Dear friend,

I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin by congratulating The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the birth of their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor! I hope to see them visiting Wealden very soon.

Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex!

If you haven't seen it, Disney have created a wonderful animation of Winnie the Pooh leaving The 100 Acre Woods, based, of course, on our own Ashdown Forest, to present the new parents with a book to read to their son!

A right-royal adventure for a very famous bear!

Local Elections
I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome all those elected as Wealden District Councillors to their roles. I look forward to working with them to help Wealden District Council to continue to deliver value-for-money services across the constituency.

Nus with Local Councillors in Hailsham.

Brexit
The government continues to seek a way forward through the current Brexit impasse. If you’d like further information on Brexit, and my position, please have a look at my website.

You will notice my voting record shows I have voted for Brexit at every opportunity. I am keen to deliver Brexit, and then move on to address the other issues and opportunities facing our country.

Broadband
I continue to campaign for better broadband across Wealden. Rest assured, this remains one of my top priorities.

Having raised this with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, I recently met with BT Openreach to take this issue direct to the internet providers. I will soon also meet with Councillors Keith Glazier and Rupert Simmons, to continue to press for better internet connectivity across the constituency.

From my regular broadband surveys I am well aware of how poor internet provision impacts people. Whether you are a student doing homework, a parent, or a local business, the speed with which you can communicate with others matters.

I will continue to campaign on this as, in 2019, internet connection is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

Constant campaigning has meant that 93% of the constituency is rated as having good broadband speeds, but that last 7% remains a concern for me.

Nus with Councillor Bob Standley and the BT Openreach team.

Hailsham Community College Careers Fair
Once again I hosted the Hailsham Community College Careers Fair.

I welcomed universities, apprenticeship providers, local businesses, the emergency services, and armed forces to the school.

It’s an event that I’ve been hosting since I became an MP in 2015, and it’s a great opportunity to work closely with Hailsham Community College's award-winning Careers Advisor Jennie Cole to get our students ready for the world of apprenticeships and work.

As Minister for the Year of Engineering, I am well aware of the shortages that local businesses face in STEM skills: The Hailsham Community College Careers Fair is a great opportunity to bring Wealden students closer to the world of work.

Nus with Hailsham Community College Students

Mental Health Awareness Week
This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, with events happening across the country, and in many of our schools and workplaces. I know in Wealden that many schools are putting on special events to raise awareness amongst their staff and students about this important topic.

The government is working hard to improve mental health provision for everyone in the country.

The NHS long-term plan dedicates over £2 billion to Mental Health treatment, with an additional £1.4 billion for young people's mental health by 2021.

We're also calling on social media companies to take action to tackle online bullying and harassment.

More needs to be done to help those in need, but the Conservative government is leading the way.

Domestic Violence
One of the most difficult jobs I have as an MP is supporting domestic violence victims and survivors who contact me in Westminster, or attend my local surgeries.

I am pleased to announce that the government, through the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, will provide support for refuges and other services, helping local areas ensure that no victim is turned away from the support that they require at the time of need.

This strategy helps victims, and their children, move from danger and abuse to safety and independence.

For the first time ever, a legal duty will be placed on local authorities to deliver support to survivors of domestic abuse and their children in safe accommodation.

If you need to contact me on this issue, please reach out to Nusrat.Ghani.MP@parliament.uk

Supporting Foster Carers
At a meeting in Forest Row with an inspirational member of the East Sussex Foster Care Association, I heard her experiences from the front-line of foster care.

I was particularly concerned with the examples that she raised of in-care children being excluded from school, denied access to mental health services, and the increased level of complex mental and social health needs of children in the care system.

Having previously worked with Barnardo’s on child sexual exploitation, and also on children in the care system, I felt it was very important for East Sussex Foster Care Association to have its concerns heard at the highest levels of government, so I convened a briefing meeting with the Children’s Minister.

I am in awe of the work done by foster carers. Throwing your home open with little-to-no warning, and providing for every single need of children with tragic and complex histories is something that must never be overlooked, and is something done with great warmth by these inspirational people every day.

I look forward to seeing this charity continue to go from strength to strength, and would like to thank Councillor Francis Whetstone for bringing them to my attention.

Foster carers with Nus and the Children's Minister, Nadhim Zahawi.

The Environment
From school visits to community events, I know the number one issue for young people is the environment.

This came close to home recently with the large fire in the Ashdown Forest.

I met with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the fire, and the impact of dogwalkers, and other visitors to the area. I will continue to work with East Sussex Fire and Rescue to protect our environment and promote responsible use of our wonderful natural world.

Nus with East Sussex Fire and Rescue on the Ashdown Forest

The government is paving the way to a cleaner world. With nearly £300 million to fight air pollution, and tough new regulations to reduce harmful gas emissions, this is a government that puts the environment first. We're also strengthening animal rights protections with tougher sentences for those who abuse animals. Find out more here.

As a long-time campaigner on third-party puppy and kitten sales I am proud the government is introducing Lucy's Law.

Lucy’s Law is named after a King Charles Spaniel who died after being subjected to terrible conditions on a puppy farm.

The new law will mean that puppies and kittens can no longer be sold by a third party dealer, such as a pet shop or commercial dealer, unless they have bred the animal themselves.

I have campaigned on this subject throughout my time as an MP, and I am thrilled to see that it will soon be against the law to subject animals to the sort of inhumane conditions suffered by Lucy.

Farming

Philip Hook, Robert Goodwill MP, Nus Ghani MP, and Stephen Hook in Westminster.

Food security and local farming remain on my agenda. Recently, I secured a meeting for local farmers Stephen and Philip Hook with Robert Goodwill, the Farming Minister.

The meeting covered a variety of topics including organic farming, food security, animal welfare, development of up-to-date testing for Bovine TB and the support they need to continue their pioneering work in providing raw, organic dairy products, for which there is a growing market in the UK.

I am proud to be a champion for local farms and the innovative agricultural sector here in Wealden. I continue to work closely with the NFU and the Conservative Rural Affairs Group to support them any way that I can.

Air Cadets
I recently attended, and spoke at, the Crowborough Air Cadets Annual Dinner. It was a wonderful experience to see so many young people immaculately turned out. They are a credit to their their parents, the Air Cadets, and most importantly themselves.

Nus at the Air Cadets Annual Dinner.

Visits to Parliament
I continue to bring Wealden closer to Westminster with my local tour groups.

I’ve recently hosted several primary school groups, and a scout troop. As part of their visits, they were taken on a tour of the Palace of Westminster, which included both the House of Commons and House of Lords chambers. They explored the history and significance of the building, as well as its role as the heart of a 21^st century government.

The next formal constituency tour of Parliament is Monday September 16th. RSVP to Nusrat.Ghani.MP@parliament.uk for a place.

One of the Parliamentary Doorkeepers with Scouts.

It is undeniably a busy and stressful period in Westminster right now, with so much attention on a single issue, but being able to continue to do vital work to legislate on the environment, our national security, and health and social care, makes it worth it. It is unfortunate so much goes below the radar! Do keep an eye on the website, or email if you need more information.

Thank you for your continued support and good wishes,

Yours,

Nus