MPs’ Round-Up

MPs’ round-up Knowledge and education can be our best defence

I was saddened by the news of Prince Phillip’s passing. A good innings in every respect and a life of public service in support of Her Majesty.

n Before Parliament rose for Easter a couple of weeks ago, the Defence Secretary at the Despatch Box outlined the details of the Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. And as ever, when defence policy is in question, we heard the familiar injunction reminding us that defence is the first duty of every Government. But one thing that the last year has shown us is that the concept of defence has to be seen in a wider context. This doesn’t just encompass advances in drone, cybersecurity and disruptive military technology, but also measures designed to mitigate against the risks posed by this and future pandemics. Covid-19 has had a greater impact on our freedoms and economy than any military conflict since the Second World War. And while the vaccine rollout continues, it’s clear we need to develop and sustain a domestic vaccine capability in the years ahead if we are to protect the UK against splintering international supply chains which, inherently, are subject to logistical difficulties and political manoeuvring. This pandemic has demonstrated that threats from viruses can rival military and security threats. Developing our defences against future pandemics must be a strategic priority – a view the Government is now acting on. The Prime Minister’s announcement last week that approximately 60 million doses of the Novovax vaccine will be produced in the North East of England is hugely significant, as is the launch of the new Health Security Agency (in place of Public Health England) – which will have as its mission the monitoring of future epidemiological threats. The stunning success of the UK’s vaccination programme demonstrates the immense importance of science – and, indeed, the value of education and the transmission of knowledge. There can be no better exemplification of the value of apparently obscure knowledge than the global race for a vaccine. And, given the contribution that scientists have made, I do hope to see a renewed focus on education in the years ahead. The surest defence against future, unforeseen threats, is to ensure the next generation can value, acquire and wield knowledge in the best interests of all. The pandemic has shown us that education and science are the most powerful weapons in overcoming the threats we face. As we now know, it may well be our ability to meet epidemiological threats with scientific solutions that ensures our institutions and way of life are preserved for – and by –our children and grandchildren.

Somerton & Frome MP David Warburton

Rights and responsibilities of covid pass

I’ve been doing and supervising hundreds of vaccinations in London and Wiltshire. As we anticipate something approaching normality with venues opening up, the question of covid passports or certificates has become prominent. There’s precedent, notably Yellow Fever certificates demanded for entry by a number of countries and vaccination required for some occupations, notably health workers. The first test is whether mandatory or permitted covid passes will significantly protect other people or not. If not then ditch the idea. Otherwise I think we have to reflect on rights and responsibility being sides of the same coin. Personally I don’t have a principled objection to people being asked to show they are not posing a risk to others if and when they interact with other people. That could mean being vaccinated, showing you’ve recently had a negative covid test, showing you have antibodies to the virus or showing a valid reason for having none of these. My experience is that most people would agree. Indeed, my ear is frequently bent in favour of ID cards – a potentially greater imposition and one I’ve not been supportive of. I accept that, as in wartime, we have to be careful about impositions that are quickly placed but slowly lifted. I am also by instinct rather keen on minimising government and Whitehall diktats. However, if covid passports can expedite the return of some of the freedoms put in abeyance over the past year, I am likely to support. Indeed, other jurisdictions from Israel to the EU are working on vaccine passports for a variety of activities, from traveling abroad to shopping. This could create a fait accompli in which countries and individual businesses seek to adopt vaccine checks. It would be odd for government to intrude on proprietors trying to make premises safe for customers and staff based on best available evidence which gets back to my point about whether covid passes will make a material difference to risk. The judgement is eased somewhat by government saying it will rule out the requirement for certificates in settings like public transport and essential shops. There has also been talk of time-limiting covid certification. Government has said that certification would in any event not be ready until June. Indeed, we have just enjoyed the first few days of pubs being reopened – albeit outside in our temperamental climate – without needing so-called vaccine passports. Various forms of certification are now due to be trialed in high attendance events – including at a reducedcapacity Wembley for the FA Cup final. Clearly the transition from the rule of six in a beer garden to 90,000 football fans crammed into Wembley will require caution. But we will get there and covid certificates might just help.

