Grantham and Stamford MP Gareth Davies has shared his November round up containing a host of news, from Westminster to Remembrance and Healthcare to Environmental concerns.

Read on to hear from Gareth and find out about his November 2022...

Remembrance

As the representative of Grantham, Stamford and Bourne, Gareth was involved in a range of Remembrance events this November.

He laid a wreath in Bourne and dedicated a poppy to one local serviceman in the Parliament Constituency Garden of Remembrance.

Gareth said: "Earlier this month I visited some of our own community RBL poppy sellers and had the pleasure of meeting Philip Collins, whose father, Frederick, served during the Second World War as part of 45 Commando Royal Marines. Mr Collins saw action on Sword Beach on D-Day, going on to fight through France, the Netherlands and into Germany during the liberation of Western Europe. Inspired by his story and in gratitude to Philip for his voluntary service, I chose to dedicate this year's poppy cross on behalf of Grantham and Stamford to Frederick Collins.

"Each year, I am deeply struck by the importance we rightly place on this event, and I am proud to live in a community which demonstrates its thanks and support to our Armed Forces so well. It is clear that so many of us feel we owe an eternal debt to those who have fallen or been injured in war - one that we can never repay."

Westminster news

Gareth recalled that this month the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister "announced measures in the Autumn Statement to ensure economic stability, provide further help for households with the cost of living, and boost funding for our public services.

"Since his appointment, the Chancellor has been firm in his commitment to ensure that we are 'a country that funds our promises and pays our debts.' From the beginning, he acknowledged this would require incredibly difficult decisions, but he and the Prime Minister also promised to be guided by principles of fairness and compassion.

"I am confident that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have made the right decisions to see us all through this moment of exceptional, global challenge – with inflation triggered by the high energy costs caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Autumn Statement will see us stay in the game so that, when these pressures lift, we can win the prosperity we all want for our nation."

Gareth also shared the progress of local campaigns being undertaken by himself and other invested parties:

He began with healthcare concerns, addressing issues such as cancer treatment, Covid-19, and pharmaceutical services.

Healthcare

"In the middle of the month, I was grateful to attend the launch of the Target Ovarian Cancer's Pathfinder 2022, which aims to provide an in-depth picture of the experiences of women affected by ovarian cancer across the UK.

"Their findings focus upon three key areas: diagnosis, access to treatment and support. The charity's overall goal is to ensure faster diagnosis, fairer access to treatment and support for women affected by ovarian cancer.

"The Pathfinder found that, while 7,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, one-in-five women diagnosed in England are already too ill for treatment at the time of diagnosis. To help speed up diagnosis and save lives, they are calling for the use of better techniques, like blood tests and ultrasounds, and for greater support for those interpreting test results.

"When accessing treatment, their research has highlighted that women who are treated in specialist multidisciplinary gynaecology cancer centres have significantly better chances of recovery. I was also particularly struck by the need for greater wellbeing and mental health support for women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I can only imagine how difficult a diagnosis like this must be, but I am grateful there are charities like this to raise awareness and support women and their families in their fight against ovarian cancer.

"While I am glad the Government and NHS are committed to improving awareness of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, I am fully supportive of the aims of Target Ovarian Cancer and I commend them on their life-saving research to raise awareness and improve the treatment of ovarian cancer. 

"Finally, I was pleased to hear from representatives from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) at their event in Parliament about the vital work of community pharmacies and their aims for the future of their profession. Having visited Well Grantham Pharmacy on Hornsby Road just last year, I am very aware of the central role pharmacists have in our healthcare network, and of their resilient work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Community pharmacies do much more than simply dispense medicine - they play a vital role in our communities, offering advice and care. In fact, 7 in 10 people regard face-to-face advice from a pharmacist or other member of the pharmacy team as very important to them.

"One of the aims of the PSNC is for pharmacies to be allowed to expand their role in primary care. Progress is being made in this area, with the Government committed to expanding the range of services available from community pharmacies, such as the powers to prescribe certain medications where it makes sense, freeing up time for GPs to support patients with more complex needs. This position was made clear in the Government's recently published 'Our Plan for Patients' and should free up an estimated 2 million GP appointments, highlighting the integral work of pharmacists."

Environment and farming

This month, Gareth met with the Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Christine Middlemiss, and the national Director of Animal and Plant Health and Welfare, Gareth Baynham-Hughes, to discuss the current trend of avian flu across Great Britain.

