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We’ve had a win this week with the UK Government’s pledge to overhaul the family courts in order to better protect domestic abuse victims and their families. I have been supporting the #EndThisInjustice campaign for over a year alongside activists Rachel Williams and Sammy Woodhouse, and fellow Labour MPs, Jess Phillips, Carolyn Harris, Louise Haigh and Keir Starmer. There are far too many outdated views on domestic abuse within the courts which compound the suffering and injustice faced by too many families. I’ll now be watching carefully to make sure Ministers take the action they have pledged to change this. I also called on colleagues this week to join the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA), a growing network of large and small businesses who work to enable employers to take action on domestic abuse – to raise awareness, to support those facing abuse, and to provide access to services to help perpetrators to stop. Our lives have changed beyond recognition over the last few months, and while I know some have found that a change in pace and more flexible working has brought benefits, for those facing domestic abuse, it has had terrifying consequences. Many have felt trapped at home with an abuser and with no way out. Work is such a big part of all our lives and the role employers can play in supporting employees to find help cannot be underestimated. You can read more about the EIDA and the work that they do here. The Welsh Government have announced that from Monday, two households will be able to join together to form a ‘bubble’ and meet indoors. This will enable families to reunite and spend more time together, something that I’m sure everyone has been looking forward to over the past few months. It will also help working families with childcare arrangements and allow greater flexibility for people to get back to work. The two households must remain the same for the foreseeable future, however, and should one member display symptoms of the virus, both households will need to self-isolate. Monday will also see the lifting of the ‘five mile’ rule, meaning Welsh citizens can travel further afield to see friends and family. With these changes being made, it's even more important that we stick to the social distancing guidance to keep the spread of Coronavirus down - we’ve worked so hard to look after each other and we cannot sacrifice the progress we have made. On Tuesday, during FCO questions in the Commons, I asked Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly about the UK Government’s current sanctions against Israel for their plan to illegally annex the West Bank. These clearly are not working. Strong words are not enough for the Palestinian people - they need strong actions. The Minister said that the Government was maintaining a dialogue with Israel and attempting to persuade them from this course of action. The vast majority of the international community considers the Israeli settlements within the West Bank and the Israeli intentions to extend its sovereignty over the region as illegal under international law and the UK must stand firm in asserting the rights of the Palestinian people. I want to say a huge thank you to Google, the Federation of Small Businesses, and all the Gower businesses who attended the Digital Marketing Webinar on Friday last week. Rebecca Evans MS and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from you all and there were plenty of tips for operating businesses in this new and strange world! It’s been heartening to see the innovation that has happened in Gower and how businesses have rallied round to continue operating during this crisis. I am cautiously optimistic for the future of the amazing place we call home. This weekend is the 72nd birthday of our wonderful NHS. On Sunday, 5th July at 5pm, I will join with everyone around the country as we celebrate and thank all the marvellous people who make up the NHS workforce. From the doctors and nurses, to the porters and cleaners, you have worked so hard and with such dedication during this crisis and we all owe you so much. It’s fantastic to see the support that has been shown to our brave men and women on the frontline of this crisis and I hope that our gratitude and appreciation for what a remarkable institution the NHS is long outlives this pandemic. Thank you all. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! 
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 Each week I'd like to take a moment to celebrate and recognise the hard work of those who have done so much to help us get through this difficult and troubling time. Thank you to everyone who nominated their Gower Hero!
Here is the second wave of Gower Heros. If you have someone you'd like to nominate, you can do so here This week's Gower Heroes are: Ryan Jermin Nominated by: Emily Jermin Ryan has volunteered throughout the entirety of the Covid-19 pandemic with Gorseinon Council. He helps out by picking up and delivering prescriptions in the local area. He delivers door to door by foot, often going out of his way in all weather (including the recent heat wave!). He also volunteers at Gorseinon’s food bank which offers individuals in need extra food and supplies. Ryan volunteers having recently graduated from the University of Durham with a Masters degree whilst looking for a job. Ryan is incredibly selfless and does things only with others in mind and doesn’t seek any recognition. He is autistic, which has presented challenges throughout his life but has raised to the occasion to advance his social skills and help others in need. Shepherds Shepherd’s fruit and veg Nominated by: Dawn Latham Shepherd’s have been working flat out to provide fruit and veg for all their customers, old and new. They have coped marvellously at this difficult time and always with a smile!Thanks to everyone there! David Huxtable Nominated by: Sara