Letters and responses to our MP
Dear Anna...
This is your Page to see who's written to and what response you got from Anna Gelderd MP. It's a great opportunity to give a background on who you are, what you've been concerned enough to write to her about and what the reply said.
Dear Anna...
Do you support British farming?
Farmers Movement Cornwall campaign to support British farming and the full restoration of national food security therefore it is with dismay that we learnt of your plans in the recent budget to place the threshold for payment of inheritance tax at £1 million pounds worth of combined land and property value with an effective rate of 20% above that level.
This will spell the end for many farms caught in the net through the unexpected death (within the 7 year period from the date of transfer) of the parents who handed down the estate. It will force land or other assets to be sold in order to pay the tax due and it will contribute to the non financial viability of many farms by reduction of their size.
This is a disastrous policy for farming and is seen by many as the last straw in a war of attrition that has been waged against the sector since the protectionist policies of Clement Attlee in the post war period.
Can you please confirm if you will be supporting this budget proposal and if so why.
Regards
Louisa Hawken
06.11.24
21 November 2024 ​(Case Ref: AG2283)
Dear Louisa,
Thank you for writing with your concerns about inheritance tax and its impact on the farming community. I understand your frustration and share your deep commitment to supporting the farming way of life, especially in Cornwall, where agriculture is such a vital part of our heritage and economy.The issue of inheritance tax, particularly in relation to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR), is one I take very seriously.
I have been listening closely to the concerns of local farmers, notably many from multigenerational family farms, who fear that changes to the inheritance tax rules could place an additional burden on them, making it even harder for future generations to continue the farming tradition.Farming in South East Cornwall is often more than just a business; it is a way of life, passed down through families for generations.
I appreciate that Cornwall, as one of the poorest areas in the UK, cannot afford any policies that may push farmers closer to financial hardship. With the current economic pressures such as rising input costs, the removal of direct payments, and the squeeze from the retail sector, farmers are already facing a difficult financial reality.That’s why I have been actively engaging with the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and liaising with local farmers to understand the full scope of the issue and to ensure that the Government is aware of how these changes will affect those farmers in our area.
I recently had a productive meeting with local NFU members, and their concerns about the potential impact of inheritance tax reform were clear. We must ensure that any policies take into account the unique circumstances of farmers here in South East Cornwall, especially those whose assets may be tied up in land, buildings, farm machinery or livestock but who do not have the immediate cash flow to pay for inheritance tax.
Food security is critical, and it’s more important than ever that we stand by our farming communities. The £5 billion commitment from the Government for sustainable food production is a positive step, but we must continue to push for more support to ensure that our farmers are not left behind. That includes ensuring fair pricing for their produce, improving biosecurity, and preventing trade deals that undermine local farming standards.
Rest assured, I will continue to raise the concerns of farmers in South East Cornwall with Westminster and work to ensure that our agricultural community is represented. In the first case, I will be working with my Cornish colleagues to build a clearer picture of how policies impact farmers here. I will also keep pushing for the support that farmers need, such as removing barriers in the SFI application process and focussing on rural crime.
Please do let me know if there is anything further I can help you with.
Best wishes,Anna
Dear Anna...
Dear Ms Anna Gelderd MP,
As your constituent, thank you so much for meeting with Age UK recently and taking the opportunity to discuss the Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment. It’s clear the decision will affect many pensioners and it’s brilliant to see your interest in this issue.
I’m really worried about by new data showing that 81% (0.2m) of pensioners in the South West living in poverty or just above the poverty line will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment. The Government must avert disaster this winter and protect older people. Please will you write to the Chancellor with my concerns and ask her to help these older people?
Because stripping our senior citizens of this payment with the ever increasing cost of heating is creating terror amongst one group of our most vulnerable people. Who have worked hard and paid into the system while folk like MP's are well paid but get hand outs and protection left right and
centre.
If the Government won’t halt the change to the Winter Fuel Payment, they must expand the qualifying benefits for the payment to include Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support and all disability benefits, including Attendance Allowance.
I, and I’m sure many other older people in South East Cornwall, would be very grateful for your continued support. Please will you write to the Chancellor with my concerns and ask her to protect struggling older people?
I look forward to receiving your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Louisa Hawken
09.01.21
06.03.2025
Dear constituent,
Thank you for your email. I must apologise for the lengthy delay in replying to you. Since the election I have been incredibly busy, not only with parliamentary duties, but also in recruiting and setting up my strong constituency support team. I am pleased to say that this is now in place and we are able to tackle the very busy inbox.
I can assure you that I am absolutely committed to helping low-income pensioners. Everyone in society deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement, which is why I support maintaining the triple lock policy.
This means that the State Pension will continue to increase annually by the highest of inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%. I welcome that, thanks to the triple lock, the State Pension will increase by a further £470 from April this year. Pension Credit will also be uprated by over 4%.
