ONE issue I’ve continued to push hard on this week has been NHS dentistry, after recent figures from an FOI request I sent found that £1.22-million allocated for NHS dental services in Cornwall was shamefully handed back to the Government by the ICB, despite thousands of local people here struggling to access appointments.

That funding could have delivered more than 40,000 dental appointments, while around half of Cornwall's children are currently missing out on NHS dental care. This simply cannot be right!

I am demanding answers from the ICB and driving forward at full speed with my campaign for urgent action to improve access to NHS dentistry across North Cornwall.

If you would like to support my petition on this issue, you can find details on my Facebook page and social media channels by searching ‘Ben Maguire MP’.

I was also pleased to welcome the Cornwall Air Ambulance team to Parliament this week. They highlighted the growing financial pressures they face, including around £120,000 in additional annual fuel costs.

The Air Ambulance provides such a vital lifesaving service across the Duchy, and is a highly valued asset for all of my constituents. I’ll be working cross-party with colleagues to push for the improvements they need, including a dedicated and safer air ambulance crossing at Treliske Hospital.

Supporting local businesses remains another major priority for me in the run up to a busy summer season. Having recently met with even more hospitality businesses across North Cornwall these last few weeks, I’ve heard firsthand how many are really struggling with rising costs.

Speaking on BBC Politics Live, I highlighted the example of Trethorne Leisure Park, near Launceston, which wants to create more opportunities for young people, but is finding it increasingly difficult due to rising National Insurance contributions and other business costs.

We should be making it easier, not harder, for employers to offer jobs, apprenticeships, and valuable work experience to young people starting their careers.

Alongside my parliamentary work, my team and I continue to help residents with a huge range of individual casework issues, working with constituents. During May alone, we resolved almost 1,000 cases from people right across the constituency.

Recent successes last month alone included securing a VAT refund of more than £20,000 from HMRC for one constituent, resolving lengthy delays to a Personal Independence Payment claim and securing compensation, helping a local church finally obtain a long-delayed broadband installation, and urgently raising concerns with the Foreign Secretary after a North Cornwall constituent was detained aboard the Sumud Freedom Flotilla.

Finally, casework is one of the most important parts of being your Member of Parliament. I’m often writing directly to government departments and raising issues around healthcare, housing, pensions, immigration, benefits, or local services, on behalf of my constituents to push for solutions to their problem. My team and I are always here to help wherever we can - please just reach out with any questions, queries, or casework via [email protected] and I’ll do my best to help with whatever it is.