As Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer, Jo Churchill MP has welcomed new figures for local clinical commissioning groups which show an improvement in one year cancer outcomes across England and including West Suffolk.
As the country went to the polls for the biggest decision in recent history, my evening was committed to my duties as your Member of Parliament; meeting with local businesses large and small to discuss their needs, concerns and hopes for the future. Week on week I visit businesses across the constituency and I am always struck by the vision and ‘can do’ attitude that drives them forward. But, business leaders tell me that, without a vibrant economy and, in particular, stable infrastructure to match, our outstanding local enterprise community will struggle to thrive.
As many of you will know, I campaigned to remain within the European Union. I am proud to say that whilst I am personally devastated at the decision this country has come to, it is my duty as your Member of Parliament to respect the democratic decision of St Edmundsbury, Suffolk and the UK on the whole, to leave the European Union.
Choosing to stay within the European Union is a clear and pragmatic decision. The many benefits we receive from our membership of the EU makes voting to remain an obvious choice, and the right choice, for Britain. Over the past couple of months I have been debating and campaigning to ‘remain’ and as we approach the final week of this referendum campaign, I want to put to you a constructive case; how the EU directly benefits our region and why East Anglia should remain within the EU.
On Thursday 2nd June at the Suffolk Show, Jo Churchill MP met with representatives of BT Openreach, the National Farming Union (NFU), county councillors and local farmers to discuss the challenges of rural broadband roll-out to Suffolk. The meeting intended to bring together all sides from industry experts, local leaders and businesses within the community to address the issue of delivering sufficient broadband coverage, to rural areas affect by poor connectivity.
On Thursday 9th June, Jo Churchill MP will be meeting at Ipswich Magistrates Court with representatives from HM Courts and Tribunal Service to discuss what measures are being taken in the closure of the Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court, as alternative arrangements are made to maintain local justice to Bury St Edmunds.
Having completed my first year in Parliament, this time I was able to thoroughly enjoy this year’s Queen’s Speech for its grandeur and its tradition, without the nerves of being a brand new Member. It was an honour to be a part of the proceedings and to enjoy the presence of Her Majesty, a feeling I am sure will never get old. However, more importantly, the Queen’s Speech itself carries the statement of business the next year. So what does the Queen’s Speech mean for Bury St Edmunds?
Among the pomp and ceremony of last week’s State Opening of Parliament, my particular focus was on the announcements made in the Queen’s Speech. This annual event marks the start of a new parliamentary year in the calendar and announces what legislation the Government intends to bring forward for Royal Assent, in that time. The event outlines the priorities of the Government and gives MPs like myself, an idea of what to expect. One such announcement which sparked my interest, was around the delivery of rural broadband.
On Friday 27th May Jo Churchill MP visited Orchard Barn, a local social enterprise specialising in natural and traditional building projects. She met with over thirty dedicated staff and volunteers at the Environmental Education Centre.
On Thursday 5th May, Jo Churchill MP held the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Liz Truss MP to account regarding the Basic Payment Scheme in the House of Commons. During an oral question session to the Secretary of State and Ministers of the Department, Jo Churchill MP raised her discussions with local farmers:
