Alex Norris MP's Weekly Newsletter

Welcome to the latest issue of my weekly newsletter.

This week Parliament has entered a very short November recess, rising at the close of play on Tuesday and set to return to Monday. This has afforded me a bit of additional time home in Nottingham following the start of the week in Westminster, where the stories of Government sleaze and corruption are rumbling on.

We also commemorated Armistice Day on Thursday and with Remembrance Sunday this weekend, you can read some of my thoughts on this legacy below, as well as what the week has entailed.

As always, if you have any questions or need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me at alex.norris.mp@parliament.uk.

Remembrance

Remembrance provides an opportunity to reflect on the enduring contribution of our Armed Forces, in years past and today. Last year the pandemic meant national celebrations had to be scaled back or cancelled. This year, against the backdrop of the Royal British Legion’s centenary, we can once again come together to mark the service and sacrifice of our service personnel, veterans and their families.

We expect the highest standards of our Armed Forces, just as they demand and display the highest standards of themselves. They represent the values the British people admire most - courage, integrity, loyalty, discipline and service. 

Just as our Armed Forces work to keep us all safe and our country secure, so we must do all we can to support them.

This year our armed forces have stepped up to protect us at home and abroad. From airlifting British nationals out of Afghanistan, to driving NHS ambulances in Wales, they were there when we needed it most. This week we remember their service, past and present.

I will be joining events at St. Mary's in Bulwell on Sunday morning on behalf of our community.

Government Corruption

While Owen Paterson has resigned as an MP and the Government have backtracked on their terrible attempts to rewrite the rules to save him, there has been no end to the stories of Government sleaze, corruption, and simply not taking their jobs seriously this week.

The biggest story has been about Sir Geoffrey Cox QC MP, who has been making absolutely absurd amounts of money (totalling at least £6 million) to do a second job from the Caribbean while he should be serving his constituents, including defending a tax haven from the British Government. But this is just one example and there are many more Conservatives putting their purses ahead of their constituents.

This week, I’ve supported calls for the Prime Minister to answer, apologise and act over the corruption scandal engulfing the Government.

Last month, the Government refused to fix a loophole that has let Rob Roberts off the hook. They were however prepared to change the rules retrospectively to support cash for access but not to stop sexual harassment.

The Government have not yet said when they will bring back a motion to undo the damage caused by the vote last week that created a sham committee. When it happens, Labour will only take part in talks to strengthen the current standards process, they will not support any weakening of the system.

They must also now commit to a full, transparent investigation into the more than £600 million of taxpayer money handed to Randox without competition or tender, and confirm that Owen Paterson won’t be made a peer.

Our country deserves a lot better.

My Week

With only two days in Parliament my week has been quite mixed - here’s what I’ve been up to:

• My Monday began slightly out of the ordinary, having my photo taken for a magazine interview I did recently for New Psychotherapist magazine, before meeting with Jo Jepson from Base 51 about concerns over the potential closure of the youth services they’ve provided in our city for 30 years. I then attended a training session for my role as a school Governor, before acknowledging and celebrating the role of Small and Medium Enterprise - who have been incredibly challenged throughout the pandemic - in the evening.
• On Tuesday, I was in the House of Commons Chamber for a Backbench Business debate on the importance of giving every child the best start in life. It’s an issue where there’s a consensus across all parties, as the evidence for early intervention is overwhelming, but the difficulty comes from persuading the Government to invest in positive action that they won’t see an instant return on. It’s the right thing to do, and a tremendous investment to make in improving lives and outcomes, and I’ll keep arguing until they do it. You can watch a clip of my contribution here. After that, I met with the British Orthodontic Society in my Shadow Health role to discuss the challenges of their profession.
• My Wednesday was a bit more standard, with a series of virtual meetings as well as travelling back to Nottingham. I met with Aymes about hospital nutrition products, Nottingham City Homes about downsizing processes, a constituent, Minister Argar about the next stages of the Health and Care Bill, and Paul O’Kane, the Labour and Co-Operative Member of Scottish Parliament who convenes (chairs) their Health, Social Care and Sports Committee.
• Back in Nottingham yesterday, I began the day at YMCA Melbourne Park for the Equipped2Succeed skills event that was co-funded by my Rebalancing charity with the City Council’s help. At lunchtime, I was on GBNews to discuss the Government corruption with Gloria de Piero and other guests, and in the afternoon, I was back out and about, first open Chrysalis Health & Beauty’s new manufacturing site on Glaisdale Parkway, and then visiting Vantage Pharmacy on Melbourne Road, where they’re busy giving out flu jabs ahead of winter.
• I started early this morning on BBC Radio Nottingham, discussing ambulance delays (listen to a clip here), before two virtual meetings with Lord Falconer and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. I then had the pleasure of visiting the Radford Care Group on Prospect Street and discussing the issues facing their services and the wider sector. This afternoon I met with Rick Hall about his Creativity Collaboratives programme, before my Meet the MP session in Aspley, where I’ll be discussing a number of issues with local residents.

Vaccination Info

• Aged 12 – 15 (through the school immunisation programme)
• Aged 12-15 at higher risk of severe Covid-19 infection
• Aged 18 or over
• Aged 16 or 17 (at selected sites)
• At a higher risk from Covid-19 (clinically extremely vulnerable or clinically vulnerable)
• A carer
• A frontline health and social care worker
• A resident in a care home or long term residential facility
• Housebound

Booster Programme

Booster vaccine doses are available on the NHS for people most at risk from COVID-19 who have already had 2 doses of a vaccine. You are eligible for a booster dose after 6 months after you had your 2nd dose.

Those eligible include:

• people aged 50 and over
• people who live and work in care homes
• frontline health and social care workers
• people aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
• carers aged 16 and over
• people aged 16 and over who live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)

There are 3 ways the public can get a booster:

1. You can wait to be contacted by the NHS (you will be contacted by letter or text) inviting you to book in for your jab. The invite will explain how you can book an appointment – either at a local GP surgery, a local community pharmacy or a larger vaccination centre.
2. If you have not yet received an invitation, you can book an appointment at a pharmacy or a larger vaccination site. Appointments can be booked through the NHS website or 119 after 190 days.
3. You can walk into certain sites to receive your booster without an appointment. The sites accepting walk-ins for boosters are as follows:

• Bulwell Riverside, Main St, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8QJ, further details below
• King’s Mill Hospital Hub: Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 4JL
• Mansfield Vaccination Centre: Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, NG19 7BH
• Forest Recreation Ground Vaccination Centre: Forest Recreation Ground, Gregory Blvd, Nottingham, NG7 6LB

Third doses for people who are immunosuppressed

The Government has announced that people who are immunosuppressed should have a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine – this is not a booster, but a third dose to ensure that such people receive the same protection given by two doses for those with normal immune systems.

Letters are being sent from specialist teams at the hospitals to invite those eligible to receive their vaccine. People who are eligible can then walk into any of our vaccination sites with their eligibility letter to receive this third dose. These include:

• King’s Mill Hospital Vaccination Hub: Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, NG17 4JL
• Mansfield Vaccination Centre: Chesterfield Road, Mansfield, NG19 7BH.
• Forest Recreation Ground Vaccination Site (From 21 October): Forest Recreation Ground, Gregory Blvd, Nottingham, NG7 6LB

Please use the GrabAJab website to find site opening times.

Please note, you will still need to receive a booster dose six months from the date of your third primary course dose.

If a person believes they are eligible for this third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, but have not been contacted by the specialist team from the hospital they can contact their GP or hospital consultant to discuss eligibility and provision of an appropriate letter.

You can book an appointment here.

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