I HOPE everyone had an enjoyable Christmas. I would like to thank all those who worked and my thoughts and prayers are with all those who are ill and alone at this time of year.

My thoughts are also with those who face conflict. This is particularly the case in Ukraine. I have met some of the Ukrainians who are now in South East Cornwall and will be spending Christmas here. It must be a particularly difficult time for those whose families have been separated by this war and I hope that they are at least able to communicate with their loved ones back home.

Last week the government announced that the UK fishing industry will benefit from 140,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities worth over £280-million in 2023.

They stated that this brings the total value of fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet in 2023 in the three main negotiation forums to £750-million, a £34-million increase from last year. This is good news but I will be going through the detail over the festive season to ensure that our Cornish fleet are getting a fair share of this uplift.

I was shocked and very disappointed to be contacted by a constituent who fishes for shellfish and hear that the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) were intending to introduce an emergency by law with a very short consultation period, which would prevent him from fishing from January 2, 2023. Having real experience of the struggle for all fishermen at this time of year I found this totally unacceptable. The reason given was even more bizarre. His vessel had been fitted with a tank called a “vivier”, the purpose of which is to improve the freshness of the catch. Had he not taken the decision to fit this tank, the by law would not apply to him. On investigation I found that many of my colleagues had also been contacted by other Cornish fishermen. I contacted the chair and vice chair of the Cornwall IFCA and would like to thank them for withdrawing this proposal and ensuring that should a similar proposal come forward the normal full procedure will be adhered to. My colleagues and I appreciate them listening to us.

I welcome the announcement that Callington Community College has been selected as one of the latest 239 schools that will be rebuilt or substantially refurbished as part of the fourth round of the Conservative Government’s School Rebuilding Programme. The programme will provide the funding to transform 500 schools across England, delivering on the Government’s commitment to level up opportunity around the country by giving every child access to the best classrooms, wherever they go to school. The School Rebuilding Programme is backed by £1.8-billion of government funding this financial year. The funding for Callington Community College will help to deliver state of the art learning environments for pupils, such as new classrooms, science labs, sports halls, and dining halls. The majority of the projects are set to be completed in three to five years. Each school in the programme has been selected based on the condition of its buildings, making sure the greatest improvements are delivered for schools that need them the most and maximising children’s chances to gain the skills and knowledge they need.

I would like to wish all readers a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year.