Dear Constituent

Welcome to my March constituency e-newsletter and may I wish you an enjoyable and hopefully drier Easter weekend!

I have included a rundown on the main features of the March Budget in this newsletter and links to the latest activity of the Home Affairs Select Committee which has had a busier time than usual. I also found myself in the headlines again this week with the news about the latest cyber-attacks on Members of Parliament and the Electoral Commission now confirmed officially as being attributed to the Chinese Communist Party Government. This week marked 3 years since I was sanctioned by the Chinese authorities along with 6 other parliamentarians for speaking out against human rights abuses against the Uighurs, Tibetans and increasingly those fighting for liberties in Hong Kong. In fact, I was doubly sanctioned as the Conservative Human Rights Commission was included, which I chair! 

It has a particularly busy week in the constituency not least dealing with flooding issues and I give an account of the meetings I organised between residents and Southern Water in Southwick and Grinstead Lane, Lancing and you can find fuller details on my website and Facebook page.  

I hope there is something here of interest. 

Best wishes 

Tim 

Surgeries

To arrange a confidential surgery interview, please ring the constituency office on 01273 757182, or email office@eastworthingandshoreham.org.uk.

Location and timings to be confirmed on receipt of appointment confirmation.

Upcoming advice surgery dates:

• Friday 12th April 2024, Sompting

Upcoming Street Surgery Dates – no need to book, just turn up:   

• Saturday 30th April 2024, Lancing Country Market, 10.00am - 13.00pm.

For further surgery details visit my website here    

Spring Budget 2024 rundown

At the end of a busy March, the Spring Budget on the 6th of March feels a long time ago. However, important, nonetheless. The last few years have been tough for the UK economy, which has faced unprecedented shocks from the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, an energy price spike driven by Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and globally high inflation. 

At the beginning of 2023 the Prime Minister set out five priorities, three of which were economic: to halve inflation, grow the economy and get debt falling. Inflation has more than halved from its recent peak and OBR forecasts inflation to fall to its 2% target by the end of June 2024, a year earlier than in their November 2023 forecast. 

As a result of falling inflation, real wages are rising. The OBR now expects living standards, as measured by real household disposable income (RHDI) per person, to grow by 0.8% in 2023-24 and continue to grow in each year of the forecast. In the latest data, people’s real incomes were around £1,100 higher than the OBR expected in their March 2023 forecast. 

GDP grew by 0.1% in 2023 and the unemployment rate has remained low by historical standards at 3.8% in Q4 2023, below the OBR’s November 2022 forecast of 4.6%. Growth is now forecast to pick up from the first half of 2024 and the IMF is forecasting that the UK will have the third fastest cumulative growth in the G7 over the 2024-2028 period. The economy is now beginning to turn a corner and because the government is sticking to the plan it can now make further tax cuts for working people, boosting growth whilst keeping the public finances on a sustainable path. 

The Chancellor also announced further cuts to National Insurance from 12-10% in 2023 and in 2024 10-8%. Combined with the 2p cut announced at Autumn Statement 2023, this will save the average worker on £35,400 over £900 a year. The government is also cutting a further 2p from the main rate of self-employed National Insurance on top of the 1p cut announced at Autumn Statement 2023. This means that from 6 April 2024 the main rate of Class 4 NICs for the self-employed will now be reduced from 9% to 6%. Combined with the abolition of the requirement to pay Class 2, this will save an average self-employed person on £28,000 around £650 a year. The combined effects of these reductions to National Insurance also means that a person on the average wage now has the lowest effective personal tax rate since 1975. 

The High-Income Child Benefit Charge is another part of the tax system the government wants to make fairer. Child Benefit is crucial to help parents pay for the costs associated with having children, helping them to balance work with looking after their children. It is not fair that a household with two parents each earning £49,000 a year will receive Child Benefit in full, while a household earning less overall but with one parent earning over £50,000 will see some or all of the benefit withdrawn. The government is committed to removing this unfairness and moving to a system based on household rather than individual incomes by April 2026, and will consult in due course. The government is providing an additional £500 million (including Barnett impact) to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund in England from April to September 2024, to continue providing targeted support to vulnerable households with the cost of essentials such as food and utilities, as inflation continues to fall. 

