In the churn of politics, it can sometimes feel as if figures might get lost in the mix of announcements. Yet through the flurry, one could not be ignored: £277,591,000.
Indeed, our Conservative Government is investing this into local transport as part of our long-term plan to level up Cumbria. From potholes and congestion to public transport and road safety, the possibilities for this monumental sum of money are truly amazing. And crucially only now possible since the Prime Minister reallocated HS2 funding to benefit people across the whole country.
To ensure value for money, I met with the Transport Secretary and wrote to our councils articulating where monies should be spent. Exciting times but we cannot lose the focus of overcoming our connectivity challenges.
Par for the course, I’m always lobbying for funding and this month was no different with £255,000 secured for natural food defences in Brampton and £378,068 between swimming pools in Appleby, Penrith and Wigton.
Informing this it is so important to get out and about to hear people’s priorities. Indeed, I had a great meeting with Greystoke Bus Action Group aiming to secure a dedicated bus service to unlock economic and social potential. I am busy following up with relevant stakeholders to move this issue forward.
I also must celebrate Deborah and Donna of Cardiac Risk in the Young for their amazing heart screening weekend. 200 local youngsters came through the door, safeguarding them against undetected health issues, after a monumental fundraising effort. I popped in to see the team for their screening session in Penrith and they already have two more weekends in the diary which was simply amazing to hear. Well done!
Cumbria’s newest Alternative Education Provision, the Mighty Oak Initiative, is set to transform lives of young folk struggling in mainstream education so I met with the team in Penrith to give my support. Moreover, I caught up with the Police about rural crime and antisocial behaviour and returned to Rheged where I was so impressed by their range of local produce.
Just as exciting as meeting people here, is when constituents come to Westminster. This month I welcomed Yannis and Maria of Just Greek in Penrith who continued their roaring successes at national awards. I know I speak for everyone when I say a huge congratulations to them.
Elsewhere in Parliament, I’ve continued my cancer campaigning alongside Breast Cancer Now to boost screenings; attended a Microplastics group to protect our environment; spoke out against taxing independent schools and reaffirmed my support for pubs alongside a prominent trade association leader.
Representing the largest constituency in England and sitting on the Commons EFRA Select Committee means I’m regularly occupied by farming. Excitingly, this month, the PM announced a suite of measures to support profitable farming businesses for generations to come. Having highlighted the challenges we face with food security, I am delighted core measures included innovation funding, an annual Food Security Index, and a crackdown on food waste. Delighted to support the
Government as we back, not just our brilliant British farmers, but the entire population they feed.
This is made much easier by Sainsbury’s and Ocado who joined our campaign to add a ‘Buy British Button’ on their website to help consumers make the right choices.
Alongside domestic production, food security means diversifying and strengthening supply chains. So, with ongoing negotiations our EFRA Committee is considering how we can cement our world-leading production standards into an overarching agri-food trade strategy.
Furthermore, I met with the Environment Secretary, the Farming Minister, British Sugar and the Conservative Rural Forum to push forward and deliver even more for our food producers. Then I visited Harper Adams University where I stood up for land-based education - and the future agricultural workforce it will support.
This month also saw the Farm Safety Foundation’s Mind Your Head Campaign. Tragically, farmers are overrepresented in instances of mental ill health and suicide. Any initiative to support rural mental health has my full support.
However, I also swapped farm animals with penguins and giraffes as I sat on the Zoological Society of London (Leases) Bill Committee to safeguard London Zoo and the critical work it does on endangered species and conservation, along with its sister zoo at Whipsnade. One simple lease extension would allow them to better fund research that saves animals and ecosystems across the world.
Exciting progress on water companies too as DEFRA enacted my recommendations to ban bonuses for serious polluters. But we are not done yet and our EFRA Committee wrote to regulators demanding these companies clean up their act and are held to account.
Our Puppy smuggling crackdown is gathering pace too where I led discussions on a charity roundtable success ahead of the new Puppy Smuggling Bill that will be debated in the Commons next week. Stopping puppy smuggling and the importation of dogs with horrifically cropped ears isn’t rocket science - but it is veterinary science, and I’m delighted to support it.
