This piece is written by Liam Halligan of The Daily Telegraph

Last Sunday, this newspaper revealed the Government was launching a review of UK competition law, ahead of an autumn Budget. “Competition drives down prices, creates wider choice for consumers and leads to better-quality products and services,” said Alok Sharma, the Business Secretary, making the formal announcement the next day.

Our political and media class remains fixated on the Covid crisis and the Brexit endgame – for obvious reasons. As the weather cools, the debates over lockdown measures and the London-Brussels stand-off are certainly heating up.

Competition policy, though, encompasses a battle of ideas that, in the long run, means more than how we manage Covid or Brexit. While it sounds arcane, it’s about what kind of capitalism we want.

Across the world, others will be watching, wondering what moves the UK – so often a policy trend-setter – will make. This competition review, while lasting just a few months, could set the path towards regulatory changes which impact enormously the lives and livelihoods of countless millions across the UK and beyond.

The study will be led by John Penrose – a Conservative MP since 2005. He’ll consider how, as the UK hopefully emerges from lockdown and starts life outside the European Union, our competition laws can be improved.

Penrose – who previously worked for JP Morgan and McKinsey – is an innovative thinker. If the Government allows him really to express himself, this quick-turnaround review could be a highly influential piece of work.

But it’s a big “if” ­– because Penrose’s views on competition policy are, in the eyes of some, too radical. I admire his ideas but various powerful players – particularly those running large companies benefiting from the status quo – do not. The quotations that follow are from A Shining City Upon A Hill – a pamphlet Penrose wrote in 2018 – and a speech I heard him give as it was published. “Every so often, capitalism goes wrong,” says Penrose.

Delving back into history, he explains how “waves of bank failures in the early days of the industrial revolution resulted in the UK’s pivotal [1844] Bank Charter Act”. He reminds us that “exploitatively poor working conditions then led to progressively more effective Factories Acts, beginning a long process of improving safety and equity for employees, which continues to this day”.

John Penrose MP will lead a competition review that could shape new laws as Britain prepares for life outside the EU.

Penrose recalls also that “the Great Depression which followed the [1929] Wall Street crash gave birth to modern competition laws, to protect customers from being exploited by over-mighty companies”.

These changes happened not because the governments involved wanted to replace capitalism with a more dirigiste system of socialism or even communism. They were, in contrast, attempts to modify capitalism, in a bid to regain the broad public consent on which it was built, so ensuring its survival.

“Each of these moments happened because capitalism had started to behave in ways which seemed immoral,” Penrose argues. “Creating wealth is wonderful, but not at any cost, and the tariff in human health or dignity had become too high – so each time, the system had to change.”

There are moments in history when, as Penrose says, “society demands new laws to shape and frame free markets so, while driving growth and prosperity, they do so humanely, without exploiting the weak and vulnerable”. Modern capitalism must, periodically, be updated, modernised and rebooted.

Penrose believes, and I agree, that a new rebooting is long overdue. While the current system benefits a lot of us, for many more – perhaps even the majority – it isn’t working as it should.

Far too many consumers feel capitalism is “stacked against them”, says Penrose, “by a complacent, comfortable, out-of-touch global elite” that rewards itself but exploits some lower-skilled workers. “Energy firms rip off loyal customers with sky-high prices as soon as they forget to switch,” he says. “Broadband works slower than it’s supposed to … water firms don’t fix leaky pipes but still impose hosepipe bans.”

The richest 10pc of UK adults now own around half of Britain’s wealth, with the top 1pc controlling 15pc of all assets. While wealth inequality fell from 1995 to 2005, since the 2008 financial crisis, it has risen sharply, driven by falling home ownership, narrower pension provision and endless quantitative easing – which has pumped up the price of property and other assets; good if you own them, bad if you don’t.

Rising inequality

More accurate tax data has revealed a widened income gap between rich and poor

The gap between rich and poor is measured by the so-called Gini co-efficient, where 0pc represents total income equality and 100pc would mean one person owning all the wealth in an economy

Many young adults now struggle to attain living standards enjoyed by their parents. After years of real-terms pay cuts, faith in market economics is slipping. Much of the population views the UK not as capitalist, but “cronyist” – with good reason. And the lockdown has refocused the advantages of wealth and home ownership.