Nabialek This man has been absolutely fantastic during the current crisis. David runs a martial arts club called G&K Kickboxing and runs classes for all ages in Gorseinon and Killay. When the crisis started he closed his club and started immediately running classes on Zoom. My children and many others have been able to carry on with their lessons in our living room. They even managed to complete their 3 monthly gradings via zoom. He has been absolutely fantastic with the kids and has even given up his time to give extra 121 lessons free of charge. It’s been lovely for them to have a bit of normality during this time. He has been absolutely dedicated to his students and has made sure that they don’t miss out on anything. Despite the crisis he has been highly organised and everything has been well run. David and his team should be very proud of themselves and I’m very proud that my children are part of his club. Mr Hux as he is fondly known by his kickboxing family at G&K Martial Arts Academy has worked tirelessly since lockdown began to ensure his students can continue to train in order to progress with kickboxing. He has held sessions via zoom to ensure training can take place and recently students did the first ever online grading via zoom!!! He has offered not only ongoing training but emotional support to students and their families all whilst worrying about his daughter, a doctor for the NHS. In fact he organised a zoom Q&A for younger students about Covid-19 with his daughter, Dr Amy Huxtable-Harvey, so they could ask about anything that was worrying them!! His son, Daniel, has been supporting him and the students the entire time so I guess they are all heroes in their own right. Mr Hux always goes the extra mile but since lockdown he has gone even further!! He truly deserves recognition and I know that every single one of his 400+ students will agree with me when I say Mr Hux is our hero!! Francesca O'Brien Nominated by: Juliet Rees Francesca created a group of volunteers in the Gower and she has worked tirelessly for months, seven days a week, to support local community residents. She has delivered food, collected prescriptions, picked up shopping (even a birthday cake from Mumbles, which she took to Llanmorlais), amongst many other things.I have been working as a local area coordinator, covering South Gower and there have been many occasions when I have had cause to seek help for residents across this area. Whenever I have contacted Francesca, she has always been so chearful and helpful and she resolves the issues swiftly and efficiently and without complaint. Francesca is also a volunteer for the army cadets and she has a young famiily. Her dedication to the community during this difficult period is exemplary. Thank you to every Gower Hero!  Each week I'd like to take a moment to celebrate and recognise the hard work of those who have done so much to help us get through this difficult and troubling time. Thank you to everyone who nominated their Gower Hero!
This is just the first wave of Gower Heros and I will be announcing more each week. If you have someone you'd like to nominate, you can do so here This week's Gower Heroes are: Briony King Nominated by: Rebecca Davies Briony King is a 5 year old little girl who has worked hard throughout lockdown to share a smile in her community. Despite sheilding with her disabled mum away from her dad who is a key worker her first concern has always been the welfare of others. She's decorated pictures for people to display in their windows and made rainbow keyrings to give away as gifts. She's contributed towards the collection of food and toiletry items for the Gorseinon food hub by asking for donations and emptying the cupboards in her own home. She took her own toys and put them on a table in her front garden so local children could take a toy to cheer them up. She recently organised a share a smile event, an event she thought up herself for where she placed balloons and treat bags outside her house and invited local children to come and collect them. All she asked for in return was a smile and a wave. She's managed to do all this at just 5 years old, while still helping her mum with day to day activities like cooking and cleaning. Sally Steadman Nominated by: Rachel Gegeshidze Sally’s kindness and care is exemplary, she goes above and beyond to support others. Starting a new business in lockdown has been an exciting new challenge for Sally and her focus has been about bringing happiness and love to others through her incredible cupcakes and sponges. Sally has delivered her cakes to those that are shielding across the Gower, she’s had orders from all other the U.K. to take treats to loved ones whose family members live far away, this has even included orders from Australia and Dubai. Sally will say things like “your mum won’t eat a whole box of scones, how about I take a few each day for a couple of weeks!” This means that the family member knows that someone will be checking in and sharing love with their mum and dad when they are so far away! Sally has baked cakes and treats to give a thank to nurses, doctors, pharmacists and others carers bringing a smile is her ultimate aim! When we’ve had tough days Sally has turned up at the right time with a box of treats to brighten our day. She really is one in a million! Natalie Wright Nominated by: Jodie O’Brien During the COVID 19 pandemic she had brought all communities together and provided support for those in need. She is consistently working to help Gower businesses especially during this time when businesses are struggling. Nothing is to much to ask of her and she’s always looking out for people. Natalie and her business which is based around supporting and promoting people and business around Gower has truly been an inspiration and support to a lot of people. Andrea Jones At the start of the Covid pandemic Natalie set up a support group on social media “we are Gower