It is great to be back out and about in North Cornwall without covid regulations this summer. Many of the events which we took for granted prior to the pandemic are back for the first time in their proper, unrestricted form. I spent the day at the Launceston Agricultural show and really enjoyed meeting people, some old faces, and many new ones. I held an open question and answer session with National Farmers Union members, and I have several action points which I will be taking back to Westminster with me when Parliament is sitting again. Agriculture is a very important part of North Cornwall’s economy and plays an extremely important role in our culture and landscape. Protecting our key agricultural businesses from harmful regulations and overbearing red tape is something which I hope the next Prime Minister will continue to do. Now that we are outside of the European Union, we can shape our agricultural sector in a way that benefits the UK’s regions and our farmers- rather than the previous ‘one size fits all’ approach imposed on us by the EU Commission.
The cost of living remains a top priority for me. I’m pleased to let you know that households across North Cornwall will receive non-repayable discounts on their energy bills this winter, as the government sets out details of the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The £400 discount, administered by energy suppliers, will be paid to consumers over 6 months with payments starting from October 2022, to ensure households receive financial support throughout the winter months. Those with a domestic electricity meter point paying for their energy via standard credit, payment card and direct debit will receive an automatic deduction to their bills over the 6-month period – totalling £400. Traditional prepayment meter customers will be provided with Energy Bill discount vouchers in the first week of each month, issued via SMS text, email or post, using the customer’s registered contact details. These customers will need to take action to redeem these at their usual top-up point, such as their nearest local PayPoint or Post Office branch. In all cases, no household should be asked for bank details at any point. Ministers are urging consumers to stay alert to potential scams and report these to the relevant authorities where they are suspected.
A large part of my constituency casework this summer has been about passports and intervening when there have been delays. My team have been working hard to ensure that people in North Cornwall get their passports back in time for holidays that they’ve booked in advance. If you are having problems with this or any other issue then please do contact me via scott@scottmann.org.uk.