He explained: "Dr Middlemiss explained that there have been 129 recorded cases of avian flu in Great Britain, with East Anglia the worst affected. Currently, Mr Baynham-Hughes shared that Great Britain is recording around 2 cases per day, down from 4 per day over previous weeks. 

"All cases recorded are of the H5N1 strain, which does not easily infect humans and is not usually spread from human-to-human. The source of this outbreak has been identified as migratory wild birds, with similar outbreaks occurring across Europe and North America.

"While I am glad that we currently have no cases of avian flu recorded in the constituency, we do have areas which sit within official surveillance zones. Farmers and birdkeepers within them abide by strict biosecurity rules to prevent cases and further contagion. I am very much aware of the financial impact this can have on farmers, but also on those further down the supply chain, including on consumers.

"In order to mitigate the financial impact upon farmers, the Government has taken steps to improve compensation for those who have recorded cases amongst their livestock. Farmers now have greater certainty earlier on, are paid more quickly, and should receive a larger sum than in previous years.

"An area which is already benefiting from the involvement of science in farming is the Barclays Eagle Lab at University of Lincoln's Institute of Agrifood Technology, which I was fortunate enough to visit just last week. This revolutionary centre right on our doorstep allows new, agile tech-focused businesses to develop their ideas while making use of the knowledge and experience of the farming community.

"Agri-tech can help us address the biggest challenges facing the farming industry, from reducing its impact on our climate, to using robotics to increase productivity and reduce our dependence on pesticides. I am excited that it will be farmers in our area who lead the way."

Local business

At the UK Hospitality reception in Parliament this November, Gareth spoke to industry leaders about the challenges they face and what further support they need from the Government.

He said: "I remain very much aware of the challenges faced by those in the hospitality sector through the pandemic, and the impact of the current inflationary pressures we are experiencing. 

"One of the most pressing issues raised was the current high cost of energy, which is why I am glad to see the Government is acting to help all businesses through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.

"The Chancellor also announced in his Autumn Statement that we are extending the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure business rates relief scheme from 50% to 75% for 2023-24, up to £110,000 per business. This means an estimated 230,000 business properties - including pubs, cafes, and hotels locally - will get a £2.1 billion tax cut next year. The support will also enable our high streets and town centres to evolve and adapt to changing consumer demands."

Support for Lincolnshire Police

Gareth also voiced his support for the Lincolnshire Police service, investing time in farming crimes and communication with the Police.

Gareth met with Lincolnshire Police & Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, to discuss the work by Lincolnshire Police to combat hare coursers.

Gareth added: "When these criminal gangs tear across fields in the barbaric pursuit of hares, they not only terrorise our farmers and damage their livelihood, they impact us all.

Through Operation Galileo, Lincolnshire Police are fighting back. I was assured that the Lincolnshire Police Rural Crime Action Team has access to the most up-to-date equipment, including dogs, drones, and helicopter support when required. So far, the team have seized 14 dogs, arrested 11 criminals, and taken 3 vehicles containing equipment ranging from dog leads to night vision devices.

"Moreover, Lincolnshire Police are in regular dialogue with their colleagues from other regions, and this cooperation will increase over the coming months to ensure that measures such as dispersal orders are applied over the widest area possible.

"At a national level, legislation has been strengthened, providing new powers to courts and creating two new specific criminal offences to penalise hare coursers.

"Crucially, to help the police do their job, you should report all cases of hare coursing by calling 999 if the crime is in progress, or otherwise via 101 or the online form on the police website."

Supporting schools and colleges

Gareth rounded off sharing his support for local schools and colleges, focusing on how students can become more involved with local and national democracy.

He concluded: "This month saw this year's UK Parliament Week, which took place between 14-20th November 2022. The week represents a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to learn more about how they can get more involved in our democracy and how our system of government functions.

"During this week, I was delighted to welcome pupils from Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Stamford Endowed Schools as they visited Parliament and took part in lessons organised by the Parliament Education Centre.

"The students were able to make use of the award-winning programme of workshops and tours offered by the centre, whilst enthusiastically quizzing me on my role as an MP, national and local affairs, and how our political system operates."

Sign up for the Stamford Nub News Newsletter for more local content, news, events and updates in our weekly email. To do so, just click the green 'Sign Up' button at the top of our News page.

Alternatively, share your own news by emailing [email protected] or clicking the 'Nub It' button at the top of this page.