MP for South West Wiltshire Dr Andrew Murrison

MPs’ round-up Vote for candidate who’s put legwork in

The joy of the Easter message and the renewal of the Seasons came under pressure with the announcements of deaths recently. I will not add unnecessarily to comment upon the Duke’s death save to say that his devotion to duty, service and the subjection of the self to another were hallmarks of character that stand out and which we should all seek to replicate. A chapter has closed but our Island Story continues. May the Duke rest in peace and the Queen’s faith sustain her at this desperately sad time. I know both will be in the thoughts and prayers of all of us in North Dorset.

n The terrible murder of Sir Richard Sutton caused shock and anxiety in and around Gillingham. Why we think North Dorset should be exempt from such crimes of evil I don’t know but we do, don’t we? Our local Dorset Police have responded magnificently and if I have one message of assurance to give it is that this was an isolated crime and that there is no need for anxiety for the local community. Justice must run its course so I will comment no further on this desperately sad event.

n My late father was (unlike me) a keen DIYer. Whenever, as a boy I was enlisted to help with some home decoration project I was very much the junior apprentice – able to pass a nail, hold a ladder etc but not actually to ‘get my hands dirty’. Unsurprisingly, I used to get bored – why can’t we just get the paint/paper on rather than all this tedious prep work that no one will see? My dear father would repeat his mantra: it’s 80% preparation, 10% perspiration and 10% decoration. In a few weeks’ time Dorset will go to the Polls to elect our new Police & Crime Commissioner. Dorset’s current Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, is stepping down and I want to place on record, on your behalf, my thanks to him for all that he has done and for being so accessible to me as your MP. The role of Commissioner is important: it is not a day to day operational role (that is the Chief Constable’s job) but it is a role whereby an elected person can set goals, strategies and priorities that meet the needs of the area. Politicians have always been involved with policing as the old police authorities demonstrate. There are a number of candidates standing and I would urge you to vote for David Sidwick. He is standing as a Conservative but that is not the reason I recommend him to you and ask you to support him. It is because he is the ONLY candidate who has spoken to me regularly over the last two years, as your MP, to find out the issues and needs my constituents and communities have of the police. He has done the same with business leaders, farmers, community groups, charities and councillors over the same timeframe. He has a very clear understanding of the needs of policing our rural area. My father always had excellent results from his handiwork. I don’t think David Sidwick knew my father, but he has followed his mantra of concentrating on the preparation for a job. He will hit the ground running, having done his homework and he will deliver for North Dorset. So please vote for him – he will serve us all well.

MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare

Such sadness at passing of Duke of Edinburgh

I write this with great sadness following the passing of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh last Friday. I have sent a letter to Her Majesty the Queen on behalf of the people of West Dorset to express my deepest of sympathies to her and the rest of the royal family at this time. I know there is a profound sense of affection and care among us, not only for what Duke of Edinburgh has stood for all these years, but also his selfless lifelong service. The loss of a partner of over seven decades is devastating to anyone, and I would not presume to know Her Majesty’s feelings. However, I would wish her to know that the country is standing alongside her in support and grandfather, and loyal husband. We in West Dorset have been fortunate enough to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen on several occasions. He visited Sherborne in 1998 when Her Majesty unveiled the Great West window of the Abbey and again in 2012 as part of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee tour. On this trip, they visited again the ‘Cathedral of Dorset’ as a stage on the Queen’s route around the UK after 60 years as our Sovereign. In 2016, Her Majesty and the Duke came to Dorchester with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to open Queen Mother Square. It was a wonderful day seeing the royal family come together to

MP for West Dorset Chris Loder

sharing in her grief. I hope that this will bring her a small comfort. His Royal Highness completed more than a staggering 20,000 solo engagements between 1952 and 2017 while also being a loving father and celebrate the opening of such a landmark of our county town. It is hard to quantify the impact that Prince Philip has had on our nation as a remarkable man with a turbulent life that was entwined with almost all major events of the past hundred years. He stood by the side of Her Majesty the Queen for over 70 of those years, sacrificing a private life for one of devoted public service. The Duke of Edinburgh will remain steadfastly in our country’s national memory as flags fly at half-mast in West Dorset and across the country. My thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty and the Royal Family.

