The storms over the weekend certainly caused disruption although not as much as we feared. It was impressive to see engineers from Western Power and other companies work to restore cables and reconnect homes to the power network. Hats off to them! Whilst it is challenging for some households when the power fails, I was reminded of how much the situation has improved since I was a child when storms and strong winds would regularly turn out the lights! Years of development and knowledge has given us a much more resilient and robust energy supply despite many more homes and more frequent storms putting pressure on the system.
As Parliament reopens this week the debate focuses on whether lifting covid restrictions is an appropriate response to the improving situation. If we wait until covid stops spreading, we will never get back to normal. The restrictions and measures to address the spread of covid were always focused on managing the demand on NHS services and avoiding people becoming severely ill. In this regard we can lift the remaining restrictions and measures, but I hope that as we settle back into ‘normal’ we do not fail to recognise that it was not covid that stretched our NHS in recent months. It is the high numbers of clinically-well patients who have nowhere to go due to a lack of adequate social care services. Covid just highlighted once again this reality. We must not rest until we have sorted social care!
Bringing an end to free lateral flow testing for most of us for example is essential. The cost to the taxpayer for this provision is eye-watering and we don’t test asymptomatic people at population-wide level for any other ailment. Personally, I think we should have stopped testing asymptomatic people long before now. The money can be spent more wisely on other health-related matters and treatments.
Anyone who is anxious has reason to be reassured as, since restrictions were largely dropped last July, it has been the common sense and willingness of individuals to proceed with caution that has enabled the UK to come through this fairly well. Self-isolation rules and testing will change but it is only really the responsible behaviour of us all that enables the Government to expire the Coronavirus Act early.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister made a Statement to us in the Commons following Putin’s actions on Monday. Undermining the sovereignty of Ukraine by declaring Donetsk and Luhansk as independent regions is not acceptable and is a blatant attempt at making way for an invasion ‘by the back door’. The PM is right to immediately impose sanctions against Russian banks and senior Russian figures. Putin needs to know that the UK will not tolerate such behaviour although it is unclear whether Putin is troubled by such interventions. The UK has also supported Ukraine with defensive weapons, access to cash and training 22,000 soldiers. Importantly, we have also led the international efforts to agree a wide range of sanctions and interventions designed to make life very difficult for Putin and those who have a level of influence in the Kremlin if the situation continues to escalate. Putin needs to understand somehow that no-one can win if conflict develops.
On Wednesday evening I hosted a meeting of business owners with the Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP, in Penzance. Businesses and employers don’t often get a mention but without them the Government has no hope of delivering the flagship Levelling Up agenda. Owning or running a business is never a 9am - 5pm affair so it’s tricky finding the right time to get people together in a room but it’s important that we do as I want to support businesses to be successful which in turn opens up opportunities and life-chances of people growing up or settled here. If you run a business and would like to meet up, please let me know. I try to provide an opportunity in the main towns every quarter. Meeting other business owners is helpful, and I certainly find the events informative as I get to fully understand the current pressures and opportunities.
You will expect that if you purchase something in the UK you have consumer rights that ensure you know exactly what you are getting for your money. It seems that this does not apply to universities who are quite content to charge students £9,250 each year without making it absolutely clear when they offer a place whether lessons and lectures will be online or face to face. I think students have a right to know what to expect before they accept their place. This issue was raised with me at a ‘drop-in’ in St Ives by a gentleman who has been fastidious in his research and personally impacted as his two sons find their lectures continue to be online with no clear view about when this might change. We both fully understand why this was needed during the pandemic but it is clear that universities are exploiting the opportunity of more ‘bums-on-seats’ albeit virtually and not providing the face-to-face teaching and engagement that students have a right to expect and deserve. I’ve raised this issue with the Education Secretary who is equally concerned. He stated that he was actively engaged with UCAS, the body that connects students to universities, to stipulate that students must be aware of exactly what they can expect in September from their chosen education provider. Time is of the essence as offers for university places are landing on doormats right now. I know that universities are not being completely clear with students about their plans for next academic year, so the effort continues.
