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Dear John,
I had hoped to avoid the B word in this newsletter, though it appears events had other ideas. Like the Prime Minister, I have returned to Westminster because I have a duty to make sure remain MPs do not ignore the democratic will of the people of Burton and Uttoxeter.
I want to reassure you that I will be doing everything I can to make sure that we leave the European Union on October 31st, come what may.
In the rest of my newsletter you can find out more about what I have been doing in the constituency and in Westminster in the last couple of weeks.
As always, if you have any issues or concerns that you would like to discuss with me then please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Best wishes,
Andrew Griffiths
Member of Parliament for Burton and Uttoxeter
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Amazing news for Michal
As an MP there are fewer great moments then seeing the results of your hard work come to fruition. I know many of you will have heard about 4 year old Michal Myslicki in the media and will have followed it with great interest.
The case of Michal has been truly moving. When I first met him at one of my constituency surgeries and heard heartbreaking testimony from his parents about the effects that Batten disease has on him and how they needed the drug cerliponase alfa, to stop the disease in its tracks and give Michal the chance to have a good quality of life.
This drug was not available on the NHS and so I have been holding debates and bringing the NHS to urgent meetings to try and get Michal the treatment he so desperately needed. However, this month I received the amazing news that the NHS had agreed a deal with the drug manufacturers and so it would be available for Michal.
When I received the news from the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock MP, I was close to jumping for joy.
Being able to tell Michal's parents that the drugs he needed were going to be available to him was a moment of great joy and one of my proudest as an MP.
This really is just the greatest news and will allow Michal to have a much better quality of life.
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Concern over Autism Services
I know about the concerns of parents about the changes to the contract for autism services, and I recently met with the Chief of Executive of the local CCG, Marcus Warnes, to discuss my concerns and state the importance of children using the service getting the best possible care.
I have serious concerns about the process the CCG has gone through and the lack of information given to parents about the change in the service will mean for them. I have written to NHS England and Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock MP, and have asked them to examine the process the CCG have gone through in terminating the Midlands Psychology contract, putting a temporary provider in place and then tendering for the new contract. My priority is making sure the children are getting the help that they need and to do that we need to know that the right services are in place.
If this affects you or you need any help with a similar case, please get in touch and I will of course do all I can to help.
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Save Loxley Hall School
I recently visited Loxley Hall school to join the campaign against plans to remove funding for its residential provision.
The staff at Loxley Hall deal with very vulnerable children, often with difficult backgrounds and coping with a whole range of mental health, behavioural and educational challenges. Cutting the residential provision will not only impact on the children, it may well lead to the school having to reduce the number of children on its roll.
I am arranging a meeting with the Children's Minister Michelle Donelan MP, to urgently discuss this issue.
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Marchington flooding update
Alongside Marchington Parish Council, I recently met with the Environment Agency, Severn Trent and Staffordshire County Council to discuss the ongoing flooding threat in Marchington.
Sadly, there is no straightforward solution. Instead, we need all the agencies to do what they can to remove as much flood water as possible. This means repairing damaged culverts, desilting pipes, clearing drains, ensuring the pumping station is working to full capacity and making sure the brook is kept free of obstruction.
Unfortunately, the meeting did not provide a silver bullet to the flooding problem. However, I am reassured that detailed work is ongoing and I will be monitoring the situation closely. I would like to thank the Parish Council for all they are doing.
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Taxi driver of the year 🚕
It is with great pleasure that I have nominated Mohammed Tariq of Falcon Cars for the second annual Parliamentary Taxi Driver of the Year awards.
Tariq was praised by a huge number of people for reliability, punctuality and a helpful attitude.
I was delighted to present Tariq with a plaque to congratulate him on this achievement and I wish him the best of luck in the national competition that will take place in October.
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In the Pink
I had great fun attending the Wear it Pink Day organised by Breast Cancer Now to raise awareness of breast cancer.
Whenever I attend events like this my mind always turns to local lady Nicola Morgan Dingley who fought breast cancer, and in whose memory I continue to pursue improved access to screening.
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A right holy visit
I had the great honour of seeing the Queen's chaplain, Rose Hudson-Wilkin speak at the Sunday services at the Renew Church in Uttoxeter.
Rose and Renew first met when a group from the Renew Church came to visit Parliament earlier in the year when she led us in prayer in the Commons chapel. Rose shortly leaves us in Parliament to tae up her new role as the Bishop of Dover. She will be much missed by all MPs but I have no doubt she will make a truly brilliant bishop.
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It's a dog's life 🐶
Finally, I had the chance to meet the most recent addition to Number 10, Dilyn, the Jack Russell rescue puppy adopted by the Prime Minister and his partner Carrie.
Isn't he cute?
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