industry in the area.  In fact, the founder and Managing Director of Bluefruit, one of the leading new businesses in this area, was a former pupil at Pool School and has now set up a world-leading software business here.

Throughout the Pandemic, young people, in particular, have been affected by the lockdown restrictions since the start of the pandemic. The decision to close schools earlier this year did not just have the obvious effects around disruption to exams and teaching.  It is much more profound than that.  Children in both primary schools and secondary have been separated from friends.  Children’s birthday parties can’t happen as they normally would and should.  School sports events are not happening.  We, humans, are social creatures.  Friendships and the company of others are important.  Forming those bonds and friendships is a really important part of growing up, whether it is in the formative early years as children start their first years as infants at primary school, or whether it is in those tricky teenage years as young people wrestle with all the insecurities and concerns that accompany that stage of life.

However, young people are also remarkably resilient and all schools in the area are reporting that, while education has been set back, young people have bounced back quite quickly.  As we see more uncertainty about the threat posed by the new Omicron variant of Covid and Parliament introducing some further measures to try to curtail it this week, let’s hope that we are all able to avoid having to take any further steps.

Stepping Up the Booster Campaign:

In light of the increased threat of the Omicron variant, the Government has decided to enact the ‘Plan B’ measures set out in the summer and designed to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed. While the restrictions we are having to consider now and have had to implement on Covid over the past two years have been deeply frustrating and many emergency measures have been draconian and highly illiberal in nature, they have not been done lightly. It is absolutely clear: the vaccine is the UK’s best way out of the Pandemic.

As such, I strongly encourage you all to get your booster vaccine as soon as possible. In line with the Government’s goal of offering everyone a jab by the end of the year, the Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group have stepped up the rollout including reopening the mass vaccination site at Stithians Showground and other pop-clinics across Cornwall. Head to their website to find your nearest one as soon as you can. 

Harnessing Cornwall’s Natural Resources

In Cornwall, we are privileged to have access to a beautiful landscape with a wealth of resources and have a rich history of leading the world in new and innovative technologies. Many of these were highlighted with G7 being held in Cornwall earlier this year and Climate Change dominating much of the agenda.

Climate change and environmental concerns more widely have risen the agenda in recent years. Fifteen years ago, David Cameron made it a central part of his agenda when the Conservatives first came into office in 2010. Now, following COP-26 in Glasgow and the G7 in Cornwall, the UK has a firmly established place as a world leader on Climate Change and the goal of Net-Zero.

Historically, Cornwall has an important place in this country’s industrial development with Camborne and Redruth being two of the wealthiest towns in the land at the height of the copper and tin mining eras. Camborne, in particular, was home to Richard Trevithick who invented the steam locomotive and epitomised the contribution made by Cornwall to the Industrial Revolution. Today, we are continuing this tradition by helping the whole country in cutting emissions and establishing a pathway to protect our precious environment for future generations.

Across Cornwall, there are several businesses across Cornwall that are working hard to create new, green industries that sustainably make use of our natural resources. From harnessing the ideal conditions with floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea to reviving the Cornish mining industry at South Crofty and United Downs- where there is some of the highest-grade tin and lithium in Europe.

The first deep geothermal power project in the UK is here in Cornwall at United Downs. Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) is a small Cornish company that has successfully proved the concept by drilling two deep wells, one to bring the naturally hot water to the surface and the other to deposit the used fluid back underground. Geothermal electricity is known as baseload, because it is generated 24/7 regardless of the weather at the surface, balancing out the peaks and troughs of other renewable energy sources.

This week, I am visiting United Downs to meet with GEL to discuss some of their potential future projects across West Cornwall. While I am very supportive of Geothermal Power and harnessing some of Cornwall’s natural resources in a sustainable environmentally friendly way, any work must be carried out with the consent of Cornish residents. I look forward to hearing from GEL about what they are doing to address any concerns highlighted by residents.

Nonetheless, it is clear that Cornwall is in a unique and historic position. With the right support from the government and some innovative thinking, we are developing into the Green Energy capital of the UK and could well play an important role over the course of the next decade.

The Omicron Variant

This week the Prime Minister set out a proportionate set of actions to tackle the newly identified Omicron Variant of Covid-19 that was first discovered in Southern Africa.  It includes new temporary and precautionary measures that will allow scientists time to better understand how the new strain of the Covid virus has developed. This was an extremely difficult decision.  None of us wants to return to the sorts of restrictions we have had to endure over the last two years, however, there are some uncertainties around the new variant, so we need to make the space to better understand it.

These measures include making face coverings will be compulsory in shops and other settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport and requiring all travellers to take a PCR test when arriving back in the UK, on or before day two of their arrival. We have also placed South Africa, Botswana, and other African nations on the red list as a precaution to prevent unnecessary spread of this variant.

The main concern is that the Omicron variant contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome. Urgent work is ongoing internationally to fully understand how these mutations may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines, treatments, and transmissibility. Vaccines remain our best line of defence and experts remain confident that our current vaccines will provide protection against the new variant, but the extent of this continues to be investigated.

However, our extensive vaccination programme and test, trace and isolate system continue to be the most effective way of reducing transmission, along with practicing good hygiene, keeping spaces well ventilated, and wearing a face covering in enclosed or crowded spaces. Over 16 million people have already come forward for their booster jabs, and we have seen a fall in hospitalisations and deaths. All adults who have not yet received their first or second dose of the vaccine, or those who are eligible for their booster should be encouraged to come forward to help protect themselves and others.