To support people with the cost of living, the government is maintaining the rates of fuel duty and extending the alcohol duty freeze from 1 August 2024 until 1 February 2025. Together these measures come at a cost of over £8 billion across the forecast period. 

The government is reforming how it delivers key public services and boosting public sector productivity to ensure that every pound of taxpayers’ money is well spent, including a comprehensive NHS productivity plan backed by £3.4 billion of funding. This will double investment in NHS technological and digital transformation, including to upgrade vital MRI scanners, roll out universal electronic patient records and reduce the time frontline workers spend on administrative tasks. This will help unlock £35 billion in cumulative productivity savings from 2025-26 to 2029-30. 

As part of the Programme, the government is also investing £800 million in wider public services which will deliver up to £1.8 billion worth of benefits over the forecast period. The government is also announcing an additional £2.5 billion of day-to-day funding for the NHS in England in 2024-25, protecting funding levels in real terms and supporting the NHS to continue to improve performance and reduce waiting times. 

To help reduce taxes on working people the government will ensure that those with the broadest shoulders pay a bit more, by abolishing the tax rules for non-UK domiciled individuals and replacing them with a residence-based regime. This will ensure that all UK residents who stay in the UK for over four years will pay the same tax on their foreign income and gains, regardless of their domicile status, creating a modernised regime that is simpler, fairer and more competitive. 

The help support small businesses, the government announced an extension to the 75% business rate relief for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties for 2024-25, a tax cut worth £2.4 billion. Spring Budget goes further to support SMEs by increasing the VAT registration threshold from £85,000 to £90,000 to cut their taxes and help them grow. 

All of this aside, I am pleased to report that the economy is beginning to turn a corner and the government is sticking to its plan: inflation is down, growth is forecast to improve, and debt is on track to fall. The government is taking long-term decisions to cut taxes further for working people, reform how it delivers public services, and build a stronger economy and a brighter future for the UK. 

Chinese cyber-attacks on UK security and IPAC conference 

As one of the seven MPs/Peers sanctioned by China in 2021 for speaking out against the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang as well as my role on the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and as Chair of the APPG for Tibet, I have a permanent X on my back against the Chinese Communist Government. 

This week was an example of the scathing extent at which the CCP will go to, to attempt to threaten UK democracy. 

This series of events coincidentally fell within the same week as a meeting of sanctioned MPs from across Europe at Westminster, hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, IPAC. In a long day of meetings and briefings we engaged with IPAC members across the globe who had face similar treatment, sanctions, threats as myself. 

Scrutiny Counts' top backbencher

On a brighter note, I received some great news from the independent, apolitical source ScrutinyCounts who deliver daily statistics on MP's contributions.

Last year I ranked top backbench contributor for the month of October, and I am pleased to yet again be top Conservative backbench and third overall backbench contributor to debate in the House of Commons. The source reported that six of the Top 10 Backbench MPs are Conservative, with 4 being from other parties. It is also a great opportunity for my constituents to see how frequently I am making representations on their behalf. 

For more information please See the most contributing MPs in Parliament debates in early 2024 (scrutinycounts.co.uk).

On the 15th of March, I teamed up with Lancing Business Park and medical services firm Eschmann to host a business export breakfast. Fortified by some excellent bacon rolls 40 local businesses came along to hear from Department for Business and Trade and UK Export Finance officials about the support available for firms looking to break into the export market or expand existing operations. 