That’s why Penrose’s earlier call for a new Competition Act – “to help shift the balance of power back to customers and citizens” – is so timely.

But that’s where the problems begin. Because, for a large section of the Conservative Party, the big businesses that would oppose more consumer-friendly regulation and pro-competition anti-trust measures simply must not be gainsaid.

Vital consumer markets – including telecoms, house building, banking and energy supply – are dominated by a small number of large companies. It results in poor service, “super-normal” profits and high prices.

For years, our competition policy has been far too influenced by supplier interests. Large developers gave the Tory party £11m over the past year – and a new raft of planning proposals do almost nothing to challenge what is now a highly exploitative oligopoly.

The huge tech firms – adept at recruiting government policy wonks on sky-high salaries – seem immune to scrutiny. And when powerful firms are challenged for ripping off consumers, regulatory changes are typically “voluntary codes” – non-binding stipulations, often circumvented.

Our last Competition Act was in 1998, before Facebook and Google existed. Yet Penrose’s remit may be limited to moving around the deck chairs – merging regulators like Ofcom and Ofwat – rather than setting a new course for the ship of state.

“John Penrose’s work will help ensure we can drive innovation, produce better outcomes for consumers and allow new entrants to the market to grow,” says Rishi Sunak.

I hope so, Chancellor, I hope so. Because if those of us who like capitalism fail to fix it, those who don’t will take over – with disastrous results.

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller visited a British Transport Police County Lines operation at Basingstoke Station. British Transport Police(BTP) have been carrying out County Lines operations across England, Wales and Scotland since Home Office funding for a Taskforce in December 2019.

The main aims of the Taskforce are to tackle drugs on the railway network, and to protect children and vulnerable adults who are often exploited by gangs into selling or moving drugs.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has urged local people to take extra steps to get fit as the nation continues its fight against Covid-19. read more »

I reproduce below the Lord Chancellor’s letter to MPs setting out his new proposals, as I think they are good.

                    A SMARTER APPROACH TO SENTENCING

I am writing to inform you that the Government has laid before Parliament a White Paper entitled ‘A Smarter Approach to Sentencing’.

This paper sets out the Government’s proposals to deliver on manifesto commitments to crack down on crime and protect the public by ensuring dangerous criminals are kept in prison for longer.

Our current sentencing and release framework is failing to give victims and the wider public the confidence they should have in our criminal justice system. Too often the time offenders spend in prison does not match the severity of the crime, with some of the most serious criminals being released after serving only half their sentence.

At the heart of this paper are reforms to the sentencing and release framework in England and Wales, which will see certain sexual and violent offenders serve longer jail time, while new measures aim to tackle the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and improve the rehabilitation and supervision of offenders in the community.

Keeping dangerous criminals in prison for longer

Our white paper sets out plans to make whole life orders the starting point for child killers, as well as allowing judges the discretion to hand out this maximum punishment to 18-20-year olds in exceptional cases (where, currently, only those aged 21 and over may receive a whole life order). We are ending the halfway release of offenders sentenced to between four and seven years in prison for serious crimes such as rape, manslaughter and GBH with intent. Instead they will have to spend two-thirds of their time behind bars, like those serving determinate sentences of more than seven years already do following the legislation we brought in earlier this year. We will also introduce a new power to prevent automatic release for offenders who pose a terrorist threat or are a danger to the public and are serving standard determinate sentences. We will also legislate to increase the time discretionary life sentence prisoners and certain sex offenders must serve in prison before they can be considered for release by the Parole Board.

Tougher community sentences which tackle the underlying causes of crime

The white paper includes plans to make community sentences stricter, better monitored and more targeted at cutting reoffending by tackling issues associated with criminality. More vulnerable offenders who do not pose a risk to public safety will be diverted into treatment programmes to recover from these serious issues, such as mental health, alcohol or drug addiction programmes. This will help them lead crime free lives, ultimately helping drive down reoffending rates alongside strengthened supervision to ensure compliance.

