As a result of a rise in infections across the country, there are new restrictions that have come into force for the whole of Wales. Anyone over the age of 11 who is able to wear a face covering is asked to do so in all indoor public places and only 6 people from the same exclusive extended household group can meet indoors. From Thursday at 6pm, all hospitality businesses in Wales, including pubs, cafes, restaurants, and casinos, will have to close at 10pm and provide table service only. Off-licences and supermarkets will also have to stop selling alcohol at 10pm. A number of local authority areas are facing stricter restrictions in South Wales – Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent, and Caerphilly – and we need to continue to follow social distancing guidelines and practise good personal hygiene to prevent the infection rate rising further and more restrictions having to come into force.

The NHS Covid-19 app launched this week. Please download the app to your smartphone from either the App Store or Google Play to know your local risk level, to book a test, and to help keep our communities safe.

I appeared on Times Radio on Sunday afternoon and discussed the shambles that is the Government testing scheme. We in Labour are deeply concerned about the sharp rise in coronavirus cases and the difficulty that people are having in accessing tests. We have a Welsh Labour Government in Wales but we bought into a UK-wide system which is only causing problems. We now have local lockdowns in place across South Wales, and although people understand these to be necessary to protect public health, they want to know why we do not have an effective testing operation. MPs are not being properly consulted in Parliament and there is no real debate that could yield effective ideas for good results. We want clear, measurable, and sensible guidance and an understanding of the impact that decisions made in Westminster will have on the public. An order to self-isolate is fine for those able to work from home or with a steady income, but for those who are already struggling financially, a 2-week self-isolation without income will be impossible. The UK Government need to seriously think about ways of supporting people so that we are truly in this together and communities are supported.

This week, I was lucky to be called for two questions in the House of Commons. Firstly, I tackled the Ministry of Defence on their callous lack of communication with a constituent of mine, David. David is a serving member of the Armed Forces, as was his brother, Dan, who tragically killed himself last year. David wrote to me about the lack of support that Dan had received while he was serving and after he left the Army, saying that the Army washed its hands of former soldiers. David had written twice to the MoD and it was only in reply to an email from my office, 9 months after David’s first letter, that we had a reply. I put this to the Minister for Veterans, Johnny Mercer MP, who always speaks about the depth of support available, and he promised to look into this case and to assure me that support was available. Our service personnel do such an incredible job supporting and protecting the UK, and we must ensure that that support is reciprocated when they need it. For any serving personnel or veterans in South Wales who need help, the relevant Veterans UK helpline is 01562 825527 or you can email on [email protected]. Please do not suffer in silence – reach out to the support services that are there to help.

I also tackled the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock on the absurd decision by the Department of Work and Pensions to reintroduce face-to-face 10-minute Work Search interviews in job centres. Considering the rising number of cases of coronavirus, the local lockdowns that are being brought into effect across the country, and the exhortations from ministers that we should all be ‘doing our bit’, this does not seem a sensible approach to be taking, to say the least. The Health Secretary dodged the question, suggesting that the Secretary for Work and Pensions should answer it, but considering that he is supposed to be leading the public health campaign, surely he should have a say in the decision? We are all trying to do our bit – maintain a social distance, wash our hands, wear face coverings – but the messaging is confusing. We can go to an indoor face-to-face work interview that could easily be done over zoom or the phone, but we can’t sit in our friend’s house. The rules are inconsistent and unfair. We appreciate that restrictions are necessary to protect ourselves and our families, but they need to be applied consistently and in a logical manner and currently, they are not.

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 [email protected] 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.
Keep well and remember – and remember - observe social distancing, wash your hands regularly and keep Wales safe!

There was more worrying news on Coronavirus in South Wales this week with the tightening of restrictions in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The virus has not gone away, and we must all work together to ensure that virus transmission rates remain low. Face coverings are now required in all indoor public spaces, such as shops, as well as on public transport. Please, wear a face mask if you are able to protect yourselves, your families, and your community. It’s strange and a little uncomfortable, I know, but it is so much better than being infected or infecting someone else. Our wonderful NHS and care staff have had to be in full PPE equipment which is far more uncomfortable, and they have done so willingly and without complaint. To support them and to prevent them being overwhelmed this winter, let’s do our bit.

This week, I was able to tackle the Secretary of State for Justice in the House of Commons on the mismatch in his plans to increase sentencing for more violent crimes with the reality that fewer than 1 in 10 crimes reported now lead to a suspect being charged. This is the lowest charging rate for reported crimes since records began and nearly half of all investigations close with no suspect being identified at all. A decade of cuts to the police and a lack of investment in our courts and legal aid have led to a criminal justice system that is not well-enough equipped to deal with illegal activity. While I welcomed the news of investment in 20,000 police officers, this is not enough to replace those who have been lost to a decade of Tory cuts; or indeed to deal with the demands of modern life in the UK.