Studies show that companies who export are far more resilient and able to spread the risk of downturns in particular sectors. Whenever I go on delegations abroad it is clear that our embassies are now much more geared up to promoting UK plc and recent trade deals are bringing lots more opportunities. Two weeks ago, the UK signed a trade deal with the state of Texas, the 8th largest economy in the world, bigger than Australia, Canada or Russia. 

The event was a great success with requests for a follow up event so do let me know if your business would be interested. 

For the first time in all my 27 years in Parliament, I was actually opening a bank branch rather than campaigning against closing one, as the case with NatWest Shoreham-by-Sea branch, which I regretfully confirm is closing on Wednesday 10th July 2024. Nonetheless, the new Shoreham Banking Hub in the High Street is up and running, already proving a great success. It follows on from the proposed closure of the last bank branch in my constituency with Nat West in Shoreham due to shut its doors soon. We requested a review of whether we qualified for a banking hub and Cash Access UK, responsible for protecting access to cash, said yes. 

Cash for Access Banking Hubs offer easy access to face-to-face cash and banking in the heart of communities across the UK. They are owned by Cash Access UK and operated by the Post Office. 

You can also talk to your bank or building society face-to-face about more complicated banking enquiries like payments and transfers, managing your account, and how to use online banking. Community Banker availability varies between Hubs and is based on local demand. From Monday to Friday, banks including HSBC (Mon), NatWest (Tues), Barclays (Wed), Lloyds (Thurs) and Santander (Fri) are open and available to: 

• pay in cash and cheques,
• withdraw cash,
• check your balance, 
• pay utility bills, 
• top up your gas and electricity, 
• access change-giving services (for small businesses). 

Customers of the five different banks can now use the hub five days a week with representatives from each bank on site in person for a set day for face-to-face advice. Now all we need is a hub in Lancing too, which has been bank less since Nationwide withdrew. 

All in all, a great local addition, and I even got to serve my first customer! 

NHS Dental Procurement 

Last month I received an email from a constituent about dental procurement locally. I wrote to the Sussex University NHS Trust and received a response summarising key parts of the latest NHS dental procurement. 

To summarise, the recent dentistry procurement process in Sussex has awarded two new NHS contracts, including one in Worthing that will add the equivalent of about eight full-time dentists. The Worthing practice is being renovated and expanded to accommodate the additional patient capacity needed for the new contract. The NHS expect the practice to open shortly after its March 19, 2024, Care Quality Commission inspection, pending CQC approval. Once notified, I will inform constituents of the opening date once confirmed.

To address the difficulty many patients have experienced accessing local NHS dentistry, the NHS piloted a streamlined process for existing practices to quickly bid for permanent contract increases without a prolonged procurement process. This resulted in three Worthing and Lancing practices receiving more recurring appointment availability, which they are already delivering. We will expand this expedited process across Sussex and also do a full procurement round likely leading to new practices in the coming year. 

 Royal Mail - Local updates for the month of March 

After a shambolic few months of postal deliveries locally, the complaints into my inbox appear to be much fewer and farer between since badgering Royal Mail for monthly (at the least) updates of local postal deliveries. 

I update my social media (Facebook and Instagram) regularly with the latest vacancies, delivery/staffing issues.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=812074060741433&set=pb.100058165384250.-2207520000

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=812073964074776&set=pb.100058165384250.-2207520000

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=812073887408117&set=pb.100058165384250.-2207520000&type=3

Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill: House of Commons Introduction

Since the 2019 Group Litigation High Court case, the Government has been working hard to right the wrongs of the Post Office Horizon scandal, which began in the 1990s. The Government has been processing full, fair and final claims for financial redress as quickly as possible. The Horizon Shortfall Scheme, which was set up in 2020, has paid out £107 million, and initial offers have been made to all of the main group of claimants. The Group Litigation Order scheme, launched last year, has paid out £34 million, which includes interim payments. For those postmasters whose convictions were overturned by the courts, £38 million has been paid, and since October last year, claimants have been able to access £600,000 in a fixed sum award. This is part of our plan to tackle the Horizon scandal, one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history. 