Community sentences will be made tougher by doubling the amount of time offenders can be subject to curfew restrictions to two years for more serious criminals. Courts and probation staff will be given more flexibility to use those curfews to support rehabilitation. For example, by having lesser restrictions Monday to Friday to keep offenders in work, but stricter curfews of up to 20 hours a day on weekends. The robust measures aim to provide strong but rehabilitative punishment in the community.

GPS tagging for burglars

Meanwhile, for the first time, GPS electronic location monitoring will be used to track burglars, robbers and thieves when they are released from prison. Reoffending rates among these offenders is amongst the highest across all offence types, with individuals convicted of theft who reoffend doing so on average five times over their lifetime. The technology will allow probation to monitor an offender’s whereabouts and where appropriate share this data with the police to support them investigating and prosecuting these crimes.   

The move builds on Government’s plans to make greater use of electronic tags to cut crime, following the rollout of GPS monitoring over the last twelve months and plans to begin using so-called ‘sobriety tags’ to tackle alcohol-related offending.

Reducing Re-offending

There is more that we, across Government, need to do to address reoffending. Reoffending weakens public confidence in the criminal justice system’s ability to deal with offenders. It also has a significant financial cost, not only to the criminal justice system, but to wider society. This paper introduces cross-government work underway to develop ambitious plans to reduce reoffending, focusing on employment, accommodation, and substance misuse. An important first step is supporting ex-offenders striving to turn their lives around through work by reducing the time in which they are required to disclose certain convictions for non-sensitive roles.

Alongside this, work is underway to boost education in prisons. Ministers will deliver on the manifesto commitment to develop a Prisoner Education Service, focused on work-based training and skills. It will build on recent reforms that have already enabled Governors to commission education services that meets the needs of their prison populations and local economies. The ability to improve prisoners’ functional, vocational and life-skills is key to support wider rehabilitation and reduce reoffending on release.

Next steps

The Government will bring forward legislation next year to deliver on the proposals set out in this paper.

You can view the White Paper at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-smarter-approach-to-sentencing.

As many of you will be aware, the consultation on health services in Teignmouth and Dawlish (Coastal Locality) is ongoing and will continue until 26 October. There are four proposals:

Graham Stuart, the local MP for Beverley and Holderness, has welcomed that people in the East Riding will be able to apply for Government grants to deliver gigabit-capable broadband in more rural areas.

Local residents will be able to apply for grants of up to £3,000 to get their houses connected, while small businesses can get up to £7,000 of help. This is because East Riding Council is one of just 17 across the country to benefit from a share of a £22 million boost to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which is estimated to benefit at least a quarter of a million homes and businesses in rural areas.

Gigabit-capable broadband is currently the fastest available way of surfing the internet – offering download speeds upwards of 1,000 Mbps. Ultrafast broadband is defined by having speeds greater than 300 Mbps while superfast broadband comes in at either 24 or 30 Mbps – the Government defines it as 24 Mbps while Ofcom and the EU define it as 30.

Graham said, “This is excellent news for my constituents, who often have to deal with internet speeds that shouldn’t be acceptable in today’s day and age. Especially with the newfound focus on working from home due to the Covid-19 outbreak, having decent internet is more important than ever.

“I’d strongly encourage people in Beverley and Holderness to see if they’re eligible for a voucher by checking gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk.

“I stood on a manifesto which committed to deliver gigabit broadband to every home in the UK by 2025. This is a great step which builds on our work that has meant 96% of homes have superfast broadband already.”

Matt Warman MP, who is the Broadband Minister, added: “This government is determined to connect every home and business to the fastest broadband speeds available from the Highlands to the Jurassic Coast.

“We’ll be pumping more money into our voucher scheme to help rural communities get gigabit-speed broadband.”

Of course, we are quite rightly fixated on COVID-19 and BREXIT, along with the way our own lives are being affected by these massive developments.  But I am slightly worried that we, as a country, may well be missing other developments in the World that will have huge impact on us in future.  I will mention specifically China and the Middle East as I have some experience of conditions there.

It was great to be out in Hersham Village with the local Conservative councillors this afternoon, talking to small businesses about the challenges they have faced during Coronavirus.

