Dear John,

Below is my latest update on the response to the Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic locally. As we come to the end of another week for many in lockdown, I continue to receive startling stories from the frontline, of local health workers and care workers keeping our communities safe under exceptional circumstances. It is encouraging and warming to see the appreciation that is being felt for their hard work across Harrow. A video I shared last week amassed many comments of admiration for a Harrow legend, Dr David Lloyd, who has postponed his retirement in order to help in the fight against Covid-19 . I’m also delighted to be receiving positive stories of people donating their time to local causes, picking up groceries, delivering food and prescriptions and organising conference calls to check in on one another. Yesterday, I was honoured to attend my first virtual Bar Mitzvah using ‘Zoom’, tuning into our local synagogue and the moving words of a father reciting the superb ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling to his son. I hope you continue to stay safe, stay indoors and regularly check in on loved ones, and as the weather heats up, do make sure you take the opportunity to walk through one or two of Harrow’s lovely green spaces.

This weekend, I should also express my congratulations to Sir Keir Starmer on being elected the new leader of The Labour Party - he is elected Leader of the Opposition in the midst of the gravest crisis since the Second World War. As he states here, whether we voted for this Government or not, we all rely on it to get the response to this crisis right, for the national interest. He is a serious leader for serious times, who understands the challenge ahead of us and will ensure Labour is a Party fit for Government.

I continue to update my website – covering where to find support, keep safe and assist local people in Harrow. If you have anything you would like to me to feature in this update please send me an e-mail with the subject “Covid-19 newsletter” and be sure to share this message with friends, family, neighbours and local businesses in order to strengthen our collective response to COVID-19. The situation is rapidly changing and the response to Coronavirus is being directed by Government centrally working with Public Health England, the Government’s advice is available here. Government assistance specifically for businesses is available here.

As always, if you ever need to get in touch about the issues covered here – or anything else – please contact my office on 0207 219 4243 or e-mail me at [email protected]. Please bear with us, as we have received over 5 times our usual weekly amount of correspondence. My team and I are working hard to respond as promptly as possible. Although we have had to cancel face to face surgery appointments, we are now scheduling regular Zoom surgeries and phone calls with Harrow West constituents.

Work in Parliament

Parliament is still in recess but, as with every recess, the work does not stop. Important work continues as the Government responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a Member of the International Trade Select Committee, I will be working to uncover why the Government has failed to adequately source enough PPE equipment, COVID-19 Testing equipment and Ventilators. There are a number of questions for which written evidence can be submitted to the Committee, largely around ways in which the UK Government can best work to facilitate trade in essential goods during the pandemic. If you speak on behalf of a UK business, please consider reading more about the inquiry and submit evidence before 5PM on Friday, 24 April -https://committees.parliament.uk/work/242/the-covid19-pandemic-and-international-trade/

This week I joined a number of other MPs from across the house to campaign on various issues:

Prescriptions - I joined over 100 MPs in calling on Ministers to make prescriptions free for everyone during the coronavirus pandemic. It is clear the change would benefit everyone but particularly those who find themselves in a difficult financial situation. MPs are finding an increase in cases of constituents with respiratory conditions having to cancel direct debits for Prescription Prepayment Certificates. This intervention is needed now more than ever. This can be read here - https://twitter.com/GarethThomasMP/status/1243822530105872391

Calling for clarity on guidance to businesses – The information from Government is to Stay Safe and Stay at Home but for many businesses – construction sites, call centres, distribution centres and factories, the guidance for some employers is to continue working, despite being non-essential work. Non-essential workers travelling on the tube to get to work is adding to the risk that many more people will be infected than necessary and so, we have called on Ministers from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to clarify matters. This can be read here - https://twitter.com/Bill_Esterson/status/1243609386238574592?s=20

Compensation scheme for NHS workers – I have joined a cross-party coalition of MPs calling on the Government to create a Coronavirus Compensation Scheme akin to the Armed Forces Compensation scheme – this would include a lump sum fund, a guaranteed income for families and child payments to children eligible under 18. This can be read here - https://twitter.com/LaylaMoran/status/1244908550859575296