On 10 January, the Prime Minister announced a major step forward in response to the Horizon scandal. He confirmed that the Government would introduce new primary legislation to make sure that those convicted as a result of the Horizon scandal, are swiftly exonerated and compensated. I am pleased to announce that the Bill, to deliver on this commitment, will be introduced to the House of Commons today. 

The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill sets out a clear set of objective criteria which identifies the convictions which are in scope. Individuals whose convictions meet the criteria will have these convictions automatically quashed at Royal Assent, without any action on their part. Records such as the Police National Computer will be amended, and individuals will be notified and invited to apply for financial redress. Only if we do not already have information about their convictions will individuals need to act to have their records updated. All convictions within scope will be quashed on Royal Assent whether or not we have identified the individual at that point. 

I am also pleased to confirm that the Financial Secretary to the Treasury will be introducing secondary legislation to ensure the financial compensation received by victims are of course exempt from tax. 

Fire station visit

Home Affairs Select Committee Fire and Policing Inquiry updates 

I joined Sir Peter Bottomley on a visit to Broadwater Fire Station where we met senior fire officers and had a look at the latest equipment deployed by firefighters. We were joined by the impressive Chief Fire Officer for West Sussex, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton who is doing a remarkable job turning the service round after the disappointing inspection report last year. We had a particularly interesting briefing about the hazards of electric cars involved in accidents and problems with lithium batteries of all sorts causing fires. The Home Affairs Select Committee is currently conducting a study into the fire service after the reports of misogyny and racism pervading some fire services and in particular the London Fire Service following equally troubling reports about the culture within the Met Police. I am pleased to say that we will be taking evidence from Sabrina in front of the committee soon. 

NATIONAL HIGHWAYS - New Monks Farm A27, NEW MONKS PARK , LANCING 

National Highways have again announced new EASTBOUND CARRIAGEWAY CLOSURES NOTIFICATION FOR APRIL AND MAY 2024. 

The works to complete the new road layout of the A27 are reportedly progressing well. National Highways are now conducting planned eastbound carriageway closures to finalise drainage and ducting and complete surfacing of the main eastbound carriageway.  

The closure dates are: 

Friday 12 – Monday 15 April 2024  

Friday 26 – Monday 29 April 2024  

Friday 10 – Monday 13 May 2024  

Friday 7 – Monday 10 June 2024 

Closures will be in place from 9pm Friday with the carriageway reopening at 6am Monday. Eastbound diversions will be signed via A24 (north) and A283 (east). 

National Highways will maintain local access for vehicles travelling to the airport and for resident access to properties within the closure. Westbound traffic is not impacted. 

YOU CAN FOLLOW UPDATES ON THE CLOSURES National Highways twitter feed: @ HighwaysSEAST and website: 

• nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/ south-east/a27-lancing-manor-farm 

The National Highways helpline is also available: 

• 0300 123 5000 

PROJECT HELPLINE 

Our contact centre remains open 9am–5pm Monday to Friday (messages can be left out of hours). 

Dedicated project telephone helpline: 

• 0800 488 0227 
• Email helpdesk: helpdesk@a27lancing.co.uk 

 
While I am updating my constituents on National Highways, a few months ago I wrote to NH about abandoned temporary signing along the roadside in the Monks Farm area - some with incorrect dates. Much of this, I have been told, is related to the New Monks Farm work, many being signs and cones etc that are used for the overnight closures and left at the roadside during the day to ease placement at night. NH assured me that they have asked the contractor to check their signs to ensure they are current and not out of date, and that their own site managers will be checking the area for any equipment not related to that site such as the graffiti along the A27 Shoreham bypass. 

I have contacted the Cabinet Member for Highways to make sure that there is no routine work on the A259 at the same time as that road is where most traffic will divert.

