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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my South West Surrey update No. 157. A big week for pandemic-watchers with the publication of my Select Committee’s lessons learned report but lots happening locally too. As ever if you know anyone who might like to receive this email please forward it…anyone can sign up here ([link removed]) to receive them and of course unsubscribe at any time.

PANDEMIC UPDATE As of today, we have had a total of 8,272,883 positive cases of COVID-19 with 138,080 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 11,247 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 243 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 489 active cases in Waverley. In the last week in the UK coronavirus cases are down 18.4%, hospital admissions up 2.5% and deaths down 4.4%. All data is accurate as of 11am this morning. The ONS found another rise in the number of cases ([link removed]) in the community - there were 786,000 in England in the week ending 2nd October. This represented 1 in 70 people compared to 1 in 85 in the previous week and 1 in 90 the week before that. The number of patients actually in hospital with COVID has remained stubbornly around the 7,000 mark ([link removed]) since 25th September - it isn’t
rising thanks to the vaccine but nor is it declining. Particularly worrying is the fact that nearly one fifth of those in hospital with the virus are unvaccinated pregnant women ([link removed]) .

(YET) ANOTHER BREXIT CRUNCH Negotiations around the Northern Ireland border have got going in earnest again this week. First, Lord Frost flew to Portugal to give a speech ([link removed]) where he offered a new legal text to resolve the issue and warned the EU not to make an “historic misjudgement” ([link removed]) . The EU appeared to get the message with a set of new proposals ([link removed]) that would reduce the number of checks on food items going into and staying in Northern Ireland. The root issue is a lack of trust: the government believes the EU is intent on implementing the agreement in a way that will ‘punish’ the UK for Brexit so wants to remove the ECJ legal oversight that makes that possible. The EU on the other hand doesn’t
trust the UK to stop Northern Ireland being an illegal backdoor into the single market so wants that oversight to remain. But the trust between the two sides was poisoned long before Boris Johnson by the high handed way Michel Barnier treated Theresa May and the hardline approach taken by the French throughout ([link removed]) as described by Allister Heath in today’s Telegraph.

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

COVID REPORT The joint Science and Technology/Health and Social Care Select Committee report on the government’s handling of the pandemic ([link removed]) was published on Tuesday. 22 MPs spanning the three big parties at Westminster agreed this report unanimously so I really hope the government listens to its recommendations, many of which should be implemented right away as the public inquiry is not likely to report for several years. Most of the coverage reflected the essential paradox that our national response ranged from terrible errors to extraordinary successes. As I explain in this thread ([link removed]) the initial response was too slow and hampered by groupthink which failed to look carefully enough at approaches being taken in Taiwan and South Korea; that delay made a lockdown inevitable but also meant
Test and Trace had to cope with an impossibly high number of daily infections when it was finally set up and social care was neglected as all attention focused on stopping a Lombardy-style meltdown in hospitals. At the same time - and what makes a clean judgement particularly difficult - the very same people were pre-buying 400 million doses of vaccine without knowing if it worked and giving us the best vaccine programme in the world and scientists in Oxford were discovering treatments that saved a million lives globally. The key lessons to learn are to avoid groupthink, make decisions more quickly, build in greater latent capacity in both health and care systems, and make use of science and innovation to reform how we handle pandemics in the future. You can listen to my interview with Mischal Husain ([link removed]) on yesterday’s Today programme (0810 slot).

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

SURGERY STORIES A big variety in constituency casework this week, but there's been a spate of issues with people battling unresponsive large companies. A lady from Godalming with a disabled husband has had a nightmare with her boiler, installed with a government eco-grant. Since it was installed last November, she has had no heating despite numerous visits by Worcester Bosch to fix it. Another lady from Haslemere owns a property where there has been a drilling noise in the wall through the water pipes, but even though it has been going on since February, Thames Water and UK Power Networks can't agree who is responsible. I am taking up both issues with the relevant CEOs.

SOCIAL PRESCRIBING is a big new thing in health, the idea being that doctors should not simply prescribe medicine to deal with illness but also lifestyle interventions that can be as simple as joining a lunch club for those feeling isolated. So great news that Haslewey ([link removed]) is now recognised by Haslemere Centre for Health and Social Prescribers as a referral centre, and their referral services include counselling along with diet, health, nutrition & exercise. The fantastic team also work in partnership with Haslemere Rotary Club ([link removed]) and have secured funding to allow people to attend counselling ([link removed]) on a donation basis (and presently have spaces on a Wednesday & Thursday). If that wasn’t enough, they’re also trialling a new ‘Haslewey Community Connections Tablet’ in partnership with Family News Now ([link removed]) in order to support people struggling with isolation
and/or those who are new to digital technology.

MAKE A WILL MONTH The Meath Epilepsy Charity ([link removed]) have kindly teamed up with Kwill online Will writing service and are offering a free will writing service with them during October. Details of their services can be found here. ([link removed]) When I was Culture Secretary I persuaded George Osborne to reduce inheritance tax by 10% for those who leave 10% to charity, so you could even get some money back from the state by supporting a great cause.

COUNCIL OF THE YEAR Huge congratulations to Farnham Town Council ([link removed]) for being declared Council of the Year ([link removed]) last week! It is unusual to cross the political divide but credit to the people of all political parties who have made this possible and especially the Town Clerk Iain Lynch, and all the wonderful volunteers, businesses, cultural organisations, charities and residents who have made this happen!

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

THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

FULL FELIXSTOWE There are 50,000 containers waiting to be collected ([link removed]) from our biggest commercial port at Felixstowe effectively meaning it is full up. Plan ahead seems to be the message to those worried about empty shelves in the run up to Christmas. One potential new HGV driver who won’t be helping deliver our Christmas turkeys is Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer. He crashed whilst driving an HGV for a photo op ([link removed]) . Please drive more Keir-fully next time!

AND FINALLY Captain Kirk, aka William Shatner, has gone back to space ([link removed]) - at the age of 90. Thankfully none in the expedition were wearing redshirts ([link removed](stock_character)#:~:text=The%20term%20originates%20from%20the,that%20the%20main%20characters%20face.) (go on look up the link if you’re not a Trekkie). That brings us to the final frontier in this week’s email but we will be exploring new galaxies next week as 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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