Jayne at the CLA Breakfast My grandad was a farmer, and several of my uncles and aunts still are. Although my dad took a different path and became a bank manager(!), I was always taken to agricultural shows as a child, and when he was small, I took my son to the Royal Cornwall Show. The Royal Cornwall Show is one of the country’s last true agricultural shows, and it was a real privilege to attend as a Member of Parliament. I got a chance to speak with local farmers, the NFU, the CLA, and others about both the challenges they face and the opportunities ahead. As a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, I work on holding DEFRA to account and shaping rural policy. Our first report focused on the future of farming, calling for a pause on proposed inheritance tax changes and highlighting the need for better communication between DEFRA, Parliament, and the farming community. Roundtable with NFU members Departments are now required to buy at least 50% British food, the seasonal workers scheme has been extended, and we are backing innovation, from new tech to a National Biosecurity Centre to help protect crops and livestock. We are also opening new trade opportunities with India, the US, and the EU, while upholding the UK’s high standards for food safety and animal welfare. The Prime Minister and Secretary of State have said many times that food security is national security. That’s why we're developing a 25-year Farming Roadmap, a new Food Strategy, and a Land Use Framework to balance food production with nature recovery, clean energy, and housing. Farmers need certainty to plan and invest, and the sooner we set a clear direction, the better. From April 2026, farming will receive £2.7 billion a year, rising to £2 billion annually for environmental land management by 2028/29. Additional funding is supporting flood defences, tree planting, peatland restoration, and environmental schemes. This is the most nature-focused farming Spending Review settlement in UK history, an opportunity to back British farmers, strengthen our food supply, and restore the countryside for future generations. Spending Review 2025: a commitment to farming  – Farming

The Government completed its Fair Funding Review  on the money Local Councils receive from central government. For the first time, local council funding will be based on need, finally recognising the unique pressures faced by rural and coastal areas like Cornwall. The new system accounts for seasonal visitor demand, acknowledging the extra costs that popular destinations face. A remoteness adjustment will also be introduced to reflect the higher expense of delivering services in sparsely populated regions. These changes aim to ensure councils get a fair share to support essential services like schools, roads, and social care.   Smaller grants will be merged into larger, more flexible pots, cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and giving councils greater control. At the same time, outdated council tax rules will be reformed, including a new standard option to spread payments evenly over 12 months. For too long, rural and coastal communities were overlooked, often underfunded despite facing higher costs. This Government is changing that. These long-overdue reforms are a welcome step toward fairer funding and better services for places like Cornwall. Read Minister McMahon’s Written Statement here.

The Bill passed its third reading in the Commons by 314 votes to 291 - a majority of 23. MPs across all major parties voted on both sides of the debate. Hundreds of people across Truro and Falmouth got in touch to share their views on this Bill, with around 56% in favour. Many wrote about deeply personal experiences of loved ones' deaths, both good and bad. I want to thank everyone who shared their thoughts and experiences with me. As your MP, I have the privilege and responsibility of representing over 73,000 people in Westminster. But it also means, on such a divisive issue, where MPs are given a free vote, it is impossible to reflect every view. I attended all four Parliamentary sessions and voted in favour at second reading. I kept listening and weighing evidence until the moment the Speaker called the division. Ultimately, I agreed with the majority of constituents who contacted me that people should have the choice, as far as they are able, within the tight safeguards set out in this most restrictive of assisted dying bills. I am sorry to those I disappointed. Voting aye or no on such a personal, ethical issue is never easy. We need improvements in palliative care, and that is something the government must focus on. But even in the imperfect world that we inhabit, I felt strongly that this choice was the right one.   The Bill now moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny and likely more amendments. I will continue to follow its progress and keep you informed.

The Government announced the Spending Review, setting out a long-term plan to fix our public services, improve infrastructure, and make the country more secure. Health Health is top priority, with record levels of investment in our NHS: Day-to-day spending will increase by 3% annually, delivering an extra £29 billion to the daily running of the NHS. £4 billion a year will go into fixing broken and outdated buildings and upgrading equipment. Cornwall will see direct benefits, including £350 million for the new Women’s and Children’s Unit at Treliske, alongside hospital upgrades and new X-ray machines. The NHS technology budget is increasing by 50%. More GP training places will be created. Mental health support teams will be rolled out in every school. This investment is already working. Since July 2024, 3.6 million additional NHS appointments have been delivered, and waiting lists are finally dipping in the right direction, now lower than they have been in two years. In Cornwall they are down by 5% at RCHT and a 43% at CPFT. Education & Skills Education and skills are central to this plan: £2.4 billion per year will go into the School Rebuilding Programme. Free school meals will also be expanded to pupils in Cornwall from 2026. More funding is being provided for school-based nurseries and children’s social care. A record £1.2 billion annually will support over a million young people into training. Cornwall is already set to receive £3 million to fund construction programmes and Kickstart Courses, helping more young people access apprenticeships. Transport Transport improvements will be driven by a fourfold increase in Local Transport Grants, bringing £24.4 million to the region. The £3 bus fare cap will also be kept in place for at least another two years. Housing Housing, one of Cornwall’s most pressing challenges, will have a £39 billion national investment, the largest in a generation for social and affordable housing. I am determined that a fair share of this goes to Cornwall, with support for developments like Langarth and Pydar in Truro, where infrastructure will come first and homes will be built to be properly affordable for local people. Angela Rayner wants a new generation of council housing to be her legacy - I want to help her make that happen in Cornwall. Defence The Defence budget will rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027. With threats increasing and years of underinvestment, this is a vital step. Falmouth Docks, Culdrose and St Mawgan should benefit from increased defence spending. Net Zero The Spending Review demonstrated the government's commitment to energy independence and net zero: Great British Energy, a new publicly owned company, will receive £8.3 billion to invest. Cornwall is well positioned to lead in offshore wind, geothermal power, and critical minerals like tin and lithium — already backed by the National Wealth Fund in projects such as South Crofty and Cornish Lithium. £13.2 billion will go towards the Warm Homes Plan, helping families cut energy bills. Nature & Farmers I am pleased to see £7 billion pledged for nature restoration, a boost to flood defences, and a 150% increase in support for farmers through the Environmental Land Management Schemes.