Shoreham Beach Residents AGM 

It is the season for resident association AGMs, and it is always a pleasure to attend the Shoreham Beach Residents Association this year, which I have done for all but one of the last 27 years. I was there with County Councillor Kevin Boram who covers the Beach along with Adur ward councillors Joss Loader, who chairs the Association and her fellow councillor Julia Watts. There were the usual questions about the state of roads, parking, dangerous driving and the future of Beach Green and I left all the awkward questions to Kevin!  There was a key difference this year. Fr the first time we were without the force of nature that was Alderman and former district councillor Liza McKinney who sadly died last year after a remarkable career of public service devoted to Shoreham, the results of which are still very evident today. It was highly fitting that rather than a minute’s silence in respect to the rarely quiet Liza the audience gave a rousing round of applause instead. 

Grinstead Lane flooding

In one week, I organised 2 meetings with Southern Water about constituency flooding issues. On Monday no fewer than 7 representatives from Southern Water came to Lancing Parish Hall to hear resident’s complaints about the pump and pipe which has brought chaos to Grinstead Lane since last November. They held their hands up for the poor management of the work and some good news about solutions which I have written up on my website. On Thursday it’s on to Southwick re the substantial problems round the Green and I will be reporting back on that to all residents soon. 

Findon Valley Association 

The Vicar of Findon Valley Free Church must have been pretty envious last Saturday as it was virtually standing room early in the church for the AGM of the Findon Valley Residents Association. It was a tribute to the hard work of FVRA Chairman Lance Allen who was standing down after serving out a very packed 4-year term as chairman. It may have also had a little bit to do with the excellent cakes on offer. 

FVRA is a textbook example of an active community engaged resident’s association. It is a strong voice for the residents of the Valley, though the references about people ‘coming up from Worthing’ hinted at a future bid for independence from the municipality! The regular farmers/artisan’s market has become a firm favourite and the Coronation celebrations last year were some of the best attended in the Borough. The Association has galvanised the volunteering effort in the Valley and the planting of a community orchard is one example of how much they value the link with the Downs that surround them. 

Another was the campaign to persuade the Council 14 years ago not to sell-off 150 acres of farmland around Cissbury Ring but instead make it into a community resource. We were reminded of this triumphant campaign led by Worthing Downlanders with a short film produced by Steve and Janet Nethercott-Cable and their team, which is up for several awards at prestigious film festivals. The film Spirit of the Downs - Perseverance brings Success’ is available on You Tube and well worth a watch. 

Reminder: NHS Parliamentary Awards

As mentioned by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister's Questions last week, nominations are currently open for the NHS Parliamentary Awards. These are an opportunity to celebrate NHS staff in Adur and Worthing who are delivery excellent healthcare and are innovating to improve local services.  

The deadline for nominating is Friday 19th April at Midnight. Please send me (tim.loughton.mp@parliament.uk) your nominations by this time to make sure they can go through to the judging stage prior to our Awards Ceremony.  

Last year The Excellence in Primary Care and Community Care Award was won by my nomination of the Community Pharmacy Surrey and Sussex. 

Trophy Hunting Bill – Tim’s intervention 

In an animal welfare orientated month, I was pleased to be in Parliament to support the latest incarnation of the Trophy Hunting Bill initially promoted by my Sussex colleague (support) Henry Smith MP a champion of animal rights in the House of Commons to deliver on his Trophy Hunting Bill from the previous Parliamentary calendar.  Trophy hunting is an unethical, unsustainable industry that is recognised internationally as a threat to the welfare and survival of many wild animals. Ethical and sustainable non-extractive revenue-generating use and management of wildlife must replace the ‘pay-to-slay’ hunting of charismatic and endangered wildlife for fun or home décor. 

80% of the British public support a ban on hunting trophy imports which is why I have committed my support to the ban. 

Dogs Trust lobby and Selaine Saxby MP Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats & Ferrets) Bill 

I am pleased that my Conservative Colleague, Selaine Saxby MP Private Members Bill - Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats & Ferrets) Bill passed its second reading in Parliament on the 15th of March. 

