Select Committees | Simon Hoare

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28 October 2020

A few weeks ago I logged in a little late for a Zoom call to discuss a local issue with some Parish Councillors. I explained that a Select Committee meeting overran. After the meeting I received an email from one of the attendees asking me what a Select Committee was. So, I thought this month I would answer that question.

Select Committees were set up by Mrs Thatcher in the early 1980s. Chairmanships were allocated to
the main Parties according to the broad balance of their number of MPs. Chairs, and members (which are also allocated according to reflect the balance of the House) were appointed by the respective Chief Whips.
Events have moved on and the Committees are more democratic. Chairs are elected by all MPs, while members are elected by their own Parties. Both elections take place with a secret ballot.
The introduction of elections rather than appointments has made the Select Committees more independent of Government as they can no longer be stuffed with pliable MPs who will do the bidding of their respective Whips. This is great news for those who serve and an obvious nightmare for the Party Managers.

Each Government Department is shadowed by a Select Committee. It has been my very great
privilege to have been elected by MPs across the House to Chair the Northern Ireland Affairs Select
Committee twice, in 2018 and 2020. We shadow and scrutinise the Northern Ireland Office and follow with interest (but with no scrutiny powers) the workings of the devolved NI Assembly at Stormont.

In order to ensure my Committee is as balanced as possible my Party provides two seats to the Unionists while Labour has allocated seats to the Alliance Party and the SDLP. Before the 2019 election
there were only DUP members taking their seats in Westminster (Sinn Fein continue to absent themselves). Following the election of SDLP and Alliance MPs the Committee is now better balanced, and our discussions more robust, as we are able to accommodate both unionist and nationalist voices representing NI constituencies.

So, what do we do? We meet weekly, in public, when the House is sitting and hold a variety of Inquiries. Recent work has covered the NI Protocol, Legacy of the Troubles, Tourism and Historical Abuse. We take evidence from interested parties, these can include academics, civil society, local government, trade bodies and the like. We have our own secretariat of House of Commons Clerks who keep me as
Chair on the right side of the rules.

We are able to summon witnesses, and we have held two very important sessions with the Secretary of State and Michael Gove regarding post Brexit trading.
Our Inquiries are published and then submitted to Government, which then responds to them in another public document. Inquiry Reports can be presented on the floor of the Commons. We visit Northern Ireland regularly and the Republic at least once a year. Over the last weeks I have had a briefing meeting with our new Ambassador to Dublin, and with President Trump’s NI Envoy. The position of Chairman also includes a great deal of media work, never more so than with the NI Protocol being front and centre.

As Chair of the Committee I also sit on the Liaison Committee. This is the ‘senior’ scrutiny Committee
of the House and deals with a lot of House business that never hits the airwaves. Our only meeting that does is when the Prime Minister comes before us for cross examination. This takes place around three times a year.
I hope the above has been of some interest (if not my apologies). The Select Committees are an extremely important part of in-depth Government scrutiny and play a vital role in our democratic
function. Long may they continue!

by SIMON HOARE MP

Tributes to Ray Humphries – “one of Shaftesbury’s finest”

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Editorial team

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24 October 2020

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By Fanny Charles

The streets of Shaftesbury were packed with people who turned out to pay their respects to one of the town’s best-loved residents, “Mr Shaftesbury,” as many called him, Ray Humphries MBE, who died on 24th October.

Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, the funeral on 10th November was a private family service, but the cortege passed through the High Street, stopping at the Town Hall, where Shaftesbury Silver Band played a tribute to Ray, a long-standing member who played the side drum.

Ray, a former Mayor and town councillor, was an electrician by trade, and ran the still much-missed Humphries’ hardware shop in the High Street for many years.

He was a leading light in the glittering Shaftesbury Carnival, one
of Dorset’s finest.

He chaired Shaftesbury Carnival Committee for 37 years, and became a patron after he stepped down from the chairmanship. A carnival committee member said: “No-one ever worked so hard for Shaftesbury.”

Tributes poured in from those who knew him personally and had worked with him, from residents and civic leaders of other towns who knew him through the carnival and his years on the town council, and from people who simply knew him as “a great man who will be missed by many,” (as he is described in one of the messages on the town council website).

