Politics
A Taste of Cornwall
Last weekend, there were celebrations in towns across Cornwall to mark St Piran’s Day. Over the past few years, we have seen a growing interest in Cornwall’s history and culture. Camborne, Redruth, and Hayle are at the very heart of this revival, and it’s great to see these great industrial towns…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Reducing Animal Testing
Parliament recently held a debate on the use of animals in testing which I spoke in. In 1986, this country introduced the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act. At the time, it was seen as world-leading and as the gold standard, with its three Rs principles: to replace animal testing wherever…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Confronting County Lines and Building Resilient Communities
One of the persistent challenges that the local police have faced over the past ten years is the problem of so called "county lines" drug gangs and all the associated violence, antisocial behaviour, poverty, and ruined lives that goes with it.
Many of these gangs originate from major cities like…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Community Radio
Last Friday I visited CHBN Radio which is based at Treliske Hospital for an interview about my journey into politics and the highs and lows along the way. Keith Naylor was the interviewer and he is one of dozens of volunteers who help the Friends of RCHT Hospital provide support to the community…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
The Media Bill
This week the Government's Media Bill continued its progress through the House of Commons, and I tabled several amendments to try to improve it and to try to retain incentives for publishers and newspapers to aspire to meet certain standards of journalism.
The first of my amendments relates to…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
The Importance of Early Literacy
There are around forty schools in this constituency and I have always tried to visit each of the secondary schools at least once a year and the primary schools at least once every five years. In recent weeks I have visited Bodriggy, Rosemellin, Connor Downs and Mount Hawke. In particular, I have…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Supporting Wronged Postmasters
Last week, it became clear how effective well-made TV drama can move and shape public opinion. It is an issue that has been ongoing for some time. MPs across the country have been raising cases with the Post Office and with the Government. This has promoted reviews and inquiries and legal action…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
A New Year with Lots to Do
You win some and you lose some as the saying goes. In politics, you can't always get the outcome you want however much you fight. Towards the end of last year, there were two issues affecting our area that were taking up some of my time.
Firstly, the good news. The Government has decided to…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
A New Year
The year ahead will be an important one for the world of politics because there will be a General Election at some point. In theory, the very latest date possible would be January 2025 but I don't think people would welcome political campaigning over the Christmas period.
The most likely date is…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Christmas 2023
There are just a few days to Christmas and another week until we turn the page on 2023 and look forward to 2024.
Internationally, 2023 has been marked by traumatic wars overseas as Russia's aggression against Ukraine has continued and as we have seen terrible violence in Israel and Gaza in the…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Developing Confidence through Education
Last week, I visited a fabulous charity that operates out of the Wesley Chapel in Camborne. Ignite You uses music and dance to support people with special needs or disabilities in West Cornwall. It aims to use dance to keep people active, stimulate the mind and help people find new friends, get…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
A Case for Legal Immigration
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been considerable debate about levels of immigration to the UK following the latest statistics which showed a sharp increase in the number coming here under working visas.
There is often a danger that the issue of illegal migration and the crisis in the…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
The Importance of a Strong Manufacturing Industry
I have always felt that this country does not value manufacturing as much as it should. For decades, too much credence has been placed on the service economy and financial services like banking to try to carry us through. This was a mistake in my view. Sustainable economic growth, evenly…
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Fisheries: Monitoring | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
The proportion of fishing trips undertaken by UK vessels using remote electronic monitoring (REM) equipment was less than one percent of the total fishing trips undertaken by UK vessels in each of the last three years from 2014 to 2016. The type of vessel using REM equipment were large capacity vessels, fishing off shore for fish stocks that were subject to quotas. In 2016 nearly 40 percent of UK landings of North Sea cod were made by vessels fully documenting their catch using REM equipment.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Fisheries: Monitoring | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Details of planned UK observer trips are set out in United Kingdom’s Work Plan for data collection in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The Work Plan can be found at the Gov.UK website. In England and Wales, 525 staff days per year are allocated to observer sampling with 1032 days for Scotland and 460 days for Northern Ireland.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Fisheries: Treaties | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Ministers and officials have had meetings with a number of organisations to discuss a range of issues associated with EU exit including the 1964 London Fisheries Convention. As the Prime Minister told Parliament on 29 March, we hope to be able to say something about this soon.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Fisheries: Treaties | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
We are looking very carefully at the London Fisheries Convention. As the Prime Minister told the House on 29 March, we hope to be able to say something about this soon.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
In accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, following EU exit, the UK will be responsible for managing living resources, including fisheries, within its territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Agriculture: Wales | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
The Secretary of State has met the Welsh Minister for Agriculture on several occasions as we seek to ensure we get the best possible deal for the whole of the UK. We have committed to carefully considering any proposals that the devolved administrations put forward. Discussions on the issues are ongoing.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Security | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | Written Answers
Civil Servants have to ability to work flexibly across government sites where there is a business need to do so. The issuing of all passes is controlled by the local Departmental Security teams who follow strict procedures and protocols. Information on the number of people holding security passes for other government departments who are granted access to Defra premises is not centrally recorded.
Defra has issued 7501 passes since 2011. Data for 2010 is no longer held.
Defra is currently unable to provide data on the number of Defra passes that are active.
Categories: Local Politics, Politics
