Testing scheme and support for Gatwick

This month would ordinarily have seen the sitting of the Youth Parliament, where 11 to 18-year-old representatives debate issues important to young people. While this has sadly not been able to go ahead under Covid, Parliament has instead launched the ‘Make Your Mark’ ballot.

This will give secondary school-age students the opportunity to declare what they consider to be the most important issues facing the country and I would encourage participation and engagement from all young people in Arundel and South Downs.

I have never been anything other than favourably impressed by the level of engagement of young people in politics locally and their interest in the workings of Parliament – this is one great way to be involved.

Regular readers will know that I have long championed the cause of the aviation industry. It is a major local employer both directly and via the many West Sussex firms in its supply chain as well as being incredibly important for the UK’s export-based economy and for tourism.

So I am pleased that this week the Government announced a ‘Test to Release’ scheme for international arrivals, which will begin from December 15, allowing individuals arriving from high-risk countries to be Covid-tested by an Governmentapproved provider and quarantine to be ended after five days of self-isolation, rather than the current 14-day limit.

Whilst a welcome measure it is long overdue. I first wrote to the Cabinet Office in May suggesting an ‘on arrival’ testing regime and have been pressing the Government on developing enhanced screening and protected routes for safe travel ever since.

Equally welcome was the announcement of £8million of financial support for Gatwick Airport to help pay their business rates.

As the largest single rates payer in West Sussex we will all therefore benefit from this measure as the money flows back into local district and the county council coffers.

The South Downs is home to an important heritage, culture and tourist sector which has been badly hit by the pandemic and will welcome the return to relative normality next year once we have had the vaccine rollout.

In the meantime, the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund has been issuing grants to tide over these important cultural organisation and, as of October 4, had made 71 separate awards worth £9.64million to the culture and heritage sector across Sussex.

No amount of financial support can replace public footfall so as we all make our new year resolutions, I would encourage everyone to pencil in a 2021 visit to their local museums, theatres and cinemas, as this will be the best single method to revive and support these outlets.