I know, however, that not enough low-income pensioners are claiming this important benefit. That is why the Government took immediate and vital action to boost its take up shortly after taking office, in July last year. Since then, I note that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has written to more than 11 million pensioners about claiming Pension Credit. The DWP has also worked with charities and local authorities, and launched a campaign across radio, TV and print media. These efforts have already seen applications for Pension Credit more than double, and they will continue. We must make sure all older people get the help they deserve. I am pleased to confirm that for the first time ever time, the Government has contacted 120,000 people on Housing Benefit who may be eligible for Pension Credit and, to guarantee even greater uptake, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit will be merged for new claimants, starting in 2026.
I respect that you disagree with the decision to link the Winter Fuel Payment to Pension Credit, However, in my view, this difficult decision was necessary to address the fiscal inheritance left by the previous administration. The Winter Fuel Payment will therefore continue to be available to those most in need, and many pensioners may also qualify for extra assistance via Attendance Allowance, the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments.
In addition, I would urge any pensioner in financial hardship to contact their local council and find out what help is available via the Household Support Fund. This can contribute to the cost of essentials for those struggling to make ends meet.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.
Best wishes
Anna
Dear Anna...
Dear Anna,
I am virtually speechless about the abhorrent details emerging regarding the 'grooming gangs’.
The more I learn about the complete and utter failure to protect, seek justice for or punish those responsible for harming or protecting those who harmed these children, the ‘real' victims of this heinous and insidious assault on our most vulnerable.
In his election winning manifesto, your Leader promised to right historical wrongs, with reference to the Battle of Orgreave and Windrush, he can be quoted “Without justice and the truth, victims and their families cannot move forward.”
The horrific impact and wider implications of the ‘grooming gangs’ and the abject failure to address, investigate and eradicate the perpetrators, cannot be overstated.
Successive governments have allowed these monsters to continue destroying their victims lives. It didn’t merit a mention on his list of National scandals where “truth and justice” was denied to people by public authorities.
Current Safeguarding Minister, and vocal feminist, Jess Phillips rejected Oldham Council’s call for a government-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation. It appears that Ms Phillips’ advocacy for women doesn’t extend to the girls who were molested and heaven knows what else by Oldham’s grooming gangs.
I was further horrified and bitterly disappointed by Labours rejection of a public enquiry for the victims.I urge you to reconsider your position having voted no. I cannot fathom a public servant such as yourself failing to act and retroactively seek justice for those living with the horrors they've had to endure.
Louisa Hawken
18.01.21
18.01.21
Dear Louisa Hawken,
Thank you for contacting me about the horror of child sexual abuse. Child sexual exploitation is an utterly despicable crime and we have to do all we can to prevent it. The law must operate without fear or favour. Perpetrators must be punished and victims and survivors must be protected and supported.
In my view, for too long, not enough action has been taken to prevent these crimes. I therefore support the steps the Government is taking to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. The IICSA reported in 2022. However, I note that the previous Government had not fully implemented any of its 20 recommendations prior to the General Election in 2024, despite having almost two years to do so.
The Government will act on those recommendations. To ensure that victims’ voices are heard, the Home Office will set up a new victims and survivors panel to advise on Government policy. This is not a knee jerk reaction to current events. The Crime and Policing Bill and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill were part of the Kings Speech in July 2024 and will seek to embed child protection in our legislation.
In order to deliver quicker change on the recommendations in the IICSA report, the Government has also unveiled a national audit, led by Baroness Louise Casey, to uncover the scale and profile of group-based child sexual abuse offending in the UK today.
Furthermore, legislation will shortly be presented to Parliament to make it mandatory to report child abuse. Once this legislation, which I support, is approved by MPs, it will become an offence, with professional and criminal sanctions, to either fail to report or to cover up child sexual abuse. In addition, the Government intends to toughen existing laws to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences.
Regarding further inquiries, I fully support the Government’s decision to provide stronger national backing for local inquiries into grooming gangs, which are needed to get truth and justice for victims and survivors. Instead of a lengthy nationwide inquiry, effective local inquiries can look in more depth at local details, and deliver more locally-relevant answers and change. The Government has confirmed that it will provide £5 million of additional funding to get further locally-led inquiries started.
More widely, I am clear that it is completely unacceptable to use race and ethnicity or community relations as an excuse not to investigate and punish sex offenders. Concerns about political correctness and the protection of institutions must never be put before the protection of children. All of us have a responsibility to protect children. I welcome the action the Government is taking to change protection for the better, give a voice to victims, and to ensure that perpetrators, whoever they are, pay the price for their crimes.
Thank you once again for contacting me to share your views.
Yours sincerely,
Anna
Dear Anna...
Vision
This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content and make sure to add any relevant details or information that you want to share with your visitors.