Covid 19” She has provided information, offered support, advice and humour to over 1500 members every day. Natalie is a mum to 5 boys 3 of which are of primary school age and so life is busy but this hasn’t prevented her putting time and energy into supporting her fellow Gower residents. I would like her receive recognition for all her hard work. Yolanda For her dedication to keeping the community up dated, motivated and inspired and for spending each day throughout lockdown thinking tirelessly of others and keeping our spirits high. Gill Palmer I am nominating Nat as she’s always such a bright positive person. Throughout lockdown she has kept everyone going on the Facebook group with her morning messages in various different languages!! ???? She always makes me smile with her funny last thoughts of the day. We all need a positive person to keep us going through all this and Nat is that person. Always asking everyone if they are ok or if they need anything. She replies to every single comment on the Facebook group without fail and Is always caring, kind and positive. On a personal level Nat always cheers me up. How she finds the time with 5 boys never ceases to amaze me !! Nat is a true hero ???? Anne Rees Natalie has set up a COVID 19 Gower page on Facebook and posts everyday without fail! It really lifts spirits especially for someone like me who has been shielding! She is so caring and puts others first! Thank you Natalie for making a very tough time more bearable! You humour Witt and general caring nature hasn’t gone unnoticed xx Sue Stevens So friendly and supportive, keeping me informed and up to date with everything and such a fantastic sense of humour too. No limit to this lady's talent. Can't think of anyone more deserving. Joyce James Exceptional work carried out during lockdown / covid 19 With her own large family Natalie has managed everyday to ask how everyone is feeling and if they need any help If they have asked she had responded quickly and efficiently I don’t think you could ask anything more of her Abby Gleaves Natalie is a busy mum of 5 ,however she took time to set up a covid community face book page ! Every day nat greets the members with a morning and evening message ! Her messages support well being and offer a sense of community at these challenging times we’ve endured! Thank you nat ,we’ve got a place for daily check ins and check outs ! You are a motivator and speak from the heart ???? Elizabeth Guy This lady set up We are Gower COVID-19 Mutual Aid & Community Page. I have never met her but she wakes us up each morning with a Good Morning in a different language and sends us to sleep with a funny joke every night. She has looked after us ,communicating everything and ensuring that if any of us need help she will find it and communicate to the group ! I have not seen any aggressive or distasteful comments on this group which shows the respect this lovely lady commands ! A True Gower Hero !???????????????? Kim Davies She has kept everyone’s spirits up during the last 13 weeks. Despite being a very busy Mum with 5 children. She promoted and kept small businesses throughout Gower in touch with each other. She sent daily morning and evening posts checking on everyone’s wellbeing. She has simply been amazing. Martina Webber Because her daily, thoughtful FB posts bring people together, make them feel listened to and also share valuable information regarding all things community and COVID-19 related Lynda Govier Since Natalie set up her We are Gower app to showcase local businesses, she has given businesses in Gower the opportunity to highlight their services on a easy to use app. Since lockdown Natalie has set up We are Gower COVID 19 page, which gives people the opportunity to speak about their feelings at this difficult time. She posts every morning and evening since the lockdown and takes the time to answer every post with concern and care. She always ends the day with a funny post to cheer people. She is a wonderful mother to five sons and has overcome many difficult obstacles in her life but she always has a positive outlook which she shares with people on her posts. Kelly Roberts Nominated by: Lucy Williams We have had an amazing response to covid in Gorseinon. From prescription runs and leaflets drops to the food hub. In addition to flooding that has hit some residents more than once over the last few months. Kelly has been at the centre of this, organising everything and going above and beyond in all situations whilst also working and caring for a family of her own. She will always lift others up and sing their praises but gets very little recognition for all the work she puts in herself. An absolute credit to Gorseinon Thank you to every Gower Hero! This week the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, spoke to the House of Commons about the work the UK Government are doing to put right the immense wrongs done to the Windrush generation. The injustices that these people, who answered a call to help rebuild Britain after the war, have been forced to endure is nothing less than utterly shameful and the slow response of the UK Government in putting these injustices right and issuing British passports and compensation is criminal. In light of the shocking banner we saw flying over the Etihad football stadium this week, the response of the hard right and even the Foreign Secretary to legitimate Black Lives Matter protests, the disgusting replies to the Conservative Party’s Father’s Day tweet which showed a black father and son, and the Prime Minister’s previous racist comments and the hostile environment created by this UK Government, it is clear that deep cultural reform is needed across the board, not only in the Home Office. I took the opportunity to raise this with the Home Secretary in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Thursday saw the latest meeting of the Welsh Affairs Committee, when I and other members