Like so many businesses across Elmbridge, the owners and staff I met today – including in Ashton House gift shop, the AlleyCatz school uniform shop and the Bricklayers Arms – have worked really hard to get up and running safely over the last few months. This has allowed them to welcome customers back, and has been vital in supporting the local economic recovery.

The consistent message this afternoon was that, while Coronavirus was a major blow, government support has been vital in helping businesses to recover. So far, small businesses across Elmbridge have received £23.6 million in government-funded grants, while thousands of businesses have received Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans and Bounce Back Loans.

The government is continuing to tailor and adapt its support, making sure that businesses and the wider economy have the support they need. Just this week, for example, the government extended a moratorium on business evictions, meaning that commercial tenants are protected from the risk of eviction until the end of the year.

It was encouraging to see how lively Hersham was this afternoon. Over the coming months, I’ll be making sure that the government’s measures continue to support business right across Elmbridge.

It was great to visit In-Comm in Aldridge last week and meet with Gareth Jones to hear how the business is continuing to offer apprenticeship opportunities.

I really value the work that In-Comm continues to do in developing skills in local businesses. Whilst these remain challenging times, In-Comm continue to highlight the value of apprentices by ensuring that young people have the necessary foundations to enable them to pursue any pathway in the engineering sector.

Having come from a manufacturing background I really value the work of In-Comm and how it is helping both industry and our young people with apprenticeships and skills.

Thanks to Bekki and the team at In-Comm for another great visit

It is very good to be back in this space, now that we have started the journey back to normality with Covid. There is of course a long way to go and many people are still suffering badly, but at least it is good to be able to return to the shops and high streets.

Today (16 September), the Justice Secretary has set out the Government’s plans to radically overhaul sentencing, crack down on crime and protect the public by ensuring dangerous criminals are kept in prison for longer.

Today is Battle of Britain Day which this year is marking 80 years since the most fiercely fought 24 hours of the conflict. It is important that we remember the outstanding contribution which the men and women involved made both in the air and on the ground to help protect our country. Southampton has [...]

The post Battle of Britain Day appeared first on Royston Smith - At the heart of Southampton.

Dear constituent

I am writing to you with another update about coronavirus issues.

Coronavirus Guidance

As you will have heard, the rules and the guidance changed this week to limit meetings to six people. This can be indoors or outdoors, as the autumn and winter are coming soon.

I have received a number of questions about the detail of the changes. The full detail of what was announced is here.

The important thing is to make sure that there isn’t a resurgence of the virus in our area. At the moment the incidence remains pretty low compared with other areas, but none of us want to see it start to spread again here.

Access to GP services locally

I have also received a number of questions about access to GP services locally. GPs have remained open throughout the crisis, though practices have changed their ways of working. In particular most appointments are now made online. However if people do not have access to a computer to book an appointment, they can still do so by phone. This is the guidance I have received.

All practices across Surrey have introduced a digital software platform called ‘Footfall’.  This saves time for patients in allowing them to register an issue 24/7, seven days a week with their practice.  The software will direct the issue to the right service who in turn will respond.  However this is only to complement services already available from the practice including being able to ring and book an appointment. We realise not all patients want to use a digital approach and that is completely acceptable. To be honest the vast majority of all work in general practice is still being carried out by phone.

Job opportunity

If you are looking for a new job at the moment, the local Job Centre Plus team have asked me to tell people that they are currently recruiting new work coaches for claimants. The details are at www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk.

Face coverings and deafness

I have had a request from a constituent who works to support deaf people to remind everyone locally that the widespread wearing of masks can cause problem for people with hearing impairments and who normally depend on lip reading. There are some helpful suggestions about this here. 

Shopping locally

For anyone who is still worried about going out shopping locally, I would just reassure you that social distancing measures and hygiene measures are routine in all our local centres, and local businesses are taking great care over the pandemic. Most people are also wearing masks when shopping, and I would urge everyone to do so. It’s not just about protecting against the virus – it’s also a reassurance for anyone who is nervous about being out shopping.

Best wishes

Chris

The post Coronavirus (COVID-19) appeared first on Chris Grayling.