A petition has been launched calling on the Department for Work and Pensions to thoroughly check their records to identify women whose state pensions may have been underpaid. There are concerns that the DWP checks may not cover widows, older married women, and the over 80s. The Lane Clark and Peacock consultancy firm, which specialises in the areas of pensions, investment, insurance, and business analytics, have found the DWP are only checking records for those married after March 2008. You can sign the petition here.
 
I chaired an evidence session of the Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group to improve oracy education in all schools in England. We heard from a variety of representatives from education institutions across the country and throughout the devolved nations (as education is a devolved issue) to examine how different nations have taken differing approaches to oracy within their curriculum, assessment, and accountability frameworks. It’s important for children that as well as learning to read, write, and do arithmetic, they are able to present their ideas, work as a team collaboratively, and speak publicly with confidence. This is often a neglected aspect of teaching in many schools, partly due to time constraints and opportunities within the curriculum. We want to investigate how oracy can take a more prominent role within schools to enable students to learn the necessary skills while still at school.
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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 [email protected] 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 – and remember - observe social distancing, wear a mask if you can, wash your hands regularly and keep Wales safe!

This month, the first people to benefit from Child Trust Funds turn 18 and can access the money put aside for them for the first time.  Over the next nine years, thousands of young people in Gower and Swansea will be able to manage and access the money put aside for them.
 
For every child born after 1 September 2002, until the Conservatives closed the scheme in 2011, the Labour Government put at least £250 aside for them.  The money went into an account their parents could open with a financial services provider using a voucher sent out by the government.  For children whose parents didn’t use their voucher, the government set up an account for them. The Welsh Labour government put extra money in when children reached primary school age. 
 
Parents and others could pay more money into the account too, subject to an annual cap.  Children with disabilities were entitled to extra annual payments into their Trust Fund from the government, because Labour recognized the extra needs young adults with disabilities face.
 
Tonia Antoniazzi, Member of Parliament for Gower said “Here in Gower, 6947 accounts were created, but not all by parents – 1892 of those accounts were created by the government to make sure no-one was left behind.  I don’t want any 18 year old to miss out on their child trust fund.
 
“The idea behind the policy was simple but imaginative.  People with access to savings have long had the ability to put down a deposit on a flat, buy a car, start a business or whatever else they choose to do with that money. 
 
People turning 18 today, and their families, know the disastrous mess the Conservatives are making of their futures.  Just last month we saw the fiasco over A-level results.  A generation of school-leavers have been let down by a government which hasn’t been doing its homework.
 
What’s more, because the Conservatives stopped the scheme, many people may have forgotten that they have that money to call theirs.  Consumer group Which? estimated last year that this could apply to as many as 3 million children and young people, covering accounts containing as much as £2.5 billion. 
 
“A new generation of young people will see the difference a Labour government can make to their lives.”
 
HMRC have now made it easier to find your fund: visit https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/ for details.  But every parent, every school, and every employer can help in the months and years to come in making sure people who are turning 18 know the money is now theirs to manage and know how they can access funds with which they may have lost touch.  Every trust fund, and every choice it enables or makes easier, is a reminder of the difference a Labour government can make.
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As the Member of Parliament for Gower and the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer I want to say thanks to the 526 potential lifesavers in Gower this Blood Cancer Awareness Month. 
 
Every year in the UK, around 2,000 blood cancer patients need a stem cell donor to save their life – but too often a donor isn’t available, and they pass away waiting for a match.

I’m raising awareness of the need to recruit more potential donors to join the stem cell register - particularly people from a more diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, as well as young men aged 16-30 - to give patients with blood cancer the best possible chance of life.

​Join the register, save a life. 

For more information on Anthony Nolan visit anthonynolan.org/join.
 
Anthony Nolan uses its register to match potential stem cell donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a stem cell transplant. It also carries out vital research to make stem cell transplants more successful, and supports patients through their transplant journeys. 

This week, Caerphilly has become the first county in Wales to face local lockdown following a spike in Covid-19 cases. No one will be allowed to leave the county without good reason, family and friends living apart will no longer be able to meet indoors, stay overnight, or form extended households, and everyone over the age of 11 must wear a face covering in shops. Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Health Secretary, said that the spike was largely due to a breakdown in social distancing and people not following the guidelines. Although we are opening up the economy and life is looking a little more normal with schools and shops open, the news from Caerphilly is a reminder that the pandemic is not over.  We must continue to protect ourselves, others, and the NHS by washing our hands frequently, wearing a face covering where we can, and following the social distancing guidelines.

I was pleased to be able to speak during the Health Secretary’s statement in Parliament this week and ask him why he hasn’t replied to my letter from 4 months ago requesting a national cancer recovery plan. Of course, I recognise the extreme strain that the coronavirus crisis has put both on the NHS and the Department for Health and Social Care, however, cancer did not go away during this pandemic. There were still people living with a diagnosis or waiting to be diagnosed without knowing when cancer services would resume normal service. Experts have warned that delays to cancer diagnosis and treatment could result in anywhere between 7,000 and 35,000 additional deaths in the UK as a result of the coronavirus. The NHS have been heroes during this crisis, but the UK Government must now put the funding and resources into cancer services to support the NHS prevent a wave of avoidable deaths from cancer in these exceptional times.