questioned Rebecca Evans in her role as Finance Minister in the Welsh Government, and Ken Skates in his role as Economy Minister. We covered intergovernmental relations in responding to Coronavirus, the economic implications for Wales, and the support available for business during and after the pandemic. There have clearly been some differences in how the Welsh Government and the UK Government have responded to the crisis, but I know that First Minister Mark Drakeford and his team have done everything they can to help keep the people of Wales safe - and that will continue to be their guiding principle as we begin to tentatively end parts of lockdown. On Friday, along with Gower’s Senedd Member, Rebecca Evans, I hosted a webinar for Gower businesses on digital marketing run by the Google Digital Garage team and attended by the Federation of Small Business. These are very difficult and unusual times and businesses have been remarkable at finding new ways to continue working. It was great to bring together some of our amazing small and medium sized businesses to talk about the innovative ways they’ve kept trading through lockdown. As you will know, this week, non-essential shops in Wales began to reopen in the biggest changes to Welsh lockdown so far. It's important to note that we still have the 2m social distancing rule here in Wales, despite the changes that have taken place in England. But if we can stick to the guidance, and the virus continues to decline, the Welsh Government will issue guidelines to help the tourism industry to put in place the necessary measures to allow them to reopen, which will be welcome news for many small businesses in Gower who rely on tourism for a large part of their income. I’ve felt incredibly lucky - especially on sunny days! - to live somewhere like Gower, where I could enjoy the most beautiful part of Wales whilst respecting the guidelines and staying local. It's great news that if we can stick to the current guidelines for a few more weeks, we might soon be able to welcome tourists back safely to this fabulous corner of the world. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increase, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay local, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! On Tuesday this week, we marked 4 years since our Labour colleague and friend Jo Cox was so cruelly and brutally taken from us. We remember her for her compassionate politics, her determination to make the world a better place, and her selfless dedication to the values that she held dear. Jo was an inspirational politician and I continue to think of her every day as I work to make a small difference in my little corner of the world. As you will have seen, today the Welsh Government have announced upcoming changes to lockdown in Wales. From Monday, non-essential retail will be able to open with physical distancing in place. The ‘Stay Local’ guidance will end in just under three weeks time, and people will be able to travel anywhere for any reason. The First Minister has also given an early warning to sections of the tourism industry e.g. self contained accommodation that the Welsh Government will consider easing restrictions on tourism in the next three week review. It's really important to note that all of these things depend on the virus staying under control - so it's more crucial than ever that we continue to follow the guidelines on social distancing in the meantime, to ensure we don’t compromise our hard won gains and risk our progress. You can see further information about the changes here. On Tuesday, I spoke in the opposition debate on free school meals. It is truly scandalous that in this day and age, in one of the richest countries in the world, children are going hungry. And it is not, as some would have us believe, due to the fecklessness and profligacy of parents, but rather due to countless policies that have seen the value of work decrease and a minimum wage that cannot hope to provide for all of life’s necessities. The Welsh Labour Government committed weeks ago to continuing free school meals throughout the summer and now, after cries of outrage from both the opposition benches and the Government’s own back benches, a campaign by international football star Marcus Rashford, and public backlash, the UK Government have been forced to concede that actually, yes, we need to support our most vulnerable families and their children. I cannot understand why it took them so long. There was another ridiculous move by the UK Government this week with the unnecessary, counter-productive, and purely distracting merge of the Foreign Office and Department for International Development. The Department for International Development does such important work around the world, in humanitarian terms and with wider geo-political consequences. Supporting education programmes for children, especially girls, promoting vaccinations, and supporting family planning practices all have an impact on the security of our world. This distraction ploy will not work; we know there have been widespread UK Government failings relating to the coronavirus from the scandal around protection for care homes to inadequate provision for continuing children’s education. We will continue to call the UK Government out on these failings and hold them to a higher standard. It’s cervical cancer awareness week this week, and although routine screenings such as smear tests have been put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, people concerned about possible cancer symptoms are being urged to contact their GP and get themselves checked out. Cancer referrals are worryingly low, and as a Member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer, I know how important it is that we all make sure we get any symptoms checked out immediately and do not wait. Public Health Wales have announced that they intend to resume routine cancer screenings in July but