16/08/2020 The UK’s bovine TB eradication strategy is founded in science. It applies the lessons of previous attempts to control the disease, as well as evidence from other countries around the world.
25/07/2020 - I believe we must all receive dignified care in old age. With an ageing population, this is one of the biggest challenges our country faces. I support the Government’s commitment to making sure that the most vulnerable in society gain the support they need.
Last year, Flick set up a campaign to help co-ordinate all the organisations helping the homeless. Flick was on the Homelessness Reduction Bill when she was an MP and knows that there is still much to do especially as the number of rough sleepers are increasing.
Long before the referendum campaign got under way, I voted for the Referendum Act to give the people the final decision. I campaigned for Remain during the campaign, but in Portsmouth South 52% of people voted to leave. Accordingly I voted for Article 50, to give effect to their decision.
A survey on older people that I conducted before the general election showed a huge problem with loneliness. The older person’s fair that I held in February 2017 was attended by 100s of people including several who told me about their loneliness.
I have been part of the Homelessness Reduction Bill in Parliament and this should help people stay in their home. I also know that there is a problem of rough sleeping in Portsmouth.
I set up Pompey Litter Pickers to promote awareness that we are all responsible for our environment. We hope that more people will think about the consequences of littering, which is a big negative for our image and does affect our quality of life. Portsmouth is a densely-populated city and we have to build on the “community feeling” that exists here.
I set up a small business forum to enable our small businesses to have a voice and discuss the issues that are affecting them. We have some brilliant local entrepreneurs, and that culture is reviving our city in all sorts of ways. Walk around our streets now and you get a real sense of freshness and a “can-do” attitude. Our long-term economic plan has helped businesses survive challenging times, but now we are moving into a period when the growth the statistics have been showing actually starts to feel like a recovery among consumers.
The independent Commonwealth Fund conducted an audit of the developed world’s healthcare systems last year, and our NHS was rated the finest of all of them. This government protected NHS budgets through the recovery from Labour’s recession, and will continue to grow the NHS as the economy improves.
I am pleased that many of our young people are applying to go to university. Historically, we had lower-than-average rates of university entry by 18 year-olds, but that picture is improving. However, many young people would prefer to take a vocational route, and I am pleased with the increase in apprenticeships through the city. We need to create more opportunities in high-tech industries and businesses as well as practical ones, but either way apprenticeships have a key role to play.