Jonathan visiting Huntingdon branch members of the National Farmers Union.  read more »

VITAL REOPENING NEWS FOR WILTSHIRE

Indoor theatres , music and performance venues will be able to reopen with socially distanced audiences under updated performing arts guidance published by the Government. This follows a successful series of pilots and marks stage 4 of the government’s 5-stage roadmap for the return of professional performing arts.

Wedding receptions in the form of a sit-down meal in a COVID-secure location for up to 30 guests will now be permitted.

The piloting of a small number of sporting events to test the safe return of spectators will resume from August 15 with a view to reopening competition venues for sports fans, with social distancing measures in place from 1 October.

Indoor play and indoor soft play , bowling alleys, skating rinks and casinos will be permitted to reopen.

Beauty salons, tattoo studios, spas and barbers across England will be able to offer all close contact services – including front of the face treatments such as eyebrow threading, eyelash treatments and facials from August 15 under new guidance.

Fines will double to a maximum of £3,200 for those who repeatedly flout face covering  rules

New fines  to be introduced for people hosting raves or other unlawful gatherings of more than 30 people.

The post VITAL REOPENING NEWS FOR WILTSHIRE appeared first on Michelle Donelan MP.

Network Rail is preparing the final stages of delivering step-free access at Garforth Railway Station, it has been announced.

Alec had been campaigning for new step-free access at Garforth for over a decade before finally securing funds direct from the Department for Transport. Alec will continue to work closely, cross-party, with Garforth’s Independent Councillors to represent the views of residents through the planning process.

Announcing the scheme in 2014, the then Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “After years of false starts and broken promises under Labour, it is a testament to the local Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke’s persistent campaigning that I can announce that this scheme is finally happening for the people of Garforth”.

Since 2014 Alec has been in regular contact with Transport officials pushing for firmer plans and no further delays. He also raised the matter several times in the House of Commons Chamber.

But today it has been announced that the final stage before construction is now underway.

Alec said: “Today I’m delighted that Network Rail has formalised a plan with four options for stakeholders to choose from before the submission of a full planning application to Leeds City Council. It is my hope that Leeds City Council can deal with the application swiftly to avoid no further delays”.

“I have been campaigning for step-free access at Garforth Station for many years. We had an original plan submitted but this then incurred unnecessary delays along the way but I have been committed to providing disabled people and pushchair users with the same access to travel as everyone else – and delivering step-free access at Garforth station will help thousands more people travel easily and without additional cost, time or stress”.

Previously, Garforth resident Mrs Morris said: “We’ve waited far too long for disabled access at Garforth. The elderly, disabled and those with pushchairs have not been able to use the station so we’re extremely grateful to Alec for fighting alongside us to deliver this disabled access”.

The Government’s Access for All programme was first launched in 2006 and has delivered more than 200 accessible routes into selected stations so far.

A further 1,500 stations have received smaller scale improvements such as accessible toilets, platform humps to reduce stepping distances and improvements to help those with a visual or hearing impairment.

The post Garforth Station – step free access ready for planning permission. appeared first on Alec Shelbrooke.

Could I strongly urge constituents to only book slots at Hampshire’s Household Waste Recycling Centres if they intend to use them. On average 60 slots per day are seeing “no shows” at the larger sites.

At a time when the total capacity is being reduced to allow for social distancing, it’s vital slots are properly utilised. It’s easy to cancel a booking if you change your mind or can’t make a slot after all – and as long as this is done the day before, the slot can be allocated to someone else in your community who needs it.

Slots are available seven days in advance at each of Hampshire’s 24 HWRCs and bookings can be made online at www.hants.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling/recyclingcentres/book-appointment or, for those without internet access, by phone on 02380 179 949, between Monday and Friday 9am to 5:30pm

Latest figures released have shown the huge impact of the government’s unprecedented package of support directly in the local area.

As part of the next step towards economic recovery and the UK’s long term prosperity following the Covid-19 pandemic the Treasury has released statistics on how it is supporting jobs, incomes and businesses across the country and specifically in Welwyn Hatfield.