emphasise that tests and treatment for cancer are still available. Please, if you notice any symptoms that concern you, do not wait and contact your GP. It’s also Loneliness Awareness Week and various studies have found that over 9 million people in the UK of all ages are either often or always lonely and that disconnected communities could be costing the UK economy a staggering £32 billion every year. The health risks are shocking, with loneliness as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness has been found to increase risk of death by 29%. It’s clear that this is a significant challenge facing us, and the coronavirus has focused us more clearly, I think, on the importance of maintaining our family and community connections in general. We benefit so much from contact with other people – it’s good for our mental health to have that sense of togetherness and we need to work harder to ensure that no one in our society is left outside the connections we make. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay local, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! This week is Carers’ Week and new figures released show that 4.5 million people in the UK have become unpaid carers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is on top of the already 9.1 million unpaid carers who were already caring before the outbreak. In Wales, the Welsh Government acknowledged the importance of the role of unpaid carers in 2014 with their Social Services and Wellbeing Act which gave carers an equal right to have their needs assessed as those they care for. This is incredibly important as the majority of carers report poor mental health as a result of the impact of caring in their day-to-day lives. 78% reported not being able to take time away from caring, and even though they’re caring for someone they love and cherish, time away for themselves is incredibly important to reset and focus on themselves. 77% reported experiencing stress, 72% reported financial consequences, and 70% reported it having a challenging impact on their other interpersonal relationships. I’m pleased that the Welsh Government are establishing a Task and Finish Group of carers’ representatives to consider current levels of support and future actions in order to help unpaid carers access support that they need.2 On Tuesday at 11am, Parliament paused and many of us knelt in Old Palace Yard to remember George Floyd and to reconfirm our commitment to fighting racism in all its forms wherever it’s found. It is now 2020 and the fact that racism is still alive and kicking in our society, even here in the UK, is sickening. We all have to do more to stamp it out. We must listen to those who experience racism on a daily basis, we must assess how our own actions can be more anti-racist, and we must be more willing to engage with those who are trying valiantly to make our society truly value merit, achievement, and kindness. I will continue doing all I can to support anti-racism in every aspect of life. This week, the Welsh Government announced that in line with World Health Organisation guidelines, they are recommending, but not making mandatory, the wearing of three-layer face coverings in situations (such as on public transport) where social distancing is not possible. However, the evidence remains clear that the best way to protect yourself and others against contracting the virus is to maintain 2-metre social distancing and to practise good hygiene with frequent hand washing, so it's important we don’t allow the use of masks to lull us into a false sense of security and get sloppy about other aspects of protection! I was able to take part in the Welsh Affairs Committee this week and put a series of questions to the participants. The Welsh Government has provided bespoke sectoral support to those industries hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and it is vitally important that the UK Government takes note of this and equally supports the creative industry in the UK as a whole. I’m not sure we fully appreciate the economic importance of this sector to our economy. The creative industries broke the £100 billion barrier in 2018, worth a whopping £130 billion. But we’ve also seen a growing awareness of the importance of cultural institutions to our mental and community health. I don’t think any of us could imagine lockdown without the television and radio programmes, the theatre streams to our homes, and the books that have provided us with entertainment and a break from the scary reality of the pandemic. Local radio stations have also provided those confined to their homes with the information and support that they needed to help them through this crisis and provided an important lifeline to the outside world. We must protect these industries and the employment they provide and encourage the UK Government to do the same. As a former women’s rugby international, I am also concerned that while the Government is talking about being able to bring back sporting fixtures, this is seemingly only really targeted at men’s sport. It's important that there is sufficient support in place for other groups - including women’s and disability sports, to prepare for the time when they too can recommence training and playing. Sport brings £9.8 billion to the economy, and this health crisis has shown us how important it is that everyone has access to the means and ways of keeping fit and being able to enjoy themselves in a game of sport with others. We cannot let the progress we have recently made to increase diversity and inclusion in sport be lost to the pandemic. On a personal note, Monday marked an important milestone for me with the third anniversary of my election as Gower’s MP. It’s been a busy three years, with the Brexit negotiations, a second snap General Election, and now the unprecedented effects of Coronavirus, but I remain incredibly proud to represent this wonderful corner of the world in Parliament and am determined to continue fighting on your behalf for the issues that matter to us. I have so enjoyed getting to know so many of my brilliant constituents over the past three years and I am so grateful for all the support you have shown me. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! Fighting for medical cannabis, return of schools, & MPs Conga Chaos, - Weekly Update 05/06/205/6/2020 Parliament returned this week as MPs were recalled to London after recess. Jacob Rees-Mogg and the UK Government took the decision to end hybrid proceedings and require MPs to be in the Chamber and to vote in person. He seemed to be under the impression that if we weren’t in the building, we weren’t working. Now, I don’t know about Jacob, but, like so many of you, I myself have regularly spent 12-hour working days at my kitchen table over the past couple of weeks - speaking in hybrid Parliamentary debates, working on constituency casework, and attending meetings via zoom. Forcing MPs to return effectively disenfranchises the constituents of those who are shielding or have caring responsibilities at home, as they are unable to attend. It also puts at risk the health of the thousands of people who work on the Parliamentary Estate. We should be setting the example on how to protect employees. Instead, we risked giving license to bad employers to put their employees at risk. I am deeply disappointed with the Government's reckless decision. At the start of the Parliamentary week I had the opportunity to question the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, on the issue of access to medicinal cannabis for children. I am furious that despite his promises, families across the country are still denied this access. Teagan Appleby - who many of you will have heard me mention before - has been in intensive care twice in the last 10 weeks because her family have been unable to pay for the medical cannabis that they need to keep her alive. Families of epileptic children have seen their health and welfare put on the backburner first by Brexit, then a general election, and now the coronavirus. The sums of money we are talking about that would allow them to get a prescription on the NHS (as they are now legally allowed to do) are tantamount to what the Secretary of State’s Department spends on paper clips. He needs to right this wrong now and ensure that these children are given access to the medication that can help them so much. I also spoke during Welsh Questions when I asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he could explain to the people of Wales why he is standing by while the UK Tory Government short-changes our incredible, hard-working carers by taxing the one-off thank you payment from the Welsh Government. The hypocrisy of the Welsh Tories who are going out to clap on their doorsteps and then allowing the UK Government to take away from an already underpaid and undervalued group of people is appalling. Our carers have continued to carry out their duties at great personal sacrifice to care for our vulnerable and often elderly loved ones and the Welsh Government are rightly acknowledging this. Our carers deserve better. As you will have seen, this week the Welsh Government announced its plans for schools to return. They propose that all schools will start the next phase on 29 June, with the term extended by a week to end on 27 July. In the next academic year, beginning in September, the autumn half-term break will be extended to two weeks. In each school, year groups will be split into different cohorts, with staggered starts, lessons, and breaks to try to limit the number of pupils inside school buildings in small spaces at any one time. Smaller classes will support social distancing as well as providing dedicated time with teachers and classmates. Further education colleges are also intended to reopen for face-to-face learning with appropriate measures from 15 June. The Welsh Government will publish guidance to support schools and further education institutions next week with advice on managing facilities and logistical arrangements. It’s important that we bring children back into schools but that we continue to follow scientific guidance and only bring them back when it is safe to do so. We have all been shocked this week as we watched the appalling scenes from America in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police. These events have shone a light on the racism and hatred experienced by many - including in our own country – but particularly the racism experienced by Black people across the world. This is something we all need to face up to and address. The Welsh Government has taken steps in Wales to understand why people from BAME communities are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus as new evidence shows that they are four times as likely to die from the illness. A new risk assessment has been launched to help protect BAME key workers in our NHS and social care as they continue to carry out their essential jobs. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay local, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! Understandably, given mixed messages from the UK Government and a number of unclear news reports, there has been some confusion this week around the rules on social distancing and lockdown in Wales. The Welsh Government are still asking that we only go outside for essential purposes. Remember to stay at least 2 metres away from anyone outside of your home and wash your hands as soon and often as you can. You can exercise outside more than once, but you still cannot travel to take exercise. The police are working hard to ensure that we all remain safe during this difficult time, but they are still issuing fines to those who break the lockdown regulations. You can remind yourself of the guidelines here. I was pleased to be called to speak during the discussions in the House of Commons