I recently invited all residents from Swaffham Prior and Swaffham Bulbeck to an open meeting so that they could ask their questions about local and national issues.
A few expressed concerns about some of the negative impacts of smartphones on children. I understand these concerns and the Government has recently given schools more guidance to schools prohibiting mobile usage, while the Online Safety Act 2023 contains strong protections against illegal and harmful material for children.
Others shared concerns about the user-friendliness of NHS online services. The Government is doubling the NHS’s investment in tech and digital transformation, with an extra £3.4 billion announced at the Spring Budget. NHS England's 'GP IT Futures Framework' works to ensure that general practice has the suitable support it needs.
Others shared that they thought the level of personal taxation should be lower. The Government is keen to give support to hard-working families, which I was pleased to see at the Spring Budget with another 2% cut to National Insurance Contributions. This means the average worker now has the lowest effective personal tax rate since 1975, with a tax cut for millions of people worth £900 coming into operation today.