Ask the vet... with Lynn Broom

What elements do dogs and cats actually need in their diet? Dogs and cats can eat a variety of foods and, broadly speaking, they need the same elements in their diets as us. There are some significant differences though and they have certain essential requirements. The three main food types are protein, carbohydrates and fats. A balanced diet must also include micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Cats are obligate carnivores and this means that they need animal protein in their diet (either naturally occurring or synthesised). They can metabolise carbohydrates although they have no actual requirement for them except during pregnancy. It has been suggested that a high carbohydrate diet can predispose cats to type 2 diabetes, although it appears that obesity is more of a significant factor. Dogs are omnivores so can thrive on a varied diet as long as it includes the required micronutrients. If you choose to feed a homemade raw or cooked diet it is important to ensure the diet is complete and contains appropriate levels of vitamins and minerals – ideally determined by a qualified nutritionist. It is also important to be aware of the human health risks as well as the potential risks to your pet of feeding a meat based raw food diet. Puppies, like children, have slightly different requirements to adults. Large breed puppies are more prone to developing joint problems. This is partly genetically determined but diet can play an important role in their development. A diet with the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus as well as a diet which encourages slow growth can help minimise the severity of these issues. In the short term management of diarrhoea it has been shown that the gut heals more rapidly if a low fat, easily digested diet such as chicken and rice is fed in small frequent meals. It should not, however, be relied upon long term because this is not a balanced diet. It is also important to recognise what is not suitable to feed our pets that we consider normal parts of our own diet. Onions, leeks and garlic can be extremely toxic to dogs and cats causing life threatening anaemia. Grapes (fresh and dried) can also be highly toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure. A very recent finding has suggested that this may be due to the presence of tartaric acid (cream of tartar) which can form on grapes in certain conditions. Dogs are very sensitive to even low levels of tartaric acid. Macadamia nuts can also be toxic to dogs. The theobromine and caffeine present in chocolate is toxic to dogs. The concentration varies from high concentrations in 90% dark chocolate (just 4 squares can be toxic to a Labrador) to low levels in many milk chocolates. Xylitol is a sweetener present in many foods including some sweets and peanut butter and this causes a catastrophic drop in blood glucose in dogs and can cause irreversible liver damage. To ensure the best health of your pet it is important to feed a complete balanced diet suitable for their species and life stage and to avoid potentially toxic ingredients or treats.

Urgent appeal for hedgehogs’ food funds

Donations are always welcome at Hedgehog Rescue at Hazelbury Bryan, which has rescued 200 of this endangered species in the last two years. Since Jeanette Hampstead opened the hedgehog hospital, she has been taking in hedgehogs from North Dorset for emergency treatment and specialist care. And with hedgehogs eating up to 200g of wet food each night, along with a handful of dry food, costs mount up! Jeanette said: “We always return the healthy hedgehogs to the same area in which they were found, where possible. “The hogs know that area and are able to find food and water but it always helps to have a dish of clean water in your garden. “When people visit us at Hedgehog Rescue of Hazelbury Bryan they are surprised at the amount of food hogs eat in one evening. “They can eat, depending on their size and weight 200grams of wet food a night with a handful of dry food on the side. “Desperado came to us as a juvenile in November last year and is waiting for release. “He weighs 736 grams now. “You can imagine our hedgehog food bills over the winter when we had over 30 hedgehogs in residence at one time. “We were using, at one point, 14 cans of wet cat food inside and LOST AND FOUND

Blandford & Sturminster Newton Cats Protection These are the most recent cats that have been lost or found. Please check out our Facebook page or give us a call if you have lost or found a cat so we can reunite cats with their owners: Lost Cats: Milton Abbas – black slightly fluffy girl Durweston -b/w boy Stour Road, Blandford: black boy Blandford – tabby boy with collar Found Cats: Ashewll Mere – Calico tortie Milborne Port: l/h tabby boy with chip (address details incorrect)

n We still offer neutering and micro-chipping for £5 in postcode areas DT10, DT11, SP5, SP7, BH21 and now also in SP8 call 01258 268695.

A5 PAINTING OF YOUR PET £25 from photo to katiepetremears@gmail.com

COCKER SPANIEL PUPPIES for sale bitches and dogs available. Microchipped, vac docked and dew clawed flead and wormed, vet checked. Mum can be seen with puppies. £3,000 each 07392 444255

SPROCKER PUPPIES brown white chests 9 weeks old 2 girls 1 boy 1st vaccination wormed ready for good homes full of character good with children & other dogs first to see will fall in love please contact for viewing 07551 013967

another six outside the sanctuary.” You can donate at paypal.me/pools/c/8wAppktG05

Buster Luna Coral

Pebbles

Cats looking for new homes: Luna (2) b/w sweet cheeky boy no dogs, cats or children. Buster (5) b/w gorgeous chunky boy desperate for love. Teddy (8) friendly black boy and his friend Pebbles (3) grey & white girl very timid looking for a home together. Coral (2) pretty calico tortie very sweet and very shy, quiet home needed no other pets Call 01258 858644.

Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) SC037711 (Scotland)

Companions at Peace Pet Cremation

Teddy

Independent family run business offering a very personal, caring pet cremation service to bereaved pet owners. Collection Service Farewell Room Out of Hours Service provided Located in a rural countryside setting on the Somerset Dorset border

Contact us on: 07900 654 440 www.companionsatpeace.co.uk