At this time of year, as we near Armistice Day, we particularly remember those of our armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

The Armistice of November 11, 1918 ended World War I when it came into force. The Royal British Legion raise money to help veterans in the run up to Remembrance Sunday through their poppy appeal. I was able to help this year by taking a shift collecting in Aldi at Liskeard last weekend. I was also able to pay my respects to the fallen at a short service on Sunday afternoon at Liskeard’s Field of Remembrance.

On Friday I was invited to a farm near Pelynt to meet with members of the local National Farmers Union (NFU). Before the meeting the owner of the farm gave us a tour of dairy farm. It was impressive to see the technology available to farmers to help them in their work. The cows quite literally decided when they wanted milked and went up to a robot milking machine which did the job. There were even robots keeping their area clean and fans keeping them at their favourite temperature. Monitors kept a close eye on all the cows and quickly alerted the farmer to any issues with any cow. The cows seemed very content and well looked after and were milking themselves four or five times a day.

At the meeting with all the farmers we discussed a number of issues including the need for proper Slurry storage. There have been a lot of stories in the media about field run-off into rivers but this is the last thing the farmers wanted. They want anything they are using to stay on the fields and that is why storage is so important so they don’t need to spread when rain is likely. I am keen to see various governmental agencies working together with the farmers so that we can get the best results for the countryside which we all care so much about. I will continue taking this message, along with others the farmers mentioned, nationally so that legislators can improve how we do things both for the farmers and the environment.

Many constituents wrote to me about the consultation over the possibility of ticket office closures. In my constituency this affected Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway and of course Plymouth which so many constituents use. As I have previously written I raised issues relating to the help that many people need including those less able, those without the technical skills or connection to do this online and, in our area which heavily relies on tourists, give the support holidaymakers need. I raised my concerns with the Minister and I was pleased to get a letter from him last week stating, “Following further meetings with accessibility groups and the passenger bodies, it has become clear the ticket office proposals do not meet the high thresholds set by Ministers. The government has therefore communicated to the industry that ticket office reform should not proceed. I expect the train operating companies to now withdraw their proposals and for no ticket offices to close.” This is good news and I would like to thank all those who took part in the consultation.

I was very pleased to hear that the Government are investing £20-million into swimming pools and leisure facilities across England, helping them to stay afloat amidst rising energy costs — ensuring constituents across England stay fit and healthy.

In South East Cornwall that equates to over £150,000 with roughly half going to Liskeard Leisure Centre and the other half going to Saltash Leisure Centre. Operating costs of swimming pools and leisure facilities, alongside general inflationary pressure, have increased considerably over recent months, placing swimming pools and leisure facilities at risk of closure or significant service reduction. I thank the government for stepping in and helping through this much needed investment in these important local facilities.