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GOOD AFTERNOON and welcome to my South West Surrey update No.174 where inevitably news is dominated by Ukraine rather overshadowing another piece of huge news, namely the ending of Covid restrictions.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

UKRAINE Overnight Putin announced what we all knew was coming but had hoped could be avoided - a full scale invasion of Ukraine ([link removed]) . Our response now has to be strong, united and go much further than anyone is currently expecting. There was possibly an argument for holding something back to try and deter further action by Russia (although in my judgement it is usually better to show strength early) but we now need to show Putin his calculation that he could weather the West’s response was wrong. As I wrote in the Telegraph ([link removed]) a few weeks ago we need to ensure the price of such action is too high for Russia. That isn’t the case at the moment - so on Tuesday I proposed two further big changes to the Prime Minister. ([link removed]) I was on the Peston Programme last night where I
elaborated on this ([link removed]) and set out what further action we need to take right now ([link removed]) including stopping buying gas from Russia and cleaning up the City. If I had had time I would have added increasing European military spending because we should be clear that any weakness in our response will mean other countries are next in Putin’s grand plan to remake the Soviet Union. This is quite simply the gravest threat to the international order since 1945 ([link removed]) . You can watch the whole of Peston here ([link removed]) where I also talk about partygate and the need to do more to tackle health inequalities.

LIVING WITH COVID The Prime Minister confirmed this week that all remaining domestic Covid restrictions will be removed ([link removed]) as he set out his plan for living with Covid. Few people really disagreed with this approach but there was some concern that the abolishing of free testing and funding the ONS study going forward will leave a big hole in the DHSC budget. ([link removed]) There were also concerns from the NHS Confederation about NHS staff having to fund their own tests ([link removed]) . A bigger worry is whether we really have learned the lessons about NHS capacity if we are going to get through future pandemics without switching off vital services. No sign the message has got through according to this exchange between me and the Prime
Minister. ([link removed]) It won’t do to say we have ‘more’ doctors and nurses when the question is whether we have ‘enough.’

COVID STATS UPDATE The ONS survey is once again showing a decline in cases as around 1 in 25 ([link removed]) (compared to 1 in 20) people in England had the virus in the week ending 20th February. As of 11am the Covid dashboard shows that we have had a total of 18,734,683 positive cases of COVID-19 with 160,979 confirmed deaths in the UK. There have been 33,847 confirmed cases in Waverley and sadly 282 confirmed deaths, with an estimated 941 active cases in Waverley. In the last 7 days cases have dropped by 18.4%, hospitalisations by 10.1% and deaths by 13.4%.

That key number is 0300 200 1008 for anyone with pandemic related difficulties. Also please check out my full list of local groups ([link removed]) working to support vulnerable residents.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN SOUTH WEST SURREY

SURGERY STORIES My constituency calls today started with a conversation with a Mum from Godalming with two young boys, about post-natal care during the pandemic, particularly her concerns that the Waverley health visitors no longer do home visits. I am not sure if this is a Covid measure or a permanent change in policy. But as we return to normality, there is surely value in at least one home visit to identify any families who might need additional support so I will take up with the Surrey NHS. I also spoke to a lady in Grayswood about Openreach's plans to do away with copper connections. It is a step forward for modernising the network but a problem for her because her security alarm requires copper lines so it will need replacing at considerable expense which she cannot afford. I said I would write to the Chief Executive of Openreach to ask them to bear the cost of the new system she will now have to install. As she lives on the A286 she is also worried about speeding on the main road
through Grayswood so I asked her to write to me with details of the speeding incidents recorded by the local Speedwatch team.

GREEN HOME FUNDING More funding has now been made available as part of the government’s home upgrade grant scheme ([link removed]) which will provide grants of up to £10,000 for eligible homeowners to improve energy efficiency in their homes - cutting heating costs and helping the environment. The grant project is being run by Action Surrey ([link removed]) on behalf of all Surrey local authorities and provides funds for cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and solar renewable technology. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis to those living in a hard-to-heat home and/or on a low income. The deadline for applications is 31st March 2022, with installations completing by 30th June 2022. To check if you are eligible, you can call Action Surrey for free on 0800 783 2503 or visit their website ([link removed]) or submit an enquiry.
([link removed])

TRAIN TROUBLE Despite recent news that South Western Rail (SWR) have reinstated many direct services to London, they have very frustratingly made a u-turn on the 15.47 service from Milford to Godalming/Farncombe. SWR changed this to a 16.08 service earlier in 2021 (without consultation), which meant that large numbers of schoolchildren were waiting at Milford station for long periods of time. Not acceptable at any time, but even less so in the dark winter months, and I raised this at the time. This January, the 15.47 service was reinstated, but has just been taken away again, which has been extremely distressing for many parents and service users. I am meeting SWR’s CEO (Claire Mann) on 11th March to ask for this service to be reinstated once and for all. I will also be raising my very real concerns about their December 2022 consultation ([link removed]) , in which SWR proposes dropping the crucial London
Waterloo - Portsmouth via Guildford (slower service) down to only one an hour (page 30).

HOME → SCHOOL CONSULTATION Surrey County Council have just launched a consultation on their Home to School Travel Assistance Policy, something I have been discussing a lot recently with parents with special needs children. The policy currently sets out the eligibility criteria for travel assistance for children with and without special educational needs, of statutory school age (5-16 years old), for children under 5 and for young people aged 16-19 and 19-25, and describes how they seek to fulfil statutory duties. There have been lots of issues with these services so please participate in the online consultation ([link removed]) before the end of March, particularly with comments about proposed changes ([link removed]) , including the introduction of collection points and further promotion and implementation of Independent Travel Training (ITT).

AND FINALLY today is a big day not just globally but for my South West Surrey team as after 16 years Morwenna Brown is retiring. Many of you will know Morwenna who has done a simply wonderful job running the office at Hindhead since my first year as an MP. She is one of the kindest and most caring people you can meet and has patiently solved problems for hundreds of people locally. We have all been so lucky to have her and will miss her - but wish her and Andrew a splendid and happy retirement without having to look at the hundreds of emails that arrive in my inbox every day!

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