7 minute read
Cat Smith MP
BEN WALLACE MP (cont)
common-sense steps will not only reduce the spread of covid but could lessen the spread of seasonal illnesses. As always, to keep up to date with the latest advice please go to the government’s website. Many local businesses have felt the pinch during the pandemic and, while I am proud of the support given by the government, there is no doubt that the future could be challenging for some. I am sure many of us try to buy local when we can and this will be more important than ever going forward. I am aware that many businesses, if not all, have altered the way they work in response to the pandemic, with working from home becoming the norm in many sectors. I wonder how many businesses will continue to work in this way? I am keen to visit as many businesses as possible to help understand the changing pressures that these new working practices
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7 Rope Walk, Garstang, PR3 1NS have brought about and how, as your local MP, I can help provide support. I have been contacted by a number of residents in recent months about the difficulties they have experienced when contacting their GPs. I know that GPs are facing increased pressures as patients now seek advice in health concerns, after staying away during the pandemic. I also know that GPs must allow for social distancing in the practices and ensure that patients and staff are protected as far as possible. I have been in touch with several of our local GP practices and I know that they are very keen to provide the best possible service to patients and are changing their working practices in response. I have also been in touch with ministers to seek assurances about the support the government is making available to GPs. I am aware that GPs have been offered financial support to assist them at this time. Please be assured that I’m monitoring this situation and hope to visit GPs in the near future. I have previously mentioned that many of my constituents have experienced delays in the processing of their applications to renew their driving licences or apply for new ones. Do check when your licence is due to expire and consider making an early renewal application to avoid being affected by the processing delays. If you are experiencing delays with an application you have already made, please do contact me if you would like my help in escalating your case. The most effective way to contact me is by email with a brief description of the issues you wish to raise, along with your contact details (including home address). You can also ring my office or write to me.
Ben Wallace MP t: 0207 219 5804 e: wallaceb@parliament.uk a: House of Commons SW1A 0AA
CAT SMITH MP
Hello everyone. This month, as well as doing my best to support constituents, visit schools and work places and take part in the business of parliament – I’m also running the London Marathon. It’s still feels a bit odd writing that statement as it wasn’t all that long ago that I struggled to run for a bus. I’ve spent the last six months pounding the streets of the constituency in preparation! I’ll admit there have been times when I wondered what an earth possessed me to agree to this folly – but then the charities I am raising money for are close to my heart. Now, more than ever, people are relying on food banks to feed themselves and their children. Without the food banks, kids would go hungry, and we know that when kids are hungry they struggle to sleep and learn. It’s just not right that in this day and age there are working families who, despite having a job, still can’t afford to pay their rent, cover their bills and put food on the table. In the Over Wyre and Fleetwood area of the constituency we have a higher than average number of workers on low incomes - which is why we have a higher than average number of people needing benefit support to top up those low incomes. Indeed, this month some of those people who are on universal credit, will have their benefit cut by a £1000 a year, further pushing them into debt and despair. When I run the London Marathon I’ll be raising much-needed funds for both the food bank in Fleetwood and the Lancaster and Morecambe food bank run by the Trussell Trust. Between April 2020 and March 2021, the Trussell Trust network gave out 2.5 million emergency food parcels - a 33% rise on the
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CAT SMITH MP (cont)
previous year. This comes on top of year-onyear increases in need. A new survey by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust has found that more than three quarters of people on universal credit (UC) are already struggling to keep up with bills and credit commitments and are going without food as a result. Shockingly nearly two million people on UC had at least one day in the previous month where they didn’t eat at all, or only had one meal, because they couldn’t afford to buy enough food. Removing this lifeline will have a devastating impact on people’s ability to meet their basic needs and to find and stay in employment. More than one million people say it will be ‘very likely’ that they will need to skip meals if universal credit is cut. 1.3m people say that it will be ‘very likely’ they will be unable to afford to heat their homes and 900,000 people say it would be very likely they wouldn’t have enough money to travel to work or to essential appointments on public transport if universal credit is cut. MPs from across the political spectrum have spoken out against the cut and we have joined over 90 charities that have come together to support the campaign. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has said the cut would push a further 500,000 people below the poverty line. Citizens Advice said a survey of more than 2,000 claimants showed more than one-third (38%) would be in debt after paying just their essential bills if the cut goes ahead, describing it as ‘a hammer blow to millions of people’. If you’re facing difficulties and you need some help then please do get in touch. And if by any chance you can sponsor me, I’d be hugely grateful! You can find out more information here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
catsmithmp
As the Shadow Minister for Young People I welcome the news that vaccines for teenagers have been given the green light from the UK’s chief medical officers.
The challenge for the government now is to get jabs out to 12 to 15 year-olds as quickly as possible to prevent further avoidable disruption to their education. Having spoken to local health professionals this week, they tell me they are very concerned about the coming winter and it’s important we vaccinate young people and offer booster jabs to others if we are to avoid our hospitals once again becoming overwhelmed.
Cat Smith MP t: 01253 490440 e: cat.smith.mp@parliament.uk a: 50 Lord Street, Fleetwood, FY7 6DT www.catsmith.co.uk
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