Stuart Campbell, also on the town council site, said: “You’ve helped to make Shaftesbury a better, more connected place and have touched
the lives of many. You are truly one
of Shaftesbury’s finest – long may you be remembered.”
Ray was born in Shaftesbury, served as a town councillor for 13 years and was Mayor twice, in 1997 and 2001. He was a trustee of the Hope Trust and the William Williams charities, chaired Shaftesbury in
Bloom and was a member of
many other organisations, including the Royal British Legion.
In 2010, the town council invited Ray and his wife Chris, to be Freemen of the Town – a rare honour that has only been awarded to 11 people.
In 2011, in recognition of his long and remarkable service to the community, he was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The current Mayor, Andy Hollingshead, said: “Ray will be remembered with great warmth, fondness, and admiration across the whole of Shaftesbury, the town of which he was so proud. Carol and I send our deepest condolences to Ray’s family.”

As a drummer, he not only played in the Silver Band but for dances and parties, including the fondly remembered Electric Bath Band. He played at many amateur dramatic and musical performances, including the annual SNADS pantomime at Sturminster Newton.

When you read the many tributes to Ray, you get a real sense not only of this lovely man with his warm smile and his infectious sense of humour, but of a true local hero, a man who loved and served his town and his community and always had time for people.

As a journalist who knew him for nearly 40 years, I would echo those tributes. Ray was always generous with his time, happy to answer my questions, give a comment on a local issue, or just have a gossip about people we knew, how the carnival had gone or the latest goings-on in the town council. He and Chris were a wonderful partnership. He will be much missed and long remembered.

More Easy Steps To Taking Your Small Business Online.

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Editorial team

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22 October 2020

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I’ve been blogging since 2010 and pretty much most of my skills revolve around small business and digital awareness. Yet I’m still surprised by how many small businesses don’t have their own dedicated website, streamlined branding and are barely visible on social media. The thing is, if 2020 has taught us anything it is that digital is everything! When you shut the doors to your bricks and mortar shop at the end of the day (that’s if you are even back up and running), or wave off the last customer, online is still running. 24 hours a day, all over the world.

I know that ‘Going Digital’ is a vast, intimidating and often overwhelming topic. But it’s important to feel like you are taking steps and making progress – so here are three simple, actionable tasks for you to do today which will make your customer journey hassle-free.

1. Get in touch:

Check your social media and website is your email address clear? And is it actually yours? Facebook, for example, has a tendency to autofill with a messenger email. Set up autoresponders directing customers to FAQ or giving a clear directive, this can alleviate the pressure from you replying straight away to every email even at 2am.

2. Make a purchase:

You wouldn’t believe how complicated some websites make it to actually take your cash! Ensure you use as few steps as possible to get from product image to checkout. You might have noticed that platforms such as Instagram provide a way to integrate your shop making the customer experience easier, quicker and reduce the risk of them wandering off somewhere else.

3. Digital Advertising:

Using the same colours, fonts, logos and name across the board makes your small business instantly recognisable to potential and regular customers. Streamlining your brand is one of the simplest ways to make your customer experience easier.
Are you easy to find?

* Online shopping surges by 129% across UK and Europe and ushers in new customer expectations of retail.

By Joanne Dewberry – https://joannedewberry.co.uk/

No Tricks Sweet Treat Cakes

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Editorial team

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19 October 2020

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October is peak Pumpkin season and many of you may have already had your Pumpkin spiced lattes and visited your local Pumpkin patches to be able to make delicious soups, cakes or pies, to carve, or to decorate your home with.

If you haven’t picked up your pumpkins yet, then worry not, there is still plenty of time! There are ‘pick your own’ patches in Dorset at Sopley Farm in Christchurch, Lenctenbury Farm in Corfe Castle, Cat & Fiddle Farm and Cafe in Hinton and Dorset Country Pumpkins in Milton Abbas, as well as just over the border with Ansty Farm near Salisbury and ‘Pumpkin Picking Patch’ in Fordingbridge. Until carved, pumpkins keep brilliantly so you can both enjoy them as an autumnal decoration and then make all your favourite recipes once Halloween is over.

If you were hoping to go Trick or Treating but were unsure of the safety aspect this year, then you can get involved in ‘The Great Dorset Pumpkin Trail’. Instead of collecting sweets, simply pop a lovely picture of a pumpkin in your window and families are taking their children to see how many they can find as they walk around the neighbourhood. Currently the Facebook group for this event has more than 10,000 members and is rapidly growing so get involved in some of the fun!

If you still want your kids to have their sweet fix, then this recipe is full of colour and fun and can be topped with all your favourite sweet treats. It is super simple to make and would be a great fun to make with your children over half term.