Community Pharmacy Support – I co-wrote this letter with Ealing and Central Acton MP, Rupa Huq calling on Health Secretary Matt Hancock to provide support to NHS Community Pharmacists currently struggling to meet the massive increase in demand for patients - This can be read here - https://twitter.com/RupaHuq/status/1245635185103630336

Covid-19 impact on world’s poorest – I joined a number of colleagues calling on the Government to support the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response plan as the pandemic begins to impact more of the world’s poorest countries. This can be read here - https://twitter.com/rushanaraali/status/1245665790428418048

Urgent repatriation of British Nationals in India – Working with Ealing North MP, James Murray and many others, we have called on the FCO to ensure British Nationals from India can urgently return home. Many British Nationals remain stuck abroad and unable to secure return flights home. Whilst we welcome reports that some flights are now being organised, we are keen to obtain assurances that this is the beginning of a comprehensive plan to repatriate all British Nationals who wish to return home. If other countries can, surely, we can too. This can be read here - https://twitter.com/GarethThomasMP/status/1245749171820388352

Harrow Council

The council has a webpage covering their own response, this is regularly being updated and is available here . This week, the Council has released a new £2m package of support for Harrow's most vulnerable residents including a discount on council tax for Council Tax Support recipients, £500k for our voluntary sector for advice, food delivery, and wider support, and a new COVID-19 Hardship Fund – details can be found below:

The Coronavirus Hardship Fund

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government have allocated funds to local councils in the form of a Hardship grant to support residents financially impacted by the Coronavirus.

Harrow’s Hardship Fund provides emergency financial support where alternatives are not available to an individual or household.

Examples of hardship include:

Experiencing immediate need for funds for emergency items such as food or energy fuel bills

Applicant and partner have no or insufficient income to cover financial need

There are no alternative ways of accessing support

Do not have savings to finance need

No other member of household is able to assist in part or whole

Who can apply for the Hardship fund?

If you're financially impacted by this crisis, make an application here: www.harrow.gov.uk/hardshipfund

Coronavirus Hotline

The council have set up a hotline telephone number to support the most vulnerable people in Harrow, if you need support from the council with regards to any of the issues being encountered due to COVID-19, please give the hotline a call - 0208 901 2698

Can you provide support?

Spare room?

This week, my office has been able to match key workers with free rooms for those with family or housemates self-isolating. If you are able to temporarily offer a spare room to a key worker currently unable to be at home due to a family member or a housemate self-isolating, please get in touch with my office by e-mailing [email protected] with subject “spare room”.

Trinity Bar

Harrow's brilliant late licensed music venue and bar is under threat - please join me and many others in donating to help Trinity survive the Covid-19 crisis, so that when this blows over we can hopefully meet in the Trinity once again - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-trinity-survive-the-covid19-crisis?fbclid=IwAR2TaUg6GI7xpbHSEv2pJTE8G1hBdfrZ1hKVpHL2X8BvtvhquTn9vT69ok4

Voluntary Action Harrow, Young Harrow foundation and Harrow Community Action continue to work with Harrow Council to help coordinate a Harrow wide response to the Coronavirus outbreak and a database is being compiled of people who are willing to volunteer. Voluntary Action Harrow are using this database to inform people of organisations looking for volunteers. Please sign up here:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CoronavirusHarrow

Harrow Foodbank

Food bank donations have dropped by 40% in recent weeks, and at the same time, many of the most vulnerable in our community will have trouble obtaining essentials during the Covid-19 lockdown. If you are able to, please consider donating an item or two next time you are at one of Harrow’s major supermarkets - this will aid the Foodbank and Voluntary Sector organised response. https://harrow.foodbank.org.uk/

Due to the number of volunteers over 70 or self-isolating, along with an increase in demand - Harrow Foodbank needs additional volunteers. If you are available please sign up here.