At last, this Government has finally struck a sensible trade deal with the EU, one that is expected to boost our economy by £9 billion and deliver much of what we have been missing. This deal brings practical benefits such as a security and defence partnership, access to Europe's emissions trading (lowering business costs and energy bills), and the return of faster travel through EU e-gates at passport control. It also includes new youth experience visas for our young people. For Cornwall’s economy, the impact is significant. The deal reduces checks on food and fish exports, which is good news for our farmers and producers. It also removes the red tape that stopped our shellfish exporters from selling to the EU, something I have long pushed for  on behalf of communities like Falmouth. After a long time of stagnation. Britain is finally turning the page and beginning a new chapter.

It was fantastic to welcome Industry Minister Sarah Jones to Cornwall to show her the amazing work already done, and opportunities for growth, in the two areas under her responsibility: Cornwall's historic mining sector and our ports and renewable energy.  Cornwall is critical to the Government's Clean Power Mission, and as a Cornwall MP, I am determined to keep pushing  so that people who live and work here will benefit from it. Minister Jones visited Falmouth Harbour to hear about A&P’s ambitious plans to expand the port as part of Cornwall’s strategy to lead the way in renewable energy, particularly through floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea - bringing new jobs and opportunities to our region. She also opened the port of Falmouth's new shoreside energy provision. A&P won a Zero Emission Vessel and Infrastructure fund (ZEVI) grant of £6.3 million which they matched, for an industrial research project to design, build and test a way of providing clean energy on the shoreside at the Port of Falmouth. You can now plug in a ship at Falmouth Docks, cutting emissions and noise by removing the need to use its generator in port.

Tourism is Cornwall’s largest private sector employer, supporting 1 in 5 jobs in the Duchy and making up 15% of Cornwall’s local economy. Yet, its seasonal nature creates challenges. During peak times, Cornwall’s population can swell fivefold, putting huge pressure on services like the NHS, water infrastructure, roads, and policing. Despite this, Cornwall does not receive the funding it needs. Cross-party Cornish MPs have long called for ‘fair funding’ to reflect the unique challenges of being a rural, coastal region with a seasonal population surge. I brought Cornish tourism leaders to Westminster for a roundtable with Cornwall’s MPs. We had an honest, constructive conversation about making tourism more resilient and sustainable: economically, socially, and environmentally. We explored issues including: Fair wages and secure working conditions. The potential for a tourism tax that wouldn’t hurt local businesses but would include online booking platforms. A holiday let registration scheme, supported by local providers, to improve safety standards and track where holiday properties are concentrated.   Following the roundtable, I met with Tourism Minister Chris Bryant, who confirmed the Government plans to trial a national registration scheme and look to close the council tax loophole for second homes (Cornwall has more holiday lets and second homes than people on the housing waiting list - over 25,000). Read more about this in my column here.

In conversation with Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting Cancer touches so many of our families. Ensuring the right equipment is available, at the right time, in the right place, is essential. That is why I am pleased that Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is one of 28 hospitals across the country set to receive new, advanced radiotherapy machines. Announced by the Government this month, this marks a significant investment in cancer care. These advanced machines can target more difficult areas such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, while also reducing the number of radiotherapy sessions needed. That means the NHS can treat more people with safer, faster, and more precise care. Thousands of patients across the country will benefit, and here in Cornwall, this could mean starting treatment sooner, having fewer appointments, and a better chance of recovery. Like so many public services in our region, access to modern equipment is key to levelling up healthcare in rural areas. This rollout is expected to prevent around 13,000 lost appointments due to equipment breakdowns and enable up to 27,500 additional radiotherapy treatments each year by March 2027. That includes up to 4,500 patients starting treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral - a crucial target for cancer care. The £70 million behind this investment is part of the Government’s wider Plan for Change  to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment across the NHS. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting put it clearly: “There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients. But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of underinvestment under the previous government. Thanks to the investment this government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.” In addition to this important investment in cancer care, there is more good news for our NHS here in Cornwall. Last month, the Department of Energy Security announced that eleven NHS sites in Cornwall will receive funds for solar panels. The funding comes from the first wave of investment by GB Energy, the government’s new state-owned energy company. This funding is expected to save the Trust hundreds of thousands of pounds annually while reducing its carbon emissions. All savings are to be reinvested into patient care. Together, these investments are helping build a more resilient future for Cornwall’s NHS.