MP Grant Shapps has spoken out about the Government’s commitment to ‘protect both lives and livelihoods’ during the ongoing fight against Covid-19. The figures show that in Welwyn Hatfield alone:

• 14,700 jobs have been protected via the furlough scheme
• £13,200,000 to support self-employed people
• £55,318,366 of Bounce Back Loans for small companies
• £14,388,100.00 of business grants paid out.

After seeing the latest figures, Grant commented, “This has been a hugely challenging time for so many with uncertainty about jobs and businesses. That’s why I’m pleased that the government has done the right thing by helping as many people and businesses as possible through this pandemic.

“Sadly there are of course challenging times to come but rest assured, I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure the government continues to help people and businesses right here in Welwyn Hatfield as we come out of it.”

I am delighted to write and tell you that local NHS leaders have confirmed plans for a new hospital to be built in Sutton and to upgrade facilities at St Helier. This represents a £500 MILLION plan that will not only build a brand new state of the art hospital near to the Royal Marsden by 2025, but ALSO invest AT LEAST £80 MILLION into upgrades at St Helier.

The new specialist emergency care hospital, just a few minutes from St Helier, would treat the sickest 15% of patients, those normally arriving by ambulance. This larger specialist team would be available 24 hours a day to diagnose what is wrong with patients more rapidly, start the best treatment faster, and help patients recover more quickly. St Helier and Epsom Hospitals will remain open 24/7, with updated and improved facilities, providing all the other services that they currently do.

My children were born at St. Helier so healthcare provision in Sutton has been an issue that is a very personal one to me. Ever since being a councillor in Carshalton, some 14 years ago, I have been campaigning for a solution that protects the future of St. Helier whilst ensuring that Sutton residents have access to the very best treatment in cutting edge modern healthcare facilities. I believe that this decision can finally put to rest the political arguments so that we can get on with doing what’s best for residents across the whole of the borough of Sutton.

With this plan, the refurbished St Helier Hospital is here to stay providing the majority of local health services, and the sickest patients will get state-of-the-art treatment in the brand-new specialist emergency hospital right here in our area.

You can find out more about the plans, including the answers to some frequently asked questions at the NHS’ website: www.improvinghealthcaretogether.org.uk. You can also contact them at hello@improvinghealthcaretogether.org.uk, or get in touch with me with any queries.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS

Why is this being done?

To improve the care that we receive. As St Helier’s buildings continue to age over time, it’s necessary to upgrade our healthcare facilities to improve outcomes. Surviving illness and recovering quickly is the number one priority.

Is St Helier closing?

No, quite the opposite. St Helier is here to stay with a multi-million-pound improvement package.

Is a new hospital being built?

Yes. A new specialist emergency care hospital will be built in Sutton, in addition to improving St Helier hospital.

Is St Helier getting an upgrade?

Yes. At least £80 million of the funding promised will go towards improving the facilities at St Helier hospital.

Who developed these proposals?

For the first time, we have a plan that was developed by local clinicians, not national bureaucrats or politicians. Local healthcare professionals made the case for funding to deliver this improvement, which has been rewarded with a £500 million investment. Sutton Council also supported the proposals last year.

Will I have to travel outside my area for services now?

At the moment, if you have a stroke or heart attack you will be taken past St. Helier to be treated at St. George’s. This plan means that we will still be able to treat people within the local area, not moving more services away from Sutton.

Will we still use St Helier?

Yes. From 2025, Epsom hospital, St Helier hospital and the new hospital at Sutton will all have a 24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) (which already treats the vast majority of people going to St. Helier in an emergency). Under the plans, 85% of services will remain at St Helier. Both Epsom and St Helier hospitals will still have a 24/7 UTC.

Diagnostic tests, such as MRI, x-ray or ultrasound, the heart problem diagnosis unit, the dialysis unit, Croft Ward (which takes care of patients who are stable but not ready to leave hospital), the eye care unit, the gastroenterology unit, and so many more services are staying put at Epsom and St Helier hospitals.

What about bed numbers?

The NHS have calculated that they will need the same number of beds as they do now.

What about A&E?

