The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill debated this week imposes a new duty on the North Sea Transition Authority to run an annual process to review applicants for new licences. A licence is conditional on the production of domestic gas being less carbon intense than importing it, and the UK remaining a net importer of oil and gas. This Bill is important for securing our energy supplies, providing jobs and generating revenue.
The Public Accounts Committee, on which I sit, this week reviewed the state of social care provision. The ten-year recovery plan isn’t where it needs to be. Planned funding to reform social care was diverted to deal with the huge challenge of hospital discharges and the inadequate funding of those working in the sector. Funding for implementing the plan has been cut by over half from £1.74bn to £729m. It’s unrealistic to think this plan will deliver promised changes on time.
Holocaust Memorial Day was this Friday. MPs traditionally sign a book of remembrance – I was one. I am troubled by the general rise in antisemitism in areas of public life, whether online or evidenced in demonstrations. But perhaps it has always been there – discrimination of this type is unacceptable – and we must show it is unacceptable. It is clear much more needs to be done.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer clearly has her eye on the BBC, raising questions this week as to its impartiality. In the light of the Horizon scandal, it is disturbing to see that just like the Post Office the BBC can prosecute for non-payment of its licence fee. Surely that power should be with an external impartial third party. I really cannot see how going forwards we can justify the licence fee which was first introduced to cover the costs of wireless radio infrastructure in 1923. A subscription model giving the consumer choice is for me the right way forward! It should compete with others!
On Wednesday, Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee decided in the end not to call in the decision to close Teignmouth Hospital and refer it to the Secretary of State. While of course we need the new health hub for our GPs, I believed the right answer was to have both the new hub and the hospital. For the old hospital building to do both jobs would have been challenging in time and cost effectiveness– we should have been asking for both. Now it is even more important to ensure the NHS does consider a use for the building which is in the best interests of the community and not just about maximising profit! That was the recommendation last time the decision was called in – and we must see that delivered!
And finally, I was really pleased to visit the very well attended cost of living event in the Market in Newton Abbot offering a wealth of knowledge about how to live within your means. Well done Teignbridge CVS for organising the event and for volunteers giving up their Saturday! Citizens Advice were there, Teign Housing , South West Water (there are five schemes to help with water bills!), the NHS offering free counselling and wellbeing support through their online tools – (www.qwell.io) for adults and (kooth.com) for children. Kingscare who do so much for patients were there, LEAP to advise for free on how to cut the cost of heating your home (www.ecoe.org.uk), THAT to explain how they can support families with food and “learndevon” offering free training courses on budgeting and cooking - complete with a cookery demo!
As always, if you would like to book a surgery appointment (in-person or virtual) or raise a specific issue, please call my office on 01626 368277 or email annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk to arrange an appointment. My next Surgery is on 2 February in Newton Abbot.