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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my South West Surrey update No.173 where we discuss the end of Covid restrictions, plans to tackle the Covid NHS backlog and tensions with Russia over Ukraine. Plus the police provide an update on their ‘party-gate’ investigation. Thank goodness next week is half term…

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

COVID RESTRICTIONS In PMQs yesterday the Prime Minister said that he would present his plan for ‘living with Covid’ aka ending all restrictions in the first week back after the recess. Significantly, if the data continued to head in the right direction, he anticipated lifting the last remaining legal restrictions ([link removed]) including those requiring self-isolation. The caveat about the data is important as without it he will not get the scientific backing for something that is otherwise all but a done deal. That means tracking a continued downwards trend in hospitalisations and keeping a wary eye on cases where there has been a slight increase according to the ONS ([link removed]) - but in all likelihood we will finally have a normal-ish Spring.

DEJA VU? I had a slight sense of deja vu about this so I looked back to this time last year where in fact the PM promised, on our return from the recess in February, that he would publish “our plan for taking the country out of lockdown” ([link removed]) . But the fact that lockdowns are now a thing of the past shows just how far we’ve come. Crucially, with each lifting of restrictions so far we haven’t seen a spike in case numbers that some predicted. And even without legal restrictions people are still being sensible - there are quite a few masks around. On balance I think this is the right approach but for a slightly more pessimistic view see this piece from the BBC's Nick Triggle ([link removed]) .

OPERATION HILLMAN That’s the official name for the police investigation into the various parties and events at Downing Street. The Met provided an update yesterday in which they said they would be sending a questionnaire to around 50 people ([link removed]) who they think were at one or more of these events this week which must be answered within 7 days. They are also reconsidering an event previously dismissed after a new photo has emerged of it ([link removed]) . The quicker they can get to the bottom of all of this the better and I suspect people in Downing Street will be genuinely worried as the police, with so many eyes on them, will have to be absolutely independent. As I said to Sarah Montague on Radio 4 on Monday we are in a state of limbo ([link removed]) (about 17 minutes in) whilst we wait for the full picture to emerge. But it goes without saying that the
whole business has badly damaged trust in politics.

BACKLOG PLAN The government has published its elective recovery plan ([link removed]) with targets for when various NHS waiting lists will be eliminated. The top line ambitions are for nearly 20,000 two year waits for treatment to be gone by July of this year, waits of over 18 months gone by April 2023, waits of more than 65 weeks by March 2024 and waits of more than a year to be eliminated by March 2025. There has been some complaining ([link removed]) that we’re not getting more for the £12bn a year of additional funding we’re putting in, including some interesting suggestions that the Treasury wanted the one year deadline to be met in 2024
([link removed]) . My biggest worry is that without the extra doctors, nurses and other staff needed to deliver this plan we may see a chunk of the extra taxes we’re all putting in go to waste. I will continue to push the government on this as the new tax hits pay packets in just seven weeks.

COVID STATS UPDATE As I mentioned above the ONS has recorded a slight increase in cases ([link removed]) from around 1 in 20 people having the virus in the community to 1 in 19. The Covid dashboard ([link removed]) on the other hand shows that in the last week cases were down 23%, hospitalisations were down 12% and deaths also down 16.3%. As of 11am we have had a total of 18,000,119 positive cases of COVID-19 with 158,953 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 31,885 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 274 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 1,775 active cases in Waverley.

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

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

SURGERY STORIES This week mental health featured in one of my constituency calls, perhaps fittingly for Children's Mental Health Week. A Haslemere resident contacted me about a new treatment called RTMS for depression, which he wants to access. This is available in Hampshire and his son has received it, but maddeningly it is not offered in Surrey so I will take this issue up for him with Claire Fuller, head of the NHS in Surrey. I am a big fan of CBT but where that is not working, we need to offer alternatives. I have also written to the Health Secretary to point out the injustice of this treatment ‘postcode lottery’.

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN do not get the help they need…something I wrote about in last week’s news letter. I return to the theme intoday’s Herald ([link removed]) for anyone interested.

NEW ERA FOR HOPPA This month, the General Manager of Hoppa ([link removed]) (Steve Forward) will officially hand over the keys to his successor Richard Davies. I know Steve well as he joined Hoppa the year I was elected in 2005 when the fleet consisted of just 8 buses. Today, there are 25 buses and Hoppa will soon carry its one millionth passenger. Steve really has worked tirelessly over the last 12 years, so we wish him a happy retirement.

CREATIVE RESPONSE This week a plug for the Farnham charity Creative Response. ([link removed]) Creative Response uses art and creativity to support those with mental health issues, learning difficulties, physical difficulties, and substance misuse problems. Their artists work alongside participants to share skills and knowledge - and I even have one of their paintings hanging in my home. Well done too on a recent funding boost from The Postcode Society Trust ([link removed]) . To volunteer or get involved at Creative Response, click here ([link removed]) and to make a community referral, please click here ([link removed]) .

AND FINALLY In what may be a world first the Department of Transport has made a genuinely funny government video ([link removed]) . Designed to promote a competition to decide which town or city will host the HQ of Great British Railways it features Grant Shapps and a well known ex-politician, and current train lover….

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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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