Both the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary have been clear that these measures will only be in place for as long as is strictly necessary and not one day more. If it proves to be the case, as many initial investigations indict, that the Omicron Variant of COVID-19 is no more deadly or significant that the Delta variant, these restrictions will be reversed. As such, the government has committed to a review three weeks from now.

Cornwall has been particularly vulnerable throughout the pandemic, and with the existing pressures on our health service we have to act with caution when considering the risks on new variants. However, it is important to understand that vaccination is our best way out of this pandemic and put us firmly back on the road to normality. As such, I strongly encourage you to have both your first and second vaccine and your booster when called up.

Male Mental Health

 As we emerge from the pandemic there are many challenges that the government is currently grappling with.  There is a degree of turbulence in international supply chains, a labour shortage, work to be done to help children and young people catch up with their education, and a backlog of operations caused by NHS being focused on Covid over the last two years.

Another emerging challenge relates to mental health.  It is clear that two lockdowns have led to heightened anxiety, more loneliness, and more cases of depression.  Doctors’ surgeries locally are currently under intense pressure and much of the new case load is due to mental health related issues.

We humans are social creatures.  Friendships and the company of others are important. It is scientifically proven that spending quality time with loved ones and friends in a social setting has a considerable positive impact on our mental health. While we may not fully understand both the physical and economic impacts of lockdown for some time, it is clear that spending months confined to home and being unable to socialise and meet friends and family has put a strain on some.   On a more optimistic note, there is also a lot of evidence that people are extremely resilient, schools report that most children have rebounded very quickly as they have returned to school and society has largely picked up where it left off.  People are socialising again, going out for a drink with friends and have returned to work.  

It has long been recognised that men are more likely to be affected by depression than women because they are less likely to discuss their worries, thoughts or concerns with others and can bottle up negative thoughts. Often fear is the most prohibitive factor in men not having these discussions; fear of judgement, fear of losing control or fear of being weak. This makes it even more important that as a society we work hard to address this inequality and cannot ignore the issue of male mental health.

In the UK, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women with men aged 40-49 having the highest suicide rates. Furthermore, only 36% of referrals for NHS psychological therapies are for men. Men are more likely to go missing, end up homeless, become dependent on alcohol or drugs and suffer from clinical depression. Men are often expected to be the breadwinners and to be strong, dominant and in control. While these aren’t inherently bad things, they can make it harder for men to reach out for help and open up. Some research also suggests that men who can’t speak openly about their emotions may be less able to recognise symptoms of mental health problems in themselves, and less likely to reach out for support.

While this may paint a gloomy picture, it is important to highlight the important work that many charities such as MIND do to promote male mental health. One group, called Strong Men, does brilliant work supporting men that have suffered from a bereavement. There are also efforts of organisations such as Movemeber that has men all over the UK growing moustaches to raise awareness for men’s mental health and prostate cancer.

Tragically, we have recently seen a rise in suicide throughout the pandemic including here in Cornwall. Such incidents are often not predicted and can take friends and family by complete surprise.   There are no easy answers to the complex factors that influence mental health but getting a focus on wellbeing and trying to nurture a culture that promotes it in our society is going to be increasingly important.  

Remembrance Day 2021

Last Sunday was Remembrance Day and I joined many others attending services in both Hayle and Illogan. Last year, the lockdown meant that parades and services could not be held so it was good to see such a strong attendance return again this year on the 100th Anniversary of Remembrance Sunday.  Once again local Cadets, Scouts, Brownies and other youth groups like the Illogan Football Club and Hayle Life Saving Club were out in force.

This year also marks the 100th year since the creation of the Royal British Legion, which was first created in May 1921 as a voice for the ex-service community- incorporating several other organisations that were created following the end of the First World War. The organisation was granted a royal charter in 1925 and has enjoyed consistent patronage from members of the Royal family ever since.

The scale of sacrifice in our country is apparent through the names listed on memorial stones up and down the land and both the First and Second World Wars and all the wars since touched every community and virtually every family.  I take one of my Christian names from Charles Botterell, my Great Grandfather who fought in the First World War and suffered ill health as a result of his shrapnel wounds.  At the service in Hayle, the names of the fallen from the town in each of the world wars were read out which was powerful but drove home the scale of loss.

The Royal British Legion is best known, aside from Remembrance Day, for creating the Poppy Appeal. The red poppy was chosen as the flowers grew quickly in the war-torn region of Northern France and Belgium. The poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ refers to the poppies growing among the graves of fallen soldiers. Ever since, the flower has been a symbol of remembrance for many, showing that the individual has chosen to give a donation to the Royal British Legion and support their vital work for those that have served in our country’s armed forces.

Charities such as the Royal British Legion, or others such as Help for Heroes or Combat Stress, play a vital role in our country supporting veterans and highlighting issues such as PTSD or other mental health conditions resulting from serving in combat. The issues they highlight directly led to the government establishing the Office of Veterans Affairs in 2019 and the Prime Minister giving the clear commitment to make this the best country in the world for veterans to live in. I firmly believe that it is our duty to ensure that those who served our country continue to receive the very best possible care.

We also have a number of local veterans’ groups that do good work supporting former service personnel including Turn to Starboard, Surf Action and Active Plus. These charities do vital work with those suffering from the effects of PTSD, physical injury or who have difficulty re-adjusting to civilian life. This gives the veterans a chance to take up new activities and learn new skills; be that circumnavigating oceans or learning to surf alongside men and women who have shared similar experiences and trauma.