21st June 2021: A Week in Parliament

Hapless Hancock

It isn’t just opposition MPs who think the UK Government Health Secretary is useless…apparently the Prime Minister thinks so too. This has been confirmed in new leaked WhatsApp messages from Dominic Cummings, the former chief advisor to the Prime Minister. What is also incredible is that the Prime Minister admitted to Cummings that Hancock was failing in things like the purchase of PPE and ventilators, yet over a year on is still in post. If there is no one better that also is telling.

Borders

In questions on a COVID health update, I suggested that a lesson to learn on border control would be to compare the costs of quarantine and protecting the travel and tourism industry to the financial impact of repeated restrictions, particularly now due to the delta (Indian) variant which could have been successfully kept out of the UK. 

Another dereliction of duty I highlighted was back in December while cases were peaking was that they applied a self isolation exemption to business class flights. I observed that it seems the UK Government believe that the richest are immune to covid. I maintain that this decision was not only reckless but it told us everything we know about who the Tory Government. Just think….according to the UK Government they were willing to risk a COVID spike to allow business class fliers to come and go as they please.

UK Levelling Up Fund

I spoke in a debate about the UK Levelling Up Fund. This is the pots of money the Tory Government has allocated to allow councils and third parties to apply to get funding for projects that will help with regeneration or improved transport links. The theory sounds good – make up for injustices and provide much needed additional funding. Except it isn’t necessarily additional funding, as we no longer access EU funding. The Capital budget of the Scottish Government has been cut. It is bizarre that the Tories are actually saying “we know Westminster has let down your area for decades. Don’t worry though – trust us and we will sort it”. That is so illogical. However another issue I have, is their desire to spend money quickly. That means it isn’t actually strategic and it also means that it doesn’t have a real long term objective of levelling up. The closing date for the first funding round closed on 18th June. However, any successful bids need to have the project completed in a year. East Ayrshire Council have chosen not to submit and want to work on a more strategic long term project. I agree with this – the idea that all those councils around the UK or voluntary organisations have projects sitting around, fully designed, just waiting on funding makes no sense. A road project for example needs outline design, site investigation works, full detailed design, land purchase and possibly planning permission. Then contractors have to be hired. This takes time and so it is clearly impossible for such projects to meet the timelines. I will of course support projects that will benefit the area.