Unlike previous plans, which saw A&E diverted away into Tooting, A&E is now staying right here in our Borough at the new hospital. Most of the time you will still use St Helier for matters requiring immediate medical attention like broken limbs or cuts. Major trauma cases needing a blue light ambulance transfer will be treated in Sutton at the new state-of-the-art hospital next to The Royal Marsden.

What about maternity services?

Maternity services have also been protected and kept locally. Post-natal and ante-natal care are staying put at Epsom and St Helier hospitals, and births will take place in the brand-new maternity unit at the new hospital in Sutton built to the very latest healthcare standards. Women need the very best care and facilities when giving birth, and the new plans will provide that.

Where will children services be provided?

Most children will continue to receive care and treatment in the same place as they do now. Care for children who need to stay in hospital overnight – as a result of a serious illness or complex problems – will be treated at the new specialist emergency care hospital. This includes children’s surgery.  

What will happen until the new hospital in Sutton is built?

All services will continue to be carried out at Epsom and St Helier hospitals until such time the new hospital in Sutton is ready for patients.

Where will the new hospital be built?

After consulting residents, patient groups and healthcare professionals, the decision was taken to build a brand-new specialist emergency care hospital in Sutton. This will be combined with the necessary infrastructure and transport links to ensure the site of the new hospital is accessible to all that need to use it.

For more facts, and to find out what this multi-million-pound government investment in our local NHS will mean for you and your family, visit the following website: www.improvinghealthcaretogether.org.uk/faq.

The spread of coronavirus presents an unprecedented challenge and is leading to people across this country making huge sacrifices to protect one another.

As the Prime Minister has said, while we need to create physical distance between ourselves, we must at the same time have closer social support for each other.

That means looking after the most vulnerable people in our society, and alleviating worry as much as possible, at what is of course an anxious time.

All of us in Government are working hard to do just that, and make sure that practical support is forthcoming during this national emergency. We are mobilising every part of Government to protect both our people and our country.

As Housing Secretary, I know that renters and landlords will have been particularly worried about paying their rent and mortgages. As a result, I have moved swiftly to ensure that nobody needs to worry about losing their home at this difficult time, when the security of a home has never been more important.

I have taken decisive action and will bring forward emergency legislation to ensure that no renter will be forced out of their home through this period, and that landlords will be protected too.

For renters in both the private and social sector, there will be a moratorium on all new evictions and clear guidance has been issued stating that existing eviction processes should be dealt with appropriately, prioritising the safety and health of citizens across the country.

Let there be no doubt: renters do not need to be worried about the threat of eviction.

This Government is also clear that no one should be concerned about not being able to afford their mortgage if they fall into financial difficulty due to this challenging time.

We recognise that landlords may also face additional pressures, with concerns about meeting mortgage payments. We have therefore confirmed that all Buy to Let landlords can benefit from a three-month mortgage payment holiday where they are experiencing difficulties due to corona virus.

This is designed to alleviate the pressure on landlords, who I know will be concerned about meeting mortgage payments themselves while also ensuring that no unnecessary pressure is put on their tenants as a result.

At the end of this period, landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account tenants’ individual circumstances.

This mirrors the mortgage payment holiday that other mortgage holders will also be able to access. These measures will protect renters and landlords, ensuring everyone gets the support they need.

The way that landlords have engaged with us on this issue has been hugely positive. I congratulate them for stepping up to the plate and working collaboratively with us to ensure that tenants are protected at this difficult time.

Part of my Ministerial portfolio is also to tackle homelessness. This is always a priority for me and requires even more of my attention during this crisis.

To address the specific danger posed to rough sleepers by coronavirus, I have announced an initial £3.2 million of emergency funding to support them if they need to self-isolate. It will ensure that councils are able to put emergency measures in place to avoid urgent assistance.

Local Government is at forefront of our national effort, and I have spoken to over 300 council leaders and sector bodies to ensure they are well placed to respond to coronavirus and protect vital services for communities.

The weeks ahead will not be easy, but ruthless and determined collective action will allow us to succeed, turn the tide and return to normality.

We have an enormous challenge ahead of us and but my message is clear – this Government will do whatever it takes to help people across this country at this difficult time.

Originally published by The Daily Telegraph 20/03/20