Last Monday, I joined fellow Sussex MPs in meeting with Royal Mail in Parliament to discuss residents’ concerns. It was good to meet with their Regional Operations Director, John Doyle, and Head of Public Affairs Fiona Hamilton to discuss the challenges, including its future size and shape as the needs of our Sussex communities evolve but most importantly to hear their plans to improve the services they deliver. I know from my recent meeting with the local Haywards Heath sorting office team just how hard they are all continuously working, along with their colleagues in the BH and EG sorting offices, and how stressful the current conditions are for everyone. I shared residents' deep concerns, and they are very much listening and trying to recruit more brilliant posties to improve their services, delivery team, and number of letters and packages delivered. I’m currently running a survey on my website on your experiences, which I encourage residents to feed in to.
Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK as part of ambitious Government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health. Vapes should only ever be used as a tool to quit smoking, however the sweet flavours like candyfloss attract more youngsters into using vapes which could be detrimental to their health. We are committed to doing more to protect children from illicit underage vaping, and by banning disposable vapes we’re preventing children from becoming hooked for life.
We’ve launched the Lilac Review and I’m delighted to be co-chairing this in my role as Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work. Spearheaded by Small Business Britain, it’s a new Government backed independent review, to tackle the inequality faced by disabled people led businesses and truly level-up entrepreneurial opportunities across the UK.
Meanwhile, I’m delighted the Government has launched the new Pharmacy First approach, using the skills of our marvellous local pharmacists to help treat more people with common health conditions in the community without the need for a GP appointment. Around 280 pharmacies have signed up across Sussex and further details are on my website.
