Dear all
The past few months have been a very challenging time. As well as Covid-19, the devastating fire at Budgens in Holt has created problems for those who live and shop in the town. I’ve been working closely with local stakeholders to make sure we support the most vulnerable, and local suppliers who depended on Budgens for much of their business.
As a result of campaigning by the Norfolk MPs, Ofgem and National Grid have now been commissioned to look into ways to support the growth of our offshore wind industry without compromising the ecology and beauty of our natural landscape. A report on the available options is expected in October.
The government’s financial support package has been a lifeline to many individuals and businesses, but the focus now moves to how we can support the re-opening of our economy. ‘Eat Out to Help Out’, a VAT reduction for tourism and hospitality businesses, and incentives for employers to keep their employees on over the next few months are just the start, with more initiatives expected in the autumn. You can find further details at duncanbaker.org.uk.
When elected, one of my pledges was to work on improving mobile coverage and broadband speeds in North Norfolk. I’m pleased that the government has introduced the ‘Universal Service Obligation’ which enables anyone with an internet connection slower than 10Mbps to request an upgrade at no cost to the customer. We are also working on a Shared Rural Network, a UK equivalent of ‘roaming’ which will allow mobile phone users to access the strongest signal regardless of which network they are on. There is more to be done, but this is good progress.
Chloe Smith MP and I are working hard on delivering two major upgrades to healthcare: a new Accident & Emergency department at the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital; and an Urgent Treatment Centre for Cromer Hospital. These plans will have several additional benefits – with local people having less distance to travel to access healthcare; and enabling ambulances to remain ‘closer to home’, thus reducing ambulance response times in North Norfolk. Again, this work is ongoing, but the government is keen to do all it can to see these major projects delivered.
Over the past few months, my office team and I have dealt with thousands of enquiries, both Covid-related and on other issues. If I can help you with any issue, please do contact me on 01692 557140 or at [email protected].
During July and August I will be touring the whole constituency, visiting as many of our towns and villages as possible, meeting constituents, and learning more about the issues which matter most to you. Details will be available shortly on my website and via social media and local newspapers. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the summer.
Duncan Baker
MP for North Norfolk
