Last month I wrote about the excellent news that £14 million in funding had been approved to bring a testing unit to Hinckley Hospital! This means that people in our community will be able to access important healthcare services such as MRI and CT scans, blood tests and ultrasounds locally.
This funding is very welcome, but we are looking for more.
Which is why I've continued my campaign to improve healthcare in our area and asked the Health Minister to meet with me so we can discuss upcoming proposals for a Day Case Unit at the Hospital, which would enable small procedures to be carried out in Hinckley.
You can watch my question to the Minister here:
Asking supermarket chiefs: what are you doing to support our farmers?
On Back British Farming Day I wrote to the Chief Executives of supermarkets with stores in our area, such as Sainsburys, Tesco, Lidl and Aldi, to ask what they are doing to support farmers and producers in Bosworth and across Leicestershire.
My patch is a beautiful rural area and, importantly, around 85% of the land in Bosworth is agricultural. We have a big farming community and many passionate producers who work tirelessly to support their businesses and families.
When I’ve spoken with farmers in Bosworth their principal message regarding the best thing we can do to support them is to buy seasonal British and local produce.
I know people do the best they can to support our farmers, markets are held regularly on the weekends and are well attended. But I know there are many families who prefer and sometimes require the convenience of supermarkets, which is why I’ve written to the Chief Executives of supermarkets with stores in Bosworth to find out how they’re supporting local farmers.
You can read more here: Bosworth’s MP campaigns for further support for local farmers | Dr Luke Evans MP
Help for families and businesses across Bosworth in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement
I was particularly pleased to see, after raising concerns both privately and publicly, the continued commitment to the Pensions Triple Lock. This uplift will mean an additional £870 per year to over 22,250 pensioners across Bosworth.
Importantly, funding to public services will not fall as departmental spending is set to grow in real terms (above inflation) at 3.7% a year. In fact, there’s an additional £4 billion for schools over the next two years and more than £13 billion over the next two years for the NHS and adult social care.
For the thousands of businesses in our area there is a freeze to the Business Rates multiplier, numerous schemes and a 75% relief for hospitality businesses worth up to £110,000. I know that across Hinckley and Bosworth we’re all big fans of our many great pubs and cafes, these are exactly the types of businesses that this support will help through the coming months.
Finally, I welcome the Government’s commitment towards helping the most vulnerable through the coming months. We know times are tough, an increase to the National Living Wage means a pay rise for more than 220,000 people across the East Midlands. I was also glad to see the Household Support Fund extended by another £1 billion, as I have seen first-hand during my visits to the Job Centre Plus in Hinckley how this important fund helps many across our community.
The above will be funded, in large part, by the larger-than-anticipated increase to windfall tax measures brought in before the Summer, which is set to raise £52 billion over the next 6 years.
I know, after speaking with families and businesses across Bosworth, that these are welcome measures.
Raising concerns with the Home Secretary
Earlier this month I received an email from a constituent who had seen, what they believed to be, a number of asylum seekers outside of a hotel in Earl Shilton.
This was the first I or my office had heard of this. I immediately contacted Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council and Leicestershire Police. All responded to say that they had no knowledge of asylum seekers being moved to a hotel in our area.
I followed up with the Home Office directly for confirmation on the situation.
The next morning I received an email from the Home Office stating that a hotel in Earl Shilton is being used. This particular hotel had twice been considered to house asylum seekers, but twice declined on health and safety issues.
The process of selecting this hotel and lack of communication with the relevant statutory bodies (councils and police) has been completely unacceptable. I raised this directly with the Home Secretary in the House of Commons:
I have raised concerns over the last two years and I’m disappointed to see that the formal process was not followed when considering this hotel.
I am pleased to see, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council and the police are all now fully informed, and the proper process is up and running to support our community and the asylum seekers.
Read more about my question to the Home Secretary here: Bosworth’s MP calls Home Office’s lack of communication “completely unacceptable” | Dr Luke Evans MP
Listen to my interview with BBC Radio Leicester, following my question, here:
Continuing campaign against the Hinckley Rail Hub
Alberto Costa, the MP for South Leicestershire - whose constituency the NRFI risks being built in - and I have written to the Transport Secretary to share our concerns over the Hinckley NRFI plans upon learning that proposals will be submitted in the next month or two.
Following news that Tritax have concluded the consultation into the viability of a Rail Freight Interchange in Hinckley I have also written to the developers to request a list of any amendments made to the proposals previously shared with us. While lowering the maximum height of the building from 33m to 28m is welcome, many questions from our community regarding the strain on transport links remain unanswered.
Alberto and I will continue to work together on this, ensuring the Government are aware of the concerns raised by many people across both Bosworth and South Leicestershire about the impact this will have on our infrastructure and the local environment, particularly our wonderful Burbage Common.
You can read updates on my work regarding the NRFI proposals here: Updates on the Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange proposals | Dr Luke Evans MP
Other work this month
Some of my other work for Hinckley and Bosworth in November:
- Had the honour of placing a remembrance tribute in the Speaker’s Constituency Garden of Remembrance in Westminster and attending the Remembrance Sunday service in Hinckley, paying thanks to those from our community and across the country who served.
- Thanked the Chancellor personally for listening to mine and many others calls to re-instate the triple lock.
- Following my question to the Home Secretary, above, I welcomed assurances from the Immigration Minister that officials would now correspond with MPs not less than 24 hours after asylum seekers have been relocated to their constituency.
- Gave a speech in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill, welcoming a proposal for an oversight panel and plans to tackle rogue landlords who seek to exploit the most vulnerable in society.
- Was really pleased to welcome Joanne Boyle, who wrote the poem I read out in my tribute to the Queen following her passing, to Parliament to thank her in person for her wonderful words.
- Called for an independent review into Rugby Union governance with Sports Minister Stuart Andrew.
- Asked the Prime Minister about plans to tackle inflation, following his attendance at the G20 summit.
- Met with representatives from the Pub Industry to support for hospitality and the effects of the apprenticeship levy
- Had a meeting with a Treasury Minister to discuss the red tape involved in the apprenticeship levy and ways to remove it.
- Took part in a debate on International Men’s Day, echoing the need for a men’s health strategy and sharing support for groups which work hard to foster communication.
- Welcomed a positive outcome from a constituent regarding an issue with the DWP and was pleased that they’ve finally received the thousands of pounds they were owed.
- Visited Dovetree School in Hinckley to hear about their work with pupils from across our region who have additional social, emotional and mental health needs.
In the media
In The Independent: Calling for renters to be allowed to keep pets
In The BBC: Raising concerns with the Home Secretary
In Business Live: Writing to the Transport Secretary about the NRFI proposals