In the run-up to this week’s Budget I was delighted to hear the Chancellor’s announcement of a new £5bn scheme to help get our High Streets back in business. These new grants will help our businesses reopen as we look forward to easing restrictions and come in addition to the all the other support measures introduced since the start of the pandemic. I have constantly lobbied for increased business support throughout this period and will of course help businesses access this support here.
The Chancellor also announced that the UK’s Covid vaccination rollout will receive an extra £1.65bn to help reach the Government’s target of offering a first dose to every adult by 31 July. With over 20 million people in the UK now having had their first dose, and new analysis showing that a single shot of the vaccine can reduce the chance of needing hospital treatment by more than 80%, I would encourage everyone to have the jab when asked. The success of our vaccination programme is crucial in allowing us to safely lift restrictions, reopen our economy and stimulate growth, and I am fully behind measures which will help us achieve this. The degree of immunity created by vaccine take up by the autumn will moreover be critical to assessments next winter when there could well be further cases and pressure, so it is in all our interests for people of all ages to respond positively to the call.
As we hope to move out of this difficult time and reflecting on an unprecedented need for local authority services, I am certain that transition to a single unitary authority is the way forward. Such a model would deliver significant annual savings to be reinvested into front line services as well as enhance the role of parish and town councils to allow local voices to make more of a difference. The move to a single unitary authority will help our communities recover, whilst delivering on what our residents want: better local services, better engagement and better value for money.
It is so important that schools are reopening next week, and the Government has announced that all households with school age children will get two, free rapid Covid-19 tests per person per week. Getting our children back to school is a top priority and this testing programme can be the difference between children being able to stay in school, or a class being sent home due to an outbreak. A number of good local people have contacted me with concerns regarding school Covid safety, and these measures will I hope show parents and education staff that schools are as safe as possible and this issue will remain under constant review.
This week I hosted a great meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education, on the topic of how the physical classroom environment can help children’s wellbeing. Covid-19 has highlighted the need for advances on this issue, and new ideas like the ‘Clever Classrooms’ project, designing new spaces which can support our children’s development, can represent a big step forward. Better design of schools, such as outdoor space included in the learning environment can have a huge impact on concentration and we also need to look at areas like ventilation. I’m really enthusiastic about taking this forward.
As always, if you would like to get in touch please do email marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk or call 01935314321.