THE cost-of-living crisis is something that required urgent attention from the Government. Watching the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on the 23rd March, it was re-assuring to see the steps being taken to support the working people of the UK weather the storm.

A 5p/litre fuel duty cut will mean drivers will save around £3 after filling the tank. You will now be able to earn £12,570 without paying a penny of National Insurance.

VAT has been cut to 0% on energy saving materials to better incentivise energy saving investments. Employment Allowance is to rise to £5,000. This will save around half a million small employers up £1,000 a year on staffing costs through National Insurance contributions.

These measures will help us navigate the cost-of-living spike, while recognising that we must remain cautious and reserved to safeguard our economy against the many threats we face worldwide.

Drugs, anti-social behaviour and rural thefts are still present within communities in West Dorset, and I am campaigning for West Dorset’s Rural Crime Team to be doubled in size. The current Rural Crime Team is comprised of just three full time police personnel and one part time researcher. Three officers is simply not enough for Dorset.

I was pleased to hear of the success of Operation Scorpion, a drive by the five South West Police and Crime Commissioners to tackle drug dealing and as our PCC Dave Sidwick said, put a ‘ring of steel’ around the South West.

Drugs destroy lives and make lives of communities a misery through anti-social behaviour. So far, the operation has seized £400,000 of drugs, arrested 194 people and safeguarded 320 vulnerable people across the South West in the last two weeks.

I hope the review of Dorset Police Funding Formula will help Dorset secure its fair share of additional resources to build on this initial success of Operation Scorpion.

CHRIS LODER

WEST DORSET MP