YVONNE FOVARGUE MP: Uplifting to witness vaccine operation

The centre, run by staff from SSP’s local practices as well as from surgeries across Hindley Primary Care Network, has delivered more than 7,000 vaccinations in its four weeks of operation, including to Wigan and Leigh Hospice staff and other health and care workers.

Currently, the patients being given the vaccine at Hindley are Cohort 6, those people aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk from Covid-19.

It was very uplifting to see such a well-organised operation, which is quite clearly delivering this vaccine to many people who really need it. I know that you will join me in thanking the staff and volunteers at the centre who are doing an important job in such a compassionate and cheerful manner.

I met staff who are really pleased to be part of the rollout of this vaccine, which is probably the biggest project the NHS has ever undertaken.

Hopefully, the delivery of this vaccine will eventually allow us all to resume our normal way of life and centres like St Peter’s Pavilion are very much part of that national effort.

We were the first in the world to get the vaccine, we should now aim to be the first in the world to get fully vaccinated.

The Head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, said last week that the NHS could double the current daily rate of vaccinations if it had enough supply. I’m calling for the government to do whatever it takes to make this possible.

I know from my constituency postbag how concerned many people are about the impact of the pandemic on the hospitality industry.

Hospitality businesses are the heart of our high streets and communities and the sector is a huge part of the local and UK economy.

It was the third biggest employer before the pandemic, generating billions in turnover and tax.

Yet it has been one the hardest hit sectors of the current crisis. I therefore agree that it is vital that we ensure the package of economic measures supports businesses through the crisis and reflects the severity of restrictions.

Unfortunately, I believe the support currently available for hospitality is inadequate.

I welcome the assistance that was provided at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. However, businesses will receive much less in grant support now than they did during the first national lockdown. Other measures, meanwhile, such as loans, tax deferrals and rent moratoriums were designed for a much shorter period of time than the year or more of closures and lost trade bars, pubs and restaurants could now be facing.

With several critical deadlines approaching, it is crucial that the Government provides the support necessary to ensure that the hospitality industry does not face a cliff edge of insolvencies and redundancies.

I believe it must extend the existing 100% business rates relief for at least six months and the 5% reduced rate of VAT until October 1 or three months after restrictions have been lifted, whichever is later.

These extensions should be reviewed closer to the expiry date if restrictions are still in place and there is still acute pressure on demand. In addition, it needs to extend the furlough scheme.

Supporting hospitality businesses is not only the right thing to do morally, because they have closed to keep us safe, but also the right thing to do economically.

Every previously viable business that collapses will make our recovery from the crisis more difficult.

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