The Bill will make provision for and in connection with restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets. 

Two weeks ago, I was out and about in Shoreham and Lancing and filming alongside my constituency events, while we were on a tight schedule I obviously had to head down to the Dogs Trust site in Shoreham after the success of the bills second reading - which is backed by the Government.  

Elizabeth Emblem  

My colleague, the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden MP recently announced a new award, the Elizabeth Emblem. This Emblem will be given to the next of kin of individuals who have lost their lives in public service, including next of kin of police officers and firefighters, alongside many other public servants. It is the civilian equivalent of the military Elizabeth Cross and full details of the eligibility criteria will be published on Monday. 

The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’ and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. 

The next of kin of the deceased will be able to apply for the Emblem and applications can be made to the Cabinet Office at elizabethemblem@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. 

I know you will join me in paying tribute to bereaved families of those who have given their lives in public service, and I hope this Emblem may offer them a small symbol of the nation’s gratitude. 

Home Affairs Select Committee update and HASC visit to Brook House, Gatwick 

Last week I joined other members of the Home Affairs Select Committee on a visit to Brook House, the immigration detention centre at Gatwick Airport. We wanted to see how things had improved since the revelations in the BBC Panorama programme about the treatment of residents there. We were also briefed about preparations to process more migrants who may be subject to the Rwanda deportation scheme once it is up and running.  

After a PMQ question last month regarding the disturbing information released by whistleblower, Reverend Matthew Firth that asylum seekers were converting to Christianity under false as a way of jumping the asylum queue, the Committee invited tge Reverend and other representatives from the Church of England to the Committee for an evidence session. Unfortunately, the Archbishop of Canterbury declined our invitation, but the Bishop of Chelmsford attended. It was necessary to ask pressing questions about taxpayer funds.

FREE Citizen Card for elections and identification 

It is not too late to apply for a FREE citizen card which can act as a form of identity for both the younger and older generations. Our vote is our democratic right and responsibility, therefore with new voter ID rules around election times to clamp down on voter fraud, there is no excuse for anyone not to turn up to the polling station with free resources available to everyone across the UK to ensure their electoral participation. Please spread the word and follow this link to apply https://www.citizencard.com/apply-for-a-new-citizencard 

Guildcare Report launch

On a busy Friday in the constituency, I headed to Worthing Town Hall to see the launch of Guildcare’s latest report highlights Guildcare’s continued efforts in reducing social isolation and social stigma amongst older people in Worthing 

To view the report please follow the link: https://www.guildcare.org/creating-connections-social-impact-report

Windsor House hearing 

This week I was supposed to be submitting evidence to the Independent Planning Inspectorate however, the appeal was cancelled at short notice. The proposal to turn Windsor House, once a seaside hotel, to a 44-man HMO (housing of multiple occupants), is not appropriate for the location of the building or area, and I am therefore supporting the asks of surrounding residents to reject the grounds of the appeal. I will feedback with updates once I know more… 

Government investment in grassroots sport facilities in East Worthing and Shoreham  

Millions of people across the country play, watch and enjoy sport every day - it is central to our national identity. We all know that being active and playing sport has the power to change lives for the better. Quite simply, an active life is a happier, healthier and more prosperous life, which is why the Government has set out our ambitious Get Active strategy to get over 3.5 million more people active by 2030, including 1 million young people.  

To achieve this, we are working with local communities to improve access to high quality grassroots sport facilities, levelling up facilities across the whole of the UK supported by an historic level of investment.  