I had hoped to be called to speak in Scottish questions on Wednesday, but unfortunately, the session finished before I was able to speak. Our high streets, across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, will only be able to recover when consumers feel safe and comfortable using them. As Keir Starmer, and numerous other MPs, pointed to examples of constituents who have struggled to get a test for the virus and have been asked to travel across the country to a centre for tests, how can we feel that the UK Government have a handle on this crisis? Keir Starmer’s constituent from London was told that at one point the nearest centre for a test was in Swansea. I can assure the Prime Minister from my weekly commute to Westminster, Swansea is far outside the 10 miles that he said the average distance to a test is! How are the Welsh and Scottish Governments meant to protect people in Wales and Scotland if the UK Government are sending people from hotspots in England into Wales and Scotland to access tests? The UK Government are failing to provide even an adequate test and trace operation, let alone a world-beating one. This must change immediately.

It was Emergency Services Day or #999Day on Wednesday, a day for us to thank all the incredible men and women of our emergency services and to remember those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. These last 6 months have shown us just how important these men and women are to all of us and how much we truly appreciate them and the work that they do. This day is for the emergency responders, not only in the police, ambulance, and fire services, but also the volunteers of the special constables, retained firefighters, the NHS community responders, St John Ambulance, RNLI, search and rescue and coastguard volunteers. All of them work to preserve life and put their safety on the line for others. We will not forget the incredible efforts of our emergency services during the pandemic and we thank you all.

This week we also marked Back British Farming Day. This year is particularly important with our exit from the EU and the UK Government putting British farming at risk with an irresponsible approach to our Agriculture Bill. We all want to see British farming and food standards maintained, regardless of whether we voted to leave or remain in the referendum. No one wants to see poorer food standards and dangerous chemicals entering our food chain and cheap, risky imports undercutting our British farmers. Our farmers play a crucial role in feeding the nation and in safeguarding the beautiful British countryside that we in Gower especially are lucky to be surrounded by.

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 [email protected] 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.
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Keep well and remember –  and remember - observe social distancing, wash your hands regularly and keep Wales safe!

It's been fantastic to see pupils and teachers returning to school across Gower this week.  So much work has gone into preparing our schools and colleges for a safe return, and all those involved should be proud of their efforts.  It would be remiss of me not to mention those parents and guardians who have taken on the task of homeschooling since March - often juggling it alongside working from home and caring for others.  I hope this return to normality gives you all the opportunity to reflect on what a brilliant job you have done.
 
Many of you have been in touch with me regarding the derailment and diesel spill in Llangennech and the subsequent clean-up operation.  On Wednesday, I visited the site of the derailment with shadow Welsh Secretary Nia Griffiths, and met with Network Rail and Natural Resources Wales to discuss next steps.  It was shocking to see the damage to the track and the fuel tankers up close and I commend the Fire crews and response teams for their bravery in responding to this incident.  I want to thank everyone who is working flat out at the scene and behind the scenes to ensure that the area is protected from further environmental damage.  I also want to thank Network Rail and NRW for the job they are doing and how quickly they reacted.  If you discover diesel in the Loughor Estuary or off the Gower coast, please contact NRW on 0300 065 3000.
 
I was pleased this week to sign a letter urging the Chancellor to extend the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) for the aviation sector until March 2021.  The UK Government’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to the end of furlough fails to recognise that some industries are struggling more than others, and aviation is one of those sectors worst hit. Unite the Union estimates that some 60,000 jobs are hanging in the balance, and the UK Government must take action to protect them.
 
With Parliament back in session this week, on Thursday the Welsh Affairs Committee held the first evidence session for our Brexit and Trade: Implications for Wales enquiry.   The next round of trade negotiations between the UK and the EU begins on 7 September in what is being billed as a critical period in the talks, and we spoke to panel of economic and trade experts to explores the implications for Wales of the UK’s trade negotiations with the EU as well as those with non-EU states. 
 
I know that since my last roundup, there have been a number of changes to the Covid-19 rules and regulations, and it's been lovely to see friends and families able to meet up and enjoy time together, often for the first time in many months.  We’ve also been able to welcome visitors back to our beautiful part of the world, and enjoy some activities that we had previously taken for granted.  The changes that the Welsh Government have been able to make are down to your commitment to respecting the guidance, so I would urge everyone to make sure they keep following the rules and stay up to date on regulations at https://gov.wales/coronavirus, so that we can continue to tackle this virus together.
 
If you have any issues or concerns to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling 01792 899025.  My team and I are here to help.  And remember - observe social distancing, wash your hands regularly and keep Wales safe!