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Good afternoon and welcome to my regular South West Surrey update No. 90. As of today, we have a total of 1,557,007 positive cases of COVID-19 with 56,533 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 16,881confirmed cases in Surrey and sadly 895 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 480 active cases in Waverley. All data is accurate as of 11am this morning.

Setting the Tiers, the government has announced today that Waverley will be entering into Tier 2 (the second highest tier) from Wednesday, December 2nd. This means that whilst restaurants and all shops can reopen, there is still no indoor household mixing, the rule of six outdoors, working from home if you can, and pubs and restaurants can only serve alcohol with "substantial meals.” However last orders now at 10 p.m. with final curfew at 11 p.m. which many will welcome. Additionally, all education establishments remain open, indoor leisure facilities can open, outdoor sports are allowed, entertainment facilities can open, and personal care services are open. 15 guests permitted at weddings/civil partnerships, 30 people may attend a funeral and places of worship can open. If you still have a question after all of that, please visit this website ([link removed]) . But basically, one more heave until we get the vaccine…

Today's email is going to have a heavily economic theme running through it following the Chancellor’s Spending Review yesterday. The Office of Budget Responsibility – the group of economists who provide independent analysis for the government of the public finances – has said that the UK economy will contract this year by a shocking 11.3%. This would be the biggest contraction in more than 300 years, and our economic output is not expected to return to pre-crisis levels until the fourth quarter of 2022. The UK is also expected to borrow £394bn this year. All of this means that the government doesn't have as much money and we will have to pay back the debt that we are building up for decades to come. Unemployment is also expected to rise to 7.7% next year. Some people think these figures will be revised upwards because the analysis was done before some of the big vaccine announcements so we should probably treat it as a worst-case scenario - but worth reading this excellent analysis of what
the Chancellor said here ([link removed]) . You can re-watch his statement here ([link removed]) .

Pay freeze Pay will be frozen for public sector workers apart from for NHS staff (rightly after their efforts this year) and those earning less than the medium income (£24,000). I remember how unpopular this was under George Osborne, but there is a basic issue of fairness: the private sector has borne the brunt of the jobs cuts this year as well as being paid less (7% less for like for like work according to the ONS) so it is important to be fair. At the same time we are likely to see tax rises on the better off at some stage in the next year - with rises in capital gains tax and scrapping higher rate pension relief mooted as the front-running option. The Chancellor has also accepted a recommendation from the Low Pay Commission to increase the National Living Wage next year by 2.2%, to £8.91 an hour which I was pleased about for care home workers and others in the social care sector who have done a brilliant job. I am also expecting a plan proposed by the independent regulator IPSA to
increase MPs pay to be scrapped – something I fully support and will also reduce the number of outraged emails I have been receiving significantly.

More money for some will be going into the NHS, about £2.7 billion more a year. Long term infrastructure spending will total £100 billion, and a new £4 billion levelling up fund has been established. Any local area will be able to bid directly to fund local projects - but they must be delivered within this Parliament, "and they must command local support".

But less for others The main concern I had coming out of the Chancellor’s announcement yesterday is that he plans to lower the UK's aid budget as a percentage of GDP from 0.7% to 0.5%. I was proud when the Conservatives introduced the 0.7% target and it has benefitted millions of people across the world, as I saw first-hand when I was Foreign Secretary. I asked the Chancellor why ([link removed]) we are cutting this budget in a year when millions of people in developing countries will fall back into poverty. I also talked about this at more length in an interview on Hardtalk ([link removed]) . I know my position will not be popular with some but for me I am afraid it speaks to the kind of country we are or at least should aspire to be.

The key number to remember for anyone with pandemic-related difficulties remains 0300 200 1008 the Surrey Helpline run by Surrey County Council (Mon-Fri 9 am to 5 pm).

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

Questions to the Health Secretary on Tuesday I asked the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, if he believed he got the best scientific advice from the outset of the pandemic, which - after a ‘politician’s answer’ – he said he did. I also asked him if the reason this second lockdown was necessary was because of NHS Test and Trace had not worked as well as he hoped. On a more positive note, the Health Secretary does expect us to be “returning to normal” after Easter. Provided the vaccines get regulatory approval.

UK-Japan relations Last night I spoke in a general debate about my love of Japan in a debate on the newly signed trade agreement. I managed to mention my doomed attempts to export marmalade to Japan many years ago and amongst other duties am now proud to chair the cross-party British-Japan Parliamentary Group. You can watch my speech here ([link removed]) .

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

Rogue Housing Algorithms In this week’s Farnham & Haslemere Heralds, I talk about my recent meeting with the Housing Secretary ([link removed]) about the government’s proposed changes to planning – which include housing quotas set by an algorithm that potentially run roughshod through local democracy. I appreciate that the Housing Secretary is in a difficult position, but he clearly understood my concerns and recorded a supportive video message ([link removed]) . Subsequent stories in the papers and meetings with Policy gurus at No10 suggest to me a rethink may be on the cards. Even more important this week as Waverley’s Local Plan Part 2 goes to consultation. Find out more here ([link removed].) .

Dunsfold drilling application No you do not have deja vu and yes, the application for a fracking site in Dunsfold has been denied once before, but because of a strange process rule which wasn’t followed by the County Council earlier in the year, the application has to be re-considered. My team and I have been working closely with the ‘Protect Dunsfold’ Group and we have everything crossed that Surrey County Council’s planning committee will again reject the application.

Horse lovers alert Annie Connolly runs a brilliant charity to rescue unloved or neglected horses both in the UK and Romania. She is accepting donations of head collars, rugs and bits as well of course as financial donations. I spoke to her this morning and her enthusiasm remains wonderfully undented by the pandemic. More here ([link removed]) .

See my list of local groups working to support vulnerable residents here ([link removed]) .

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American constituents and friends. Some of the staff at the US Embassy in London ([link removed]) have been sharing their thanksgiving recipes… some helpful tips for you Christmas chefs out there?

And finally, congratulations to Peter Sawkins on winning this Year’s Great British Bake Off winner. I think we can all agree, we needed Bake Off this year more than ever…

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Promoted by Sean Donovan-Smith on behalf of Jeremy Hunt MP and South West Surrey Conservatives, all at 2 Royal Parade, Tilford Road, Hindhead, Surrey GU26 6TD.

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