on the immigration part of the EU Withdrawal Bill this week. I find it extraordinary that even in the midst of this current pandemic, the UK Government still doesn't seem to recognise, or care about, the incredible contribution that so many immigrants are making to this country. Our key workers are caring for our loved ones, keeping our transport services going, and keeping us supplied with essentials - yet, by the UK Government’s own reckoning they are low skilled and therefore low value. The UK Government is pushing this Bill through when the British public are distracted. They’re hoping we won't heed the concerns of organisations like MacMillan Cancer Support who fear that the UK Government’s plan for a points-based immigration system will have a real detrimental effect on our health and social care system, which, as we’ve seen in recent weeks and months, is already under record pressure. We sometimes forget that the crucial jobs of the health service are not only found inside hospitals – there is care in the community, specialist nurses in different medical centres, and nurses in palliative care homes. We need to ensure that social care workers and nurses are included on the shortage occupation list, exempting them from the visa salary threshold. We must also ensure that everyone already here knows that we value the incredible contribution that they make to our country each and every day. This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and it couldn’t have come at a more important time. This has been such a difficult and stressful time for so many, with financial fears for the present and the future and the uncertainty of unemployment among those forced into lockdown and unable to work from home. I’ve heard some truly heart-breaking stories from people who’ve had to say goodbye to loved ones over the phone, and had to plan small funerals without the opportunity for friends and family to say goodbye properly. And then there are our wonderful key workers, those who might have their own fears about catching the virus, but nevertheless are turning up to work each day to keep us fed and cared for. It must be really hard for children too, forced to stay at home, away from friends and extended family, perhaps feeling anxious about what’s happening in a world they no longer recognise, perhaps not understanding why they have all these restrictions. Now, more than ever, we need to make sure mental health support is properly funded and available to all those who need it, and I was really pleased this week to see the Welsh Government announce £3.75 million of funding for mental health in schools that will include new support for children under the age of 11. It's so important we continue to invest in mental health support for our young people during these very difficult times. Last weekend I should have been doing the Moonwalk with a group of friends in support of breast cancer. It’s disappointing, of course, as it’s such a fun event - so we compromised and did a socially distanced walk within the regulations around our beautiful Gower. The Moonwalk raises such a lot of money for an important cause. It’s hard to believe that it started out in 1996 as just 13 women power walking the London Marathon in their bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and look at the thriving multi-million charity event it is today! As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer it’s a really important event for me. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with about 1 in 8 women diagnosed with it during their lifetime. Happily, there’s a good chance of recovery if it’s detected at an early stage, therefore it’s vital that women check their breasts regularly for any changes and always have any changes examined by a GP. For information on symptoms, see the NHS website here. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! The week started off with confusion for many as on Sunday night the Prime Minister announced a relaxing of the lockdown restrictions and the hope that people could soon return to work - but these changes only apply to England. In Wales, the conditions of the lockdown have not changed. We are still asked to only leave our homes for exercise once a day, to go shopping for the essentials, or for a medical need. Otherwise, please stay at home to help protect yourselves and others from this horrible virus. It is inevitable there will be some confusion with the four home nations now following slightly different paths, but, as always, the Welsh Government has taken a decision in the best interests of the people in Wales. We must continue to respect the guidance in Wales to support our Welsh NHS and all of our key workers who are all doing an incredible job. It was International Nurses Day this Tuesday which this year marked the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. The day was a fantastic opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the nursing staff up and down the country for their remarkable contribution to the lives of millions of people, but especially now during the coronavirus pandemic. I want to say my own special thanks for the hard work that you are all doing in extremely difficult circumstances. It was reassuring to hear this week that the Chancellor has extended his furlough scheme by four months until the end of October. Employees on this scheme will be paid 80% of their wages up to £2,500 each month until then, although if the situation with lockdown changes, and people are able to go back to work, then the UK Government are planning to look again at the scheme in August to see whether they can share the cost of employees’ wages with employers. We must ensure that this scheme is in place as long as is necessary to support people and to help employers to protect jobs so that when it is safe to do so, there is employment for people to return to. For pregnant women, the coronavirus has turned what