Last week I held several meetings in parliament with industry groups and departments that have an important role in North Cornwall. 

Firstly, I met with UKHospitality to discuss the hospitality and tourist sector in the constituency which is a big part of life here in North Cornwall. In fact, the data shows that it is worth £271-million to our local economy and employs 9,237 people. I met with UKHospitality to discuss this new data and recognise the important role hospitality, leisure, and tourism play in the economy and our communities. Pubs, cafés, hotels, camping sites, and much else besides. Let’s all keep supporting our local businesses whenever we can.

Following on from my conversations with farmers last month, I met with Natural England to pass on concerns over slurry lagoons and NE’s involvement in the planning process. I have also contacted Ministers about this. DEFRA has also announced a further round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant; the grant is available to help replace, build additional or expand existing slurry stores to provide 6 months’ storage. I’d urge anybody working in agriculture who is having trouble accessing the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, or has any other difficulties, to contact me.

Back in the constituency, I held a surgery in Camelford with local residents and then visited a farm in the area. Following this I attended the Christmas Fair in St Minver and a very interesting afternoon in Polzeth where I helped plant a sapling from Sir Issac Newton’s gravity tree. Several saplings have previously been planted all around the world, so it is great to be able to have one right here in North Cornwall.

Speeding motorists will be the focus of police and volunteers across Devon & Cornwall next week as part of National Road Safety Week. Roads Policing teams, Speed Detection Officers and Special Constables will be out in force across the two counties from November 19 to 25 in an effort to slow drivers down. They will also be joined by hundreds of volunteers from Community Speedwatch teams in neighbourhoods all over the South West. Speed is the theme of this year’s Road Safety Week, which is organised by national charity Brake. Across the UK, police figures show that travelling too fast or exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor in 25 per cent of deaths, where an officer attended the scene of a collision.

Since my election in 2015, my office has actioned over 60,000 cases on behalf of North Cornwall residents. If you require my help with anything, including benefits, the NHS or raising a concern with the Government then please contact me via [email protected] or 01208 74337. I hold regular advice surgeries, if you would like to meet with me then please get in touch. Further information about the work I do on behalf of the community can be found at www.scottmann.org.uk and on social media www.facebook.com/therightmannforNorthCornwall