MP's Column

Derek in Helston

The focus is on a healthy green balanced recovery and what better example of this than the news that West Cornwall fishing has secured £220,000 to help projects that increase the sale and consumption of locally caught fish. This competitive process saw the remarkable efforts of our local fish producers awarded a decent share of the total country-wide amount and 8 of the 20 successful fishing businesses are Cornish-based! For us it was Newlyn Fish Market, Silver Dawn Fishing (Newlyn) and Palatine Fishing (St Ives) that secured funding to cut food miles and help establish new fish supply chains.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/domestic-seafood-supply-scheme-supports-fishing-industry

Another indication of the commitment to everything local is the announcement this week that up to £1m will be available to spend in the Town Deal towns (Penzance and St Ives) to accelerate improvements to the town centres. The two towns are actively working up projects that will improve the opportunities, connectivity and culture and a total pot of up to £50m for St Ives and Penzance is ear-marked for this purpose. This early money will help us to progress smaller initiatives to strengthen the town centres.

I sit on the Town Deal Boards that are drawing up these projects and this week the St Ives Board saw the launch of the place to go if you want to engage in the process of identifying where public investment is needed. The website is www.stivestowndeal.org.uk

Post offices are favoured destinations for people of all ages especially now that most banking services can be undertaken at a post office branch. However, behind the scenes a dark history lurks which led to Sub-postmasters losing their business, their homes, being imprisoned and, in some cases, taking their lives. I refer to the Horizon scandal where a computer system implied that sub-postmasters where stealing from Post Office LTD. The Government has announced a far reaching review into this IT system scandal. Sub-postmasters found that their loyal service to the post office network meant nothing to Post Office Ltd. I want every victim of this scandal fully compensated and this review (which will be quicker and as robust as the judge-led inquiry many are calling for) must get to the bottom of what happened.

On Friday the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) launched the annual CCC Progress Report In relation to the UK target to cut carbon emissions. This year the committee has given each Government Department individual targets and ‘jobs-to-do’ lists. I welcome this approach as it enables Government and the general public to measure more easily how we are doing. I attended the virtual launch and I found the report both challenging and refreshing. The CEO of the Committee on Climate Change effectively said ‘A good start but must do much better’. Every speaker welcomed the opportunity for a Green Resilient Covid recovery!

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  • About Derek

    Derek Thomas was first elected as the Member of Parliament for the constituency of West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (St Ives) in the 2015 General Election, becoming the first Conservative MP for the area since 1997. To find out more about Derek's parliamentary work click here.

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    If you need medical help, please use the 111 online coronavirus service.

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    I will ensure that these vital industries get the Government support they need to flourish whilst at the same time providing environmental benefits and food security.

MP's Column

‘I entirely recognise the strong desire to reflect the pride that we feel in our different parts of the United Kingdom. We are at the start of a process. I am not saying either yes or no; we are simply at too early a stage in this process to decide.