Farming Roundtable in Threemilestone Farming is a big part of Cornish life and industry. Over 70% of Cornwall’s land is farmed, producing food for our tables. On the 27th of May, I hosted a Farming Roundtable in Threemilestone alongside the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Around forty farmers and land agents signed up to discuss Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFIs), other key schemes, and, more broadly, the future of farming in Cornwall. We looked at two major developments: the proposed changes to Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs (APR and BPR), due in 2026, and the 25-year Farming Roadmap – set to be the most ambitious agricultural plan in our country’s history. The Roadmap is intended to unify Defra policy and programmes into a single, long-term strategy, offering clear timelines, measurable outcomes, and support for the transition to more sustainable and secure food production. As a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee, I helped publish a report on the future of   farming ( see here ), which makes several key recommendations:   To publish a fully developed Farming Roadmap with long-term vision and measurable outcomes for food security and the environment. Delay APR/BPR reforms until 2027. giving farmers time to prepare and seek professional advice and support. Outline and launch the next phase of SFIs by September 2025. Improve communication between Defra and the farming community. I am grateful to everyone who attended the roundtable and I am committed to continuing these conversations. If you are a local farmer, land agent, or part of Cornwall’s rural economy and would like to raise an issue, please get in touch: jayne.kirkham.mp@parliament.uk

Perran Moon, Wes Streeting, and Jayne outside the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro After years of delay and broken promises, Cornwall is getting the investment it deserves. Following the 2024 General Election, the Government launched a full review of the New Hospital Programme (NHP)—a scheme that originally promised 40 new hospitals by 2030, but lacked proper funding and planning. The review uncovered that the programme had no funding beyond March 2025 and was years behind schedule. Thanks to the hard work and leadership of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the plan has now been put on a reliable and sustainable basis. The programme is now backed by rolling five-year waves of investment, rising to £15 billion per wave from 2030. The NHP will deliver on all previously included hospital schemes, with those at highest risk, such as RAAC-affected buildings, prioritised. I am so pleased that Cornwall will benefit from this Programme. The Women’s and Children’s Unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, alongside Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, will receive long-overdue funding. Construction on Truro’s unit is expected to begin between 2027–2028, with up to £500 million allocated to complete the work. I remember being in that same ward 19 years ago with my newborn son, while holes were being drilled in the ceiling above us. It has been a nightmare for too long, and I am thrilled this much-needed rebuild is happening. Since being elected last July, Cornwall’s four Labour MPs have pushed relentlessly for this funding. We even brought Wes Streeting to the site two years ago so he could see the urgency for himself. This Government is getting on with the job—rebuilding our NHS and delivering the facilities Cornwall needs and deserves.

Jayne visiting Brook's Wellbeing Hub After 14 years of cuts, youth services—often stretched thin—are still working tirelessly to support young people. With growing pressures, this support has never been more crucial. That is why I am pleased that Truro is one of 24 areas receiving new funding, delivering over 10,000 extra mental health sessions next year. I recently visited Brook’s Wellbeing Hub  in Truro, where a new £282,500 government grant will help expand early mental health services across Cornwall. From in-school sessions to drop-in counselling, Brook offers important, no-referral-needed support for 11–24 year olds. At Zebs Youth Centre , I joined a Friday Wellbeing Café run by Young People Cornwall. The space was warm, welcoming, and clearly valued. Some had travelled miles just to be there, speaking volumes of their service. Over in Falmouth, the Dracaena Centre continues to offer trusted youth services with help from the Town Council and local community. The recent addition of a skatepark has also created a wonderful, safe, active space for young people to enjoy. These youth centres are more than just buildings—they are lifelines. Safe, supportive spaces where young people can thrive. To the teams at Brook, Zebs, the Dracaena Centre, and everyone behind the scenes, thank you. Your work truly changes lives. To read more on this topic, see my column here

This Government will not give up on British Steel. British Steel has built 90% of our rail network and much of the UK’s infrastructure. With the Scunthorpe blast furnaces under threat, Parliament was recalled on a Saturday for the first time since the Falklands War to pass emergency legislation to bring the company under government control. These blast furnaces are the last of their kind in the UK. If they were to close, we would become the only G20 country unable to produce steel from scratch. The new law gives the Government powers to intervene directly, securing raw materials and protecting jobs. Officials were already on-site in Scunthorpe as the legislation passed, working with steelworkers to keep production running. The long-term future of steelmaking in the UK lies in clean power. This Government has already committed £2.5 billion to the transition to electric arc furnaces — a move towards cleaner, greener steel production.   Thanks to fast government action, British Steel has a fighting chance. Read more on this topic in my column .