As many of us head towards the school half term, Westminster is host to a very busy week of weighty policy issues, some positive, many challenging and hotly debated. When Parliament works well issues are scrutinised to a high level and all sides given a chance to share their views, but then things should not drift on for too long.
On Monday motions were agreed that uprate benefits and state pensions by the rate of inflation this year, so helping the most vulnerable with the cost of living and giving certainty to pensioners as well as upholding a Government manifesto promise on the triple lock. As with wage increases we do need to be cautious of inflationary pressures although falling energy prices in the coming months should hopefully be a help in that regard.
Amendments to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill suggested by the House of Lords were considered. This is not really a party political issue and most people recognise that so-called cancel culture is unhealthy and not the kind of creative and analytical thinking that we should be fostering in educational settings. I would also lean towards the view that whilst we must always be aware of and learn from our past, we cannot airbrush our history. Most importantly, we need to get back to our universities being cherished and respected institutions not just here but worldwide. Hard earned reputations built over long periods must not be thrown away in what is surely a passing phase of censoriousness.
I have been contacted by a few residents in Chard and am sorry to confirm that Springmead GP surgery will be closing on the 24th February because of recruitment difficulties. I have been in touch with NHS Somerset and patients will be transferred automatically to Ariel Healthcare and receive communication about this shortly. Until then Springmead should still be used for appointments and prescriptions. It is always a shame to lose a medical facility although with staffing issues consolidation should result in a more reliable service. We do need to simplify and streamline the way in which GP surgeries, which are mostly private businesses, are run and funded and able to tailor pension arrangements, which could in turn make that area of medicine more attractive throughout people's careers.
The final business of the House of Commons before the brief half-term recess will be a debate I have secured on the future accountability of the regulators in financial services. It’s about building a framework for the industry that sets objective standards for clarity and consistency and allows it to be more competitive while also promoting investor protection and financial stability. There is work being done in this area in the House of Lords currently and, as an MP with relevant professional experience I would like to contribute and get people thinking about this more in the House of Commons as well.