My view from virus frontline

I am currently in self-isolation with suspected symptoms of coronavirus so I must apologise to constituents across East Kilbride and Strathaven that my surgery had to be cancelled at such short notice last week.

I am trying my best to keep up to date with email enquiries on lisa. cameron.mp@ parliament.uk as my health allows, and my MP offices can be telephoned on 01355 840 293 and 01355 520 879 to speak with staff.

I know that coronavirus is at the forefront of most constituents minds and that the spread of the virus is causing great anxiety across our community.

For those with suspected coronavirus, please keep up to date regularly with NHS advice, contact 111 if suspected symptoms worsen from mild, and follow NHS advice to the hilt.

If you are self-isolating as advised with mild symptoms, I understand just how difficult this is but it is a necessity – protecting our families and community at large from spread of the virus.

It is especially important at this time that we look after the most vulnerable, such as older adults, and help them with daily necessities.

Our constituency has been entirely community focused since I was growing up here, and I know that we will come together and look after each other at this time of need.

Via email I have been informed that some local GP practices are no longer scheduling to see patients face to face and I have asked my office to urgently contact the NHS Lanarkshire chief executive to find out what measures are being taken for our local patients who do not have coronavirus but who need to be seen and assessed by a GP.

In the House of Commons, I have been continuing my lengthy campaign against costly TV Licence charges for our older adults.

I expressed to Government that it is particularly crucial to scrap these costly charges, given many older people are being advised to social distance or self-isolate for months and rely upon television and radio as a link to the outside world.

I am pleased to confirm that I have this week received correspondence from the UK Government, that the BBC will delay implementation of TV

I know that EK will come together to look out for each other...

licence charges for older adults at this time.

I will be continuing my campaign when I return to have them scrapped altogether.

In terms of the Chancellors budget, I was pleased that the campaign I have been involved in and that the East Kilbride News have recently reported on, to Axe the Reading Tax has now been successful.

VAT on digital publications is to be scrapped.

This decision finally brings electronic formats into line with print books and newspapers in order to protect equal access to reading, learning and knowledge.

As chair of the disability all party parliamentary group, I am delighted that those with a physical disability, including the estimated two million people with sight loss in the UK will now be able to access reading in a format best suited to their needs, without being disproportionately and unfairly impacted by VAT.