News - Justin Tomlinson MP

Update On COVID-19 Testing In Swindon and Wiltshire

Sep 14, 2020

Covid-19 cases in Swindon and Wiltshire A number of cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Swindon and Wiltshire over the past 7 days. We would like to reassure people living and working in Swindon and Wiltshire that while we do expect to see more cases in the weeks and months ahead, we have robust mechanisms in place to contain the infection and protect the health of the local community. The priority is to safeguard local communities which sometimes involves taking preventative measures to he...

Swindon Advertiser Column - Pharmacists Are Unsung Heroes

Sep 11, 2020

During the Covid-19 outbreak, there have been a number of unsung heroes who have worked tirelessly to support their local communities – one such group is pharmacists and their teams. Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Taw Hill Pharmacy owner Charlie Wu, and local community pharmacist Gurinder Singh, to hear how the Covid-19 outbreak has affected pharmacies. Understandably, the outbreak has significantly increased demand for pharmacy services. While GP surgeries were only able to take emerg...

Coronavirus FAQs

Sep 11, 2020

Social distancing What are the new rules? From Monday 14 September, you must not meet with people from other households socially in groups of more than 6. This will apply indoors and outdoors, including in private homes. This change will simplify and clarify the rules on social gatherings, so they are easier to understand and easier for the police to enforce. There will be a limited number of exemptions. COVID-19 Secure venues, such as places of worship, restaurants and hospitality venues, can...

Apply for the Green Homes Grant scheme

Sep 09, 2020

The government is providing a voucher worth up to £5,000 or £10,000 to help residents cover the cost of making energy efficient improvements to their homes. These improvements include insulating your home to reduce your energy use or installing low-carbon heating to lower the amount of carbon dioxide your home produces. The available measures are split into ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ measures. Primary measures include the installation of an insulation measure and/or a low carbon heating measure....

Changes To COVID Rules

Sep 09, 2020

From Monday 14 September, you must not meet with people from other households socially in groups of more than 6. This will apply indoors and outdoors, including in private homes. This change will simplify and clarify the rules on social gatherings, so they are easier to understand and easier for the police to enforce. There will be a limited number of exemptions. COVID-19 Secure venues, such as places of worship, restaurants and hospitality venues, can still host larger numbers in total but gr...

Justin Celebrates Local Farmers On Back British Farming Day

Sep 09, 2020

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has today shown support for British food and farming on Back British Farming Day. The day recognises the crucial role that farmers play in producing food for the nation and the work they do to safeguard the countryside. The UK food and farming industry is worth more than £120 billion to the national economy and employs more than 4 million people. The industry produces food to some of the highest animal welfare and environmental standards in the world. To celeb...

Justin Praises Work Of Community Pharmacies During COVID Outbreak

Sep 08, 2020

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has praised the work of community pharmacies as they worked to support local residents throughout the COVID outbreak. Justin recently met with pharmacist Gurinder Singh, and the owner of Taw Hill Pharmacy Charlie Wu to learn about how the COVID outbreak has impacted community pharmacies. He heard how staff had worked tirelessly to adapt to COVID conditions and meet the surge in demand, staying open later and even delivering prescriptions throughout lockdown. Gu...

Justin Welcomes The Success Of Eat Out To Help Out

Sep 07, 2020

Diners across the UK have enjoyed around 100 million discounted meals as part of the Government’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme – with 65,000 meals in North Swindon alone. The country’s hospitality industry was particularly badly hit by the COVID lockdown, with 2 million jobs at risk. In order to help build public confidence, and encourage people to return to pubs, cafes and restaurants, the Government offered a 50% discount on meals throughout August. The latest figures show that the Eat Out to ...

Swindon Advertiser Column - Kickstart For Youth Employment

Sep 04, 2020

Sadly, young people suffer the most during economic downturns. As such, my colleagues and I at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and across government, have been working flat out to ensure that young people are at the heart of our post-Covid-19 economic recovery. As part of these efforts, we launched the Government’s ambitious £2 billion Kickstart Scheme this week. The scheme encourages employers, of all sizes, to place 16-24 year olds on 6 month Kickstart placements in the private, pu...

Government Launches Pavement Parking Consultation

Sep 03, 2020

The Government has announced proposals that could make pavements safer for people with disabilities and also families – news which has been welcomed by North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson. Parking on pavements is a serious inconvenience and danger for many people - in particular for people with visual or mobility impairments, those assisted by guide dogs, and wheelchair and mobility scooter users. More than 95% of wheelchair users and people with visual impairments say they had problems with vehic...