VCS – Feeding Harrow

About 300 food deliveries were made last week to families currently self-isolating. This emergency collaboration of voluntary groups has formed in response to Covid-19, and Feeding Harrow will continue to provide more meals and food for people in isolation across Harrow in the weeks to come. Their drop off point is Kind Café @ The Bridge, Monday to Friday 10:30AM-4PM, and they can arrange larger quantities for collection.

#CoffeeVsCovid - buy an NHS worker a coffee – Last month, a group of friends started raising money to fund small acts of kindness in support of London's NHS staff. They asked nurses, doctors and NHS trusts what the public could do to help, and they replied by asking for coffee and snacks to help keep morale high. The group might not be in a position to buy ventilators, but we can each send a cup of coffee.

Donate what you can here; support is being given to Northwick Park staff and all the money raised will be shared proportionately across London's major hospitals at the end of each week in support of existing staff welfare provisions. 

NHS Volunteer Responders

NHS Volunteer Responders has been set up to support the NHS during the COVID-19 outbreak. To do this the NHS is calling on an 'army' of volunteers who can support the 1.5m people in England who are at most risk from the virus to stay well. Our doctors, nurses and other professionals will be able to refer people in to NHS Volunteer Responders and be confident that they have been matched with a reliable, named volunteer. Sign up here.

Finding Support

Do you have a medical condition that makes you vulnerable? Please register.

A reminder, if you think you fall into a category that makes you vulnerable to coronavirus – register with the Government here. For example, you’ll be able to ask for help getting deliveries of essential supplies like food. The council has just started to receive this information and are working with local organisations to provide support to those who apply.

If you’re not sure whether your medical condition makes you extremely vulnerable, register anyway. This service is free. You can register yourself, or on behalf of someone else.

Coronavirus Scams - The Government are advising the public to be extra vigilant and be wary of scams related to Covid-19 - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/be-vigilant-against-coronavirus-scams

To help protect yourself you should:

·      reject offers that come out of the blue

·      get the company’s name and establish their credentials using the FCA’s Financial Services Register

·      beware of adverts on social media channels and paid for/sponsored adverts online

·      do not click links or open emails from senders you don’t already know

·      be wary of promised returns that sound too good to be true

·      take your time to make all the checks you need, even if this means turning down an ‘amazing deal’

·      do not give out personal details (bank details, address, existing insurance/pensions/investment details)

·      seek financial guidance or advice before changing your pension arrangements or making investments

There is further advice on the FCA’s ScamSmart website about how to protect yourself and if you suspect you may have been contacted in what could be a scam, you can make a complaint to the Insolvency Service or call Action Fraud straight away on 0300 123 2040.

A COVID-19 Community Support group has been set-up, coordinating action within WhatsApp groups for every ward in Harrow in order to provide support to local residents – you are welcome to  join the Facebook group here  and if you are not a Facebook member but would like to join your ward’s WhatsApp group – e-mail [email protected] with your postcode and the coordinators will add you to the correct group.

St Mary’s Church - If you are in need of support or company – a visit (where possible), a telephone call, help with shopping etc. St. Mary’s would like you to get in contact. You can do this in a variety of ways via the Church Office. The Office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am – 2pm but the messages will be checked daily.

Email: [email protected], Tel: 020 8423 4014 (answerphone: leave your contact details)

Harrow Central Mosque – Harrow Mosque is providing a free food and essentials transport service to elderly and vulnerable people in Harrow who require assistance with medical collection or other essentials – Call or SMS: 07874869484 E-mail: [email protected]

Help from me 

I appreciate that whilst this outbreak of Covid-19 is currently dominating a lot of our thoughts, other concerns and problems do not disappear. However, to help reduce the spread of infection, I am asking members of the public who need to contact my office to do so by phone or email rather than in person and further, I will continue to hold surgery appointments exclusively by telephone and Zoom video conferencing. This is a temporary measure and a sensible precaution to protect vulnerable people. Please be assured we continue to offer a full service of advice and support to members of the public who need it.

As always, my office can be contacted on [email protected] or by telephone on 0207 219 4243 (Monday-Friday).

Stay at home and save lives.

Best wishes,

Gareth