Between 2021 and 2025, the Government will have invested over £400 million into a wide range of grassroots sports facilities to provide people with much needed spaces to get active. The Government's direct investment is delivered mainly through three major programmes:  

• The £327 million Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which provides funding to create and upgrade up to 8,000 football and multi-sport facilities across the UK. 
• The £21.9 million Park Tennis Court Renovation Programme, which aims to renovate over 3,000 public park tennis courts to a playable standard, across Scotland, England and Wales 
• The £60.8 million Swimming Pool Support Fund, which supports public swimming pool providers in England with immediate cost pressures (in Phase I) and provides investment to make facilities sustainable in the longer-term (in Phase II). 

As of January 2024, this includes a total of £25,698 in East Worthing and Shoreham,  

• allocated to the following projects:  

• Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme  
• Totalling £25,698, including partner funding from the English Football Association and Premier League  

Facility name / Grant award / Facility type  

GLEBE PRIMARY SCHOOL / £900.00 / Goalposts  

SOUTHWICK HILL RECREATION GROUND / £3,055.00 / Goalposts  

OLD BARN WAY / £5,400.00 / Goalposts  

HILLBARN RECREATION GROUND / £4,016.00 / New Floodlights  

MONKS RECREATION GROUND / £784.00 / Goalposts  

CROSHAW RECREATION GROUND / £10,118.00 / Maintenance Equipment & Storage  

CROSHAW RECREATION GROUND / £1,425.00 / Goalposts

Ovarian Cancer drop-in

Each year 7,400 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the UK. To show my support to victims, survivors, or the families of those who have undergone ovarian cancer diagnoses, it was important to attend the APPG for Ovarian Cancer drop-in. ‘Teal Tuesday’ was held on Tuesday the 19th of March to coincide with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The campaign is hosted by The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) Charity and the Gynaecology Service. 

Recognise the BEAT symptoms of ovarian cancer: 

• B is for bloating that doesn’t come and go 
• E is for eating difficulty and feeling full more quickly 
• A is for abdominal and pelvic pain you feel most days
• T is for toilet changes and urination or bowel habits  

For more information, please head over to the following useful link on spotting symptoms and support post-diagnosis: Take on Teal Tuesday for ovarian cancer | The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust 

Southern Region Stakeholder Update March 2024: Sussex 

A reminder for passengers to check before they travel over the Easter Weekend with Network Rail reporting train replacement buses across Kent and South London over the 4-day weekend as part of a wider £89 million programme of investment across the country, which will see upgrades to track and signalling. For more information and locations of closures please follow the link below: 

https://my.newzapp.co.uk/t/view/1674732405/121523835

Storm Overflows and Water UK 

On the 12 March, Water UK published their Storm Overflow Action Plans for all overflows in England. This dashboard set out between now and 2050 when each storm overflow will meet its annual spill target and what will be done to deliver that reduction. 

These plans are made possible due to this Conservative government’s Storm Overflow Reduction Plan and introducing 100% monitoring of sewage overflows. This provides the government, regulators and public with the transparency and data needed to hold water companies to account for tackling sewage overflows. We have been clear that the water company use of sewage overflows is completely unacceptable – as this data shows. Put simply, each spill over a company’s permitted allowance is a breach of the criminal law and companies must go further and faster to tackle the issue. 

We have recently announced a range of measures to further hold water companies to account - including a 370% increase in inspections and a ban on bonuses for executives of water companies found to have broken the law. In contrast, Labour introduced water company self-monitoring in 2009, allowing water companies to mark their own homework. They have no plan to deliver the long-term investment needed to overhaul our sewage system and hold water companies to account for their unacceptable record on the environment. 

Men’s Mental Health Week – Men in Sheds  

For men’s mental health week, I visited Parliament’s very own ‘Men in Shed’s. I have worked closely with the excellent and very active branch of Men in Sheds in Lancing who have been involved in so many projects in the village ranging from the vegetable beds at the old police station to the toy library on the beach working out of their buildings at the top of Lancing Manor (by donating plants for raised flower beds in the community gardens). I am posting a video about the great work they do on my website shortly   

Men in Sheds locations across Adur and Worthing: 

Social Worker of the Year Award 

Earlier this month I again hosted the Social Worker of the Year Awards ceremony in Parliament, of which I am patron, alongside my colleague Helen Whately MP, Minister for Social Care. 

