Campaign Responses

I welcome the new measures put in place to help businesses across the country, particularly pubs. It is reassuring that no pub or other business in the hospitality sector will be required to pay business rates this year.

The House of Commons discussed the Remaining Stages of the Trade Bill on Monday. From there it goes onto the Lords for more scrutiny.

More than 50 amendments were tabled of which one was “New Clause 17”, tabled by the Green MP Caroline Lucas.

I’ve seen a number of misleading or altogether false statements about yesterday’s Trade Bill vote and I think it’s important to clear things up:

Firstly, please let me be clear that the Government has not withdrawn funding for free school meals in the holidays – Free meals are not usually provided out of term time.

The government have put in place strict social distancing, including the closure of schools for everyone except vulnerable children and the children of critical workers, to slow the spread of the virus so the NHS would not be overwhelmed, and lives could be saved.

Like you, I cherish our National Health Service and its guiding principles: that it is universal and free at the point of need. The Government has been repeatedly clear that our NHS will never be on the table in any trade agreements, a position I fully support.

The UK is working with the international community to ensure Iran receives the humanitarian support it needs during this global pandemic.

I recognise the real difficulties facing the road haulage sector during the covid-19 crisis.  I also understand that the sector has a vital role to play in the national effort to combat the spread of the disease.

I fully appreciate constituents' concerns and the seriousness of the situation for the whole UK travel industry, which I recognise is facing real difficulty in light of the coronavirus outbreak.  I have written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to raise these

I completely understand what an incredibly emotive issue this is, and I appreciate the strength of feelings about this issue.  Abortion care is an essential part of care for women, and I can assure you that safeguarding measures remain in place.

I appreciate the concerns that some people have raised at this difficult time regarding motor neurone disease (MND) not having been included on the list of conditions which identify someone as ‘extremely vulnerable’ to Covid-19.

I have received a number of e-mails about the difficulties the dentistry sector is experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic in relation to obtaining PPE.