Dear Constituent,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. This is a difficult time for many in Ipswich and I have been doing everything I can to help those who have emailed in over recent weeks. It has also been a pleasure to chat with many residents on the phone through Talks with Tom. All the conversations I have had so far have been incredibly uplifting and I encourage anyone who needs a bit of company to get in touch.

I said when I was elected that it was the greatest privilege of my life to be made your MP and I am immensely proud now to be part of the local public service effort to tackle the virus. Our town has come together in the face of this epidemic and we owe our thanks to all the key workers who are keeping vital services running. This includes our NHS staff, port workers, teachers, police officers, shop workers, local government officials and many others who have stayed at work to support the rest of us.

It’s also important to pay tribute to those volunteers in Ipswich who have been helping to deliver food, medication and other essential supplies to the most vulnerable among us. Sometimes these efforts are organised through great local charities and foodbanks and other times it’s a case of one neighbour helping out another. This mobilisation of good will is a tribute to our town’s character, with vulnerable people being offered more support than they could ever accept in some cases. I fully believe that our community will come out of this epidemic even stronger than before.

Parliament has now returned and my focus continues to be raising the priorities of my constituents. I used my first appearance in the new virtual chamber to call on the Government to pull out every stop to ensure that those who cough and spit at police officers during this epidemic are prosecuted with the full force of the law. And I have also used my position on the Education Committee to go much further into the detail on the impact of the virus on children and young people, particularly their mental health and their ability to carry on learning outside school. I am also continuing to work with businesses across Ipswich, large and small, to get them the support they need.

When we think about the impact of the virus on things like mental health, education and businesses, it is clear that the end of the lockdown will in many ways mark the start of a lot of hard work needed to recover. But given the character displayed by so many ordinary people in our town over recent weeks, I am in no doubt that we will continue to rise to the challenge. I will always put myself at the centre of this effort as your MP and I will not shy away from asking for any support Ipswich needs. And of course, if there is an issue you would like me to raise on your behalf, please get in touch.

'Talking with Tom'

With most of us still in 'lockdown', loneliness is still a major issue facing many vulnerable people across the town and it is for this reason I have written to every person over the age of 70 in the constituency to offer my full support in these difficult times.

For many of those who live alone during this imposed isolation, loneliness has become a key issue for many within our community. It's for this reason that I am still running the "Talking with Tom" sessions for anyone who wants to talk to me on the phone. I'm happy to discuss the weather, your family, concerns about the virus or my first few months representing you as your MP and the work I am doing to make Ipswich safer and more prosperous. Since I first launched 'Talk with Tom' I have spoken to many people on a whole range of topics. It is something I have thoroughly enjoyed and found uplifting in these difficult days. If you know anyone who might be interested in this, please do pass them my details.

If people would like to book a slot to talk to me, please call 01473 599155 or email me on: tom.hunt.mp@parliament.uk, where one of my team will get you booked in to receive a call from me at a time that suits you.

Using Coronavirus as a weapon

My work on the Education Select Committee

In one meeting I was able to quiz the Chief Inspector of Ofsted where I asked a number of questions but perhaps the most important was about the extent that they place importance on SEND provision in schools. I was slightly concerned to find out that under the new Ofsted framework a school can still be awarded a Good or Outstanding classification whilst also having significant deficiencies regarding SEND provision.

I do think unless a school can at least meet expectations when it comes to supporting those with special educational needs then they shouldn't be getting a Good or Outstanding rating. There is much that is good about the new Ofsted framework but it’s very important that all schools are strongly incentivised to provide first class SEND provision and are properly held to account if they don't. A number of teachers in Ipswich and parents have raised concerns with me about the way the previous Ofsted framework worked in this respect and the current one needs to be more than just a slight improvement.

Since being elected, a number of people from the education sector have been in touch with me to express concern about the new Oak Academy online learning resource for school children. Their main concern is that they believe it doesn't have enough support for those with dyslexia and dyspraxia. I was able to raise this with the Education Secretary and I'm very glad that following the meeting the Curriculum Director at the Academy got in touch with me to see how it can be improved. I will be setting up a call shortly where I hope some improvements will be made to benefit all those with Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and any other learning disability.

Kyreis Davies appeal verdict

Last week I was disgusted to hear Kyreis Davies’ sentence was reduced from 21 years in prison to 16. Despite some important steps from the Government to get tough on sentencing and law and order over recent months, it's clear that certain judges remain frustratingly lenient and out of step with public opinion.