Blackmore Vale recipe – October 2020

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• 10oz butter
• 10oz caster sugar
• 5 eggs
• 10oz self raising flour • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing

• 4oz softened butter
• 8oz icing sugar
• a little extra icing sugar
• some food colouring in fun colours. • oodles of your favourites sweets

Method:

Smear some butter around the base and sides of a 9inch x 13 inch baking tin. Then line the bottom of the tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to gas 5 or 170 degrees fan.

In a stand mixer, with an electric whisk or with a wooden spoon, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl really well. The mixture will change to be light and fluffy and the colour will turn pale.

Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each egg. If the mixture curdles, you can add one spoonful of the flour and then beat well.

Slowly stir in the flour. Take care not to beat hard and knock out all of the air that has just been worked into the mix.

Spoon the mixture into the tin evenly and level the tops so they are mostly flat. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The cakes will be done when the cakes have come away slightly from the edges of the pan and the top of the cake is springy to the touch.

Leave the cakes to cool.

To ice the cakes:

Remove the sponge from the baking tin.

Make a simple buttercream icing by combining the butter with the icing sugar in a mixer and beat well together. If the mixture becomes too stiff, soften with a little milk. If the mixture is to soft, you can just add some more icing sugar.

Spread the buttercream across the top of the whole cake so that it is evenly covered.

Cut the cake into squares and move the squares slightly apart from each other.

Mix 4 or 5 tbsp of icing sugar in a little bowl with a tiny amount of water and some food colouring to make brightly coloured water icing and drizzle these across the tops of the squares. Then top with all your favourite sweets.

By: Heather Brown

CRADOCK, Herbert

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Editorial team

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18 October 2020

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Herbert Cradock of Evercreech,

Passed away suddenly on 6th October 2020 aged 86 years.

Dearly beloved husband of the late Dawn, a loving dad, grandpa and great grandpa. Private family funeral due to Covid 19 restrictions. Donations, if desired made payable to Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance may be forwarded to; Trotman Funeral Directors, Ashdene, Cranmore, Shepton Mallet BA4 4QQ.

Pauline Barbara Stockford | In Memoriam

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Editorial team

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15 October 2020

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In Memoriam:

Pauline Barbara Stockford

Of Blandford, left this world on 15th June 2020 aged 89. Wife of Colin for 59 years and mother of Gemma, Dominic, Clemency and Felicity, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

BONNELL, James Anthony

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Editorial team

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14 October 2020

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James Anthony (Tony) Bonnell

Former headmaster at Stower Provost school, died peacefully at home on 26th September, aged 91.

A family burial service was taken by Rev. Philippa Sargent on 6th October at the Woodland Burial Ground, Shillingstone. A thanksgiving service, to celebrate Tony’s life, will be held next summer in Hinton St Mary church. The family are thankful for the care provided, and the thoughts and messages received.

October edition of The Blackmore Vale is out now!

By

Laura

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12 October 2020

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*whistles like a paper boy* Delivery! October Issue, out now!

This month we’re sharing a beautifully honest, raw and inspiring story of a local mum’s recent journey through a breast cancer diagnosis. Please do read June’s words – we were honoured she shared them with us.

There’s also a stunning Open Studio feature with Jane Shaw and Polly Cazalet, plus our regular contributors Simon Hoare MP, naturalist Brigit Strawbridge Howard , writers Roger Guttridge, Andy Palmer – and of course there’s gorgeous pictures galore.Not to mention plenty of local news and events – don’t miss Dorset & Wilts Fire Rescue fulfilling a dream. Not to mention the local news snippets, plus a huge array of genuinely local experts sharing history, food, wine, animals, farming, gardening, wildlife, rural living, the local Arts scene, local small businesses…

Click the cow to go have a read; but take a coffee wit you, you may be some time!

A Christmas robin at the Playhouse

By

Editorial team

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12 October 2020

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CINDERELLA won’t be going to the ball at Salisbury Playhouse this year, but families can still enjoy a Christmas show, with a welcome return for the charming Little Robin Redbreast, from 1st to 27th December.

This delightful festive treat is written by Wiltshire Creative artistic director Gareth Machin and composer Glyn Kerslake.

Robin links the pictures in his advent calendar together as he makes his magical, musical journey towards Christmas Day, encountering a street-wise squirrel, an attention-seeking mouse, a family of reindeer and a curious cat along the way. It’s a show full of songs, magic and surprises for all the family.

Gareth said: “I’m really delighted that we’re bringing back this truly magical show… I hope that this year, especially, it will bring joy to more people young and old.

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