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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my South West Surrey update No. 159. A big day in Westminster yesterday as the Chancellor delivered his Budget and Spending Review. More on that below along with my usual round up of what I’ve been doing. And 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 11 am this morning, we have had a total of 8,897,149 positive cases of COVID-19 with 140,041 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 12,695 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 243 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 795 active cases in Waverley. In the last week in the UK coronavirus cases are down 4%, hospital admissions up 14.4% and deaths up 5.9% - all numbers going resolutely in the wrong direction. The ONS weekly COVID survey shows that for the week ending 16^th October the number of cases increased again.Nearly 1 million people in England ([link removed]) , or 1 in 55 of the population, had the virus in that week. This continued the trend of the last few weeks that has seen cases rise steadily. More recent data in the COVID Dashboard would suggest we may have turned a corner as daily new cases havedipped from 56,000 on 18th
October to 44,000 on 21st October ([link removed]) . We’ve also seentens of thousands of 12-15 year olds ([link removed]) book vaccinations and the news that overhalf of over 50s have had a booster ([link removed]) (includingyours truly ([link removed]) ). The debate is around masks and covid passports but it seems to me the real cause of the spike has been that we have taken much too long to vaccinate teenagers.

BUDGET AND SPENDING REVIEW The Chancellor delivered the Budget and Spending Review ([link removed]) yesterday and there was rather more good news on spending than you might expect after a pandemic. Increases in spending for Health and Education, an earlier than expected return to the 0.7% aid target, 50% cuts in business rates, increases in the minimum and National Living Wages, and reforms to the Universal Credit taper rate. These last two will mean a pay rise for millions of low paid workers but all paid for by the state taking a bigger share of GDP than ever before. Are we becoming a left wing country? I don’t think so - most of the increase in spending comes from health (now 40% of all spending) which relates to the ageing population rather than any change in ideology. If we were in America our insurance premiums would be going up by even more than taxes here - but given we do fund health through taxes we have
a particular need to turbocharge the economic growth that pays for it.

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

SELECT COMMITTEE ON CANCER Well worth watching this powerful interview with a cancer patient called Philippa about how thepandemic had interrupted her treatment for breast cancer ([link removed]) . What made it even more poignant was that the person originally scheduled to give evidence about her delayed cancer care had died the week before. The lesson? If we ever do need to go into another lockdown we need ‘clean’ or ‘green’ sites for cancer care so it can continue uninterrupted. We also heard an impassioned plea to ensure weincrease our capacity for treatments ([link removed]) and not just diagnostic capacity Professor Pat Price. Finally (and it wouldn’t be a select committee session without me asking about it) there wasa stark warning on workforce pressure ([link removed]) from Professor Mike Griffin of the Royal College of Surgeons in
Edinburgh.

ENVIRONMENT BILL Following the outcry over the government overturning of a Lords amendment that would introduce a duty on water companies to prevent sewage discharges into our rivers (something I did not support) I’m pleased to say that the government has had a rethink ([link removed]) . They will now move a government amendment to put a similar duty on to these companies which will do a great deal to help clean up rivers like the Wey.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

SURGERY STORIES A range of practical and democratic post-covid issues emerged in my constituency surgery yesterday. On a practical issue, I spoke to a mum from Farnham whose son is on a fellowship to a US university where his visa has expired. He has got an extension but can’t visit his family in the UK as he would not be allowed back into the US because the US Embassy here is not issuing visas. I am going to write to the acting US Ambassador to try to cut through the bureaucracy so he can visit his family for Christmas. On issues of principle, I spoke to a very thoughtful voter from Lower Bourne in Farnham about civil liberties and the way our democracy is developing. We both agreed that in a democracy it is important to govern in a way that maintains the consent of those who vote for the losing parties which is put at risk by populist politics. I also spoke to a man from Thursley about mandatory vaccines for care home workers, why there wasn’t a vote on the extension of the coronavirus
regulations, vaccine passports and his concerns about the infringement of civil liberties they represent. Would I vote for another lockdown if the majority of my constituents were against one? The answer of course is that I would vote with my conscience on the basis of the facts in front of me at the time (which can change in a pandemic).

CHANGE OF SCENE is a small charity based near Farnham, providing valuable outdoor learning for vulnerable children and young people aged 8-18 from Surrey and Hampshire. Children are supported to gain skills, knowledge and self-confidence through animal welfare, horticulture, carpentry and cooking. They are currently receiving more referrals than they have space for, so have begun looking for a new site (ideally still in Farnham) with at least 15 acres of grazing land, which is easily accessible by road and has the potential to have classrooms built. Meanwhile, they urgently need funding to support the delivery of their services until they can relocate to a more suitable site. The good news is that Persimmon Homes Thames Valley ([link removed]) are backing Change of Scene ([link removed]) as regional finalists at a special event later this year, where cash awards of £100,000, £50,000 or £20,000 will be made to those with the most online votes. So, if you
know of any suitable sites for Change of Scene, please get in touch with them directly at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) but please also vote for them ([link removed]) to be a prize winner!

ECO HOMES Great to hear that two eco homes in Godalming are now ready for tenants who were previously homeless. Funding has been specifically allocated to the project under the Government-initiated Next Steps Accommodation Programme ([link removed]) , which aims to eliminate rough sleeping in England by 2024. The two self-contained units offer a range of features for 'green living', and will be used flexibly to provide emergency and temporary accommodation depending on individual cases, helping people to transition from the street into longer term supported living. The council’s last annual rough sleeper estimate identifies three rough sleepers in Waverley, and so having the first of their type on our doorstep is a big step towards the future of social housing locally. The development also fits in with Waverley’s Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan
([link removed]) to ensure all new council homes are carbon neutral by 2030.

COVID JABS As a very grateful recipient of a booster jab ([link removed]) this week, I was pleased to hear that booster jabs have been delivered or booked in 9/10 care homes. As the NHS vaccination programme accelerates ahead of winter, our local GP teams are working to ensure the remaining care homes can book their vaccine clinic as soon as possible, and every eligible care home resident, including in SWS is expected to have been offered a Covid booster by the beginning of November. Health and care workers ([link removed]) ,those with underlying health conditions ([link removed]) and people aged 50 and over are also eligible, and will be invited for their booster jab at least six months on from their second dose. Eligible individuals can book an appointment here
([link removed]) and those who can’t go online, can book by phoning 119. In addition, as of 25th October, just over 2.5 million letters were sent to parents and guardians of 12-15-year-olds, inviting them to book a vaccination online through the National Booking Service. Locally, ([link removed]) parents/carers can take their children to the mass vaccination centre at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher with no appointment required. I heard of a similar initiative last week for adults at Artington Vaccination Centre in Guildford, so asked Dr David Williams (the Vaccine Programme Coordinator) if more regular drop-in clinics can be put in place here asap.

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

THE ECONOMY AND JOBS

CHEERS! The Budget also saw a much needed shake up in alcohol duties ([link removed]) as the Chancellor introduced a system that sees higher strength drinks taxed more. Good news for beers, ciders and sparkling wine. Less good for claret drinkers in South West Surrey but no change for those drinking that delicious Hambledon/Thursley/Haslemere/Elstead gin (it’s so hard not to show favouritism as a local MP…)

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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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