Westminster Week
The European Union Withdrawal Bill returned to the Commons last week and MPs voted against a number of Lords’ amendments to the Bill which would have undermined Britain’s negotiating position. Amendments included a proposal designed to force the Government to remain in the Customs Union and one to prevent the proposed exit day of 29th March 2019 being written into law. After the Government won all votes on the Bill, it will now return to the House of Lords. The Government is sensibly seeking a compromise to ensure the passage of the Bill but this should not challenge the result of the referendum. We have a clear mandate to leave the EU and we will be doing so.
The collapse of Carillion raised significant concerns about the Government’s relationship with, and management of, its major suppliers, and the potential impact on the delivery of important public services. The Public Accounts Committee resolved to scrutinise other suppliers of public services that receive over £100 million in revenue per year from Government contracts. Over the past fortnight, Committee members and I have questioned senior executives on whether their delivery of public services represents good value for money for the taxpayer. Government relationships with over two dozen suppliers will be examined by the Committee to ensure further failures by contractors are avoided.
I met with Oliver Chantler, Public Affairs and Campaigns Manager for the Samaritans last week to hear about their excellent services and outreach work within affected schools and communities. We discussed the issue of rural loneliness and isolation in the workplace, particularly among agricultural workers. Mental health is one of the biggest health issues facing us at the moment, especially in rural areas. I am keen to see better integration and pooling of resources working across both physical and mental health care to ensure people receive the right professional support.
Teignbridge Matters
I welcomed Matthew Shanks, Head of the local Templar Academy, and David Potter, Director of Education South West, to Parliament to attend a meeting with Education Minister Nick Gibb last week. We discussed the funding and recruitment challenges facing schools. The gap between the highest and lowest funded Local Authorities remains large. In Devon per pupil funding remains £268 below the national average. This funding gap for schools is the equivalent of dozens of extra teaching staff, after-school clubs, university links, careers advice and support for pupils who are struggling.
During the election campaign I made a commitment to fight to deliver fairer funding for our schools and this remains one of my key priorities during this Parliament. I look forward to meeting again to discuss potential proposals for change and will continue to campaign hard for fairness in our education system.
I enjoyed attending a defence briefing last Tuesday with the ISTAR Force Commander, Air Commodore Dean Andrew OBE, to hear about the development of RAF capabilities. Air Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) is the RAF’s eyes and ears in the sky and provides British and NATO military commanders with critical information about activity on the ground, in the air, and at sea.
Last week I also attended the NHS Confederation’s annual conference and exhibition bringing together health and social care leaders. I sat on a roundtable discussing rural health provision. It was a stimulating conversation with excellent contributions from my fellow panellists on the unique challenges that face rural health providers, what role politicians, both nationally and locally, play in impacting rural healthcare provision, and how the transformation and integration agenda can work for rural healthcare providers.
My warmest congratulations go out to Café ODE in Ness Cove which won Sustainable Restaurant of the Year 2018 at the National Restaurant Awards last week in London.
My next surgery is in Newton Abbot on Friday 13th July at 2pm. Please call my office on 01626 368277 to arrange an appointment.