should have been an incredibly exciting and happy time into one of concern and worry. And in addition to the worry of the impact of the virus on themselves and their baby, many have had the added, unnecessary stress of the reaction of their employer to the pandemic. Some pregnant women have been told - incorrectly - that they either had to take unpaid leave or to go on sick leave. The Equality and Human Rights Commission have reminded organisations across the UK that they may face discrimination claims if they treat pregnant women unfairly during this crisis. They also have provided guidance to employers on their legal obligations which can be found on their website here. We are currently in week eight of the lockdown and it has been difficult for all of us – the worries about work, not being able to see family and friends, and of course, concerns for the health of our loved ones. But there are those for whom this is an even more stressful time - and that includes those who rely on food banks to feed themselves and their families. Our food banks need our help more than ever as they struggle to cope with growing demand and a reduction in donations. Please, continue to make donations at your local supermarket – particularly of toiletries, home cleaning products, snacks and treats, and tinned meat and fish. Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to make sure that families are still able to put food on the table in these difficult times. The impact of the coronavirus is likely to be felt for a long time to come across all parts of society, even once lockdown is lifted. We heard this week that until a vaccine is developed, it is likely that once rugby begins to be played again, it will do so behind closed doors and certainly without the crowds that our clubs and regions rely on to generate funds. The Welsh Rugby Union is expected to lose millions of pounds of income due to the coronavirus pandemic and that loss of income will have a knock on effect further down the chain. We must find a way to support our clubs until a vaccine is freely available – the game we love gives us so much, from the enjoyment in watching a match, to the motivation for youngsters to take up the sport and keep fit, to the lifelong friendships we make through the sport. I’d be very happy to hear from clubs across Gower about the issues they are facing at this time and the best way to tackle them. Please do get in touch! You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, my staff and I are working from home, but my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! I was pleased this week to sign our Shadow Secretary of State, Nia Griffith’s letter to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask that the payment offered by the Welsh Government to our social care workers on the frontline tackling the coronavirus pandemic is not subject to the usual tax and benefit deductions. This is a small recognition of the value of their work in this incredibly difficult time and they must not be penalised or risk their tax or social security entitlements. I really hope that the Chancellor and the Secretary of State heed our call and recognise the valuable contribution of these workers. The UK Government has this week updated the guidance for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and HMRC have begun contacting those eligible for the scheme, which will provide applicants with 80% of their average monthly trading profits, to be capped at £7,500, and which will be paid in a single instalment to cover 3 months. For more information visit the UK Government pages here and if you get into any difficulty, please contact my office for support. This pandemic is difficult for us all, but for children who may not fully understand what is happening or why their world has so suddenly shrunk, it will be even more difficult. The Children’s Commissioner for Wales has created an information hub to help answer tricky questions in an honest and appropriate way. There’s also some great ideas for things to do at home that will help keep kids occupied or make them laugh during these tricky days. Of course, with schools across the country closed to most children, it's even more important to remember that sadly, some children are exposed to or are even victims of domestic abuse in their own homes. If you are worried about a young person, please do contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. Monday of this week was International Firefighters’ Day, when we remember the bravery and sacrifice of all the firefighters that we have lost in the line of duty. Our firefighters think nothing of rushing into serious danger in order to preserve and protect life when they go to work. Our emergency service workers are incredible, and we must continue to remember those who risk and tragically sometimes lose their lives for the good of others. On Friday we will mark, albeit in an unusual way, the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Although the bank holiday weekend may not look quite how we expected, it's important for us to take some time to mark this occasion. Victory in Europe brought nearly six years of fighting on the continent to an end. We must remember the sacrifice of all those involved, and honour their memory today by continuing to stand up for tolerance and against racism and fascism. You can keep up to date with Welsh Government announcements and information on their dedicated coronavirus page. If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing tonia.antoniazzi.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01792 899025. My office is not open, but my staff and I are working from home, and my email and phone are still being monitored and responded to. You may experience a slight delay in receiving a response from us as the demand has increased, but we will get back to you as soon as we can. Stay home, keep well, and remember – keep washing your hands! |
