As a major update in our ‘Access to NHS Dentistry’ campaign, I’m very pleased to share that the SMILE Dental van down is now accepting new patients for Urgent Dental Care, by appointment only. You can request an appointment by calling their team on 0333 405 0290, so please do call them first. Working alongside The Goods Shed and Cornwall Councillors, including Rosie Moore, we’ve been pushing for the van to visit more areas of high need in the coming weeks and months. Far too many constituents cannot access an NHS dentist near them, and the knock-on effect on A&Es and other health services is simply unacceptable. This is part of my ongoing campaign against the horrendous ‘dental desert’ we face, which leaves thousands in intense pain. A huge thanks to the SMILE team for taking on these urgently-needed appointments!
I’ve also written urgently to National Highways on behalf of my constituents, and will now be escalating the issue with the Department for Transport, after their assurances on the A30 roadworks proved completely untrue. For weeks I’ve pressed them for better signage and a proper diversion plan that doesn’t completely gridlock surrounding villages, yet despite repeated promises, they have failed to act. They claimed disruption would ease once the overnight closures finished, but drivers still face huge tailbacks and are being directed onto highly unsuitable local roads. We’re now weeks into the scheme with no visible sign of improvement, so I’ve demanded an urgent review, including a phased approach to the works, and will be meeting with National Highways in-person to urgently discuss this.
In other news, senior consultants at North Devon District Hospital have now passed a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Trust’s board over its handling of the maternity crisis. I spoke out on ITV News West Country about the shocking delays in reopening the unit. Since the Trust shut it in August, well over 100 expectant mothers have been forced to travel to Exeter or even further afield, with some receiving advice on how to give birth in their cars. When I met Trust managers, it was clear they had completely failed to plan for staff shortages, and their own consultants now share that concern. I’ll keep raising the wider recruitment and retention issues in Parliament with the Health Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP.
On transport, I recently sat down with George, a West Devon Councillor for Okehampton, to talk about our ambitious ‘Kernow Connect’ rail plans. The proposals would open up Cornwall to far better transport links, and I’ve been pushing them with Ministers over recent months, citing the benefits for journey times and our climate. It’s brilliant to have such strong support from across the border, and this really is a win-win for everyone in both Devon and Cornwall.
With so many households feeling the cost of living squeeze, I’ve also been calling on the Government to raise the personal tax allowance and put money back into people’s pockets. The allowance has been repeatedly frozen since Liberal Democrats were last in Government, which is hurting lower and middle earners. I want to see it rise to £15,000, alongside raising the 40p threshold to £56,000, taking millions of the lowest paid out of tax altogether. It really matters that people get to keep more of what they earn. Finally, I recently challenged the Home Secretary on the Government’s proposed Rural Crime and Wildlife strategy during a Home Affairs Committee session. The Home Office is planning just £365,000 for rural crime units across the entire country, which works out at around £8,500 per police force. That is nowhere near enough for areas like ours, and I made clear that rural areas such as North Cornwall cannot be left behind.
Ben Maguire MP
ben.maguire.mp@parliament.uk