In my former role as Minister for Children, I spoke to many fantastic children and staff growing up or working within the care sector and continue to support the sector in my capacity as a backbencher and with Barnardo's.

Adur Secondary School places

Given the ongoing problems with the number of secondary school places available to Adur pupils I asked for a meeting with Schools Minister Damian Hinds to expedite a longer term solution, and he has offered to stay involved. The figures just announced by West Sussex suggest that for September 2024 at least virtually all Adur pupils should have secured one of their preferred schools based on the following projections:

▪ Shoreham Academy has offered 300 places and is full.

▪ Sir Robert Woodard Academy had 310 places on offer and has offered 298 places which leaves 12 spaces.

▪ St Andrews High School offered an extra 30 places to give 210 places and has filled to 200 pupils leaving 10 spaces.

▪ Steyning Grammar had a PAN of 360 and has offered 316 places and this leaves 44 spaces.

World Book Day 

To celebrate World Book Day, I visited the stand and picked up some children’s books to donate across primary schools in Adur and East Worthing. For more information please see the following link: https://www.worldbookday.com.

Lawn Tennis Association grants across Adur 

Both the Lawn Tennis Association and Department for Culture, Media and Sport contacted to this month to inform me of ongoing transformations in local parks across Adur and Worthing, as a result of the Park Tennis Project. 

The Park Tennis Project is a £30m UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation investment transforming park tennis courts across Britain for the benefit of local communities.  

Park tennis courts are vital to opening tennis up to more people and having more accessible locations to enjoy the sport. 

In Adur and Worthing, £67,128.47 is being invested to transform parks in Buckingham Park for the benefit of the local community. 

Find and book a slot in our local park tennis courts here: https://www.lta.org.uk/play/ 

World Down Syndrome Day 

Around 47,000 children and adults suffer from down syndrome and the @APPGDS and the National Down Syndrome Policy Group at @NDSPolicyGroup do a fantastic job of spreading awareness and advocating on their behalf #WDSD2024 #NDSPG 

Dogs Trust and Thomas Pocklington Trust 

I am extremely supportive of Guide Dogs and their work in providing sight impaired or blind individuals with the support of furry friends or lobbying Politicians to ensure better access to infrastructure or facilities. The Thomas Pocklington event last week in Parliament was a fantastic example of this, I discussed improving accessibility measures with TP representatives. Great suggestions include greater audio announcements on public transport and better accessibility arrangements for sight impaired students at university – policy ideas I fully support. 

Holmbush and Eastbrook Primary Schools Platinum Sports Award 

I am delighted that Eastbrook Primary Academy and Holmbush Primary Academy are 2 of the 507 schools to receive the Platinum award across the country. This awarded status is based on a well-considered criterion, ensuring pupils meet the 60 minutes of physical activity a day, as part of the Government’s Get Active strategy to get 1 million more children active by 2030. This is a crucial element to setting young people up for a lifetime of physical activity. 

The Sports Minister, the Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP was pleased to me to inform me of both schools' incredible facilities and engagement shown by pupils in both their PE lessons and extra-curricular activities. Both the Minister and I also wanted to pay tribute to the high levels of commitment shown by the school’s staff to upskill sporting opportunities with local schools and the wider community. 

The applications for the 2023/4 academic year open on the 1st of May 2024 and I would strongly urge other schools to get their applications in also! 

Ministry of Justice Community Payback Scheme 

Last month I included details about the MoJ’s Spring Clean Up Project which I nominated the A27 for. Below are further details and where to nominate areas: 

Thank you for reading to the end of my monthly newsletter, as always if you wish to contact me office regarding constituency and Westminster focused issues please email me directly to tim.loughton.mp@parliament.uk and I will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.