This week Westminster has been dominated by the Chancellor’s budget.

After all of the struggles of the past year we know that at some point we are going to have to start paying down the billions of pounds we have borrowed as a nation.

I’m pleased that the Chancellor was open and honest about the scale of that challenge, the reality is that in the years to come our tax burden will rise to unprecedented peacetime levels. I know that the residents of Bosworth appreciate that honesty because so many of you write to me about it, you also tell me that you support the Chancellor in making the difficult decisions that he has done to protect us during our darkest days.

I am equally pleased that the Chancellor has focussed on continuing to provide support to get us through the pandemic, but also setting a course for growth. It's vitally important that we get our economy moving as the pandemic eases so the likes of the restart grants and the introduction of his ‘super deduction’ for business investment (a scheme that encourages companies to invest) is hugely welcome.

I’m delighted that the Chancellor has recognised the need to extend existing relief schemes that have been helping us through the pandemic whether it is the extension of furlough, the expansion of self-employed grants, continued relief for business rates, support for those in receipt of Universal Credit, or an extension of the VAT reduction for the hospitality and tourism sector. I’m pleased to see that fuel and alcohol duty has been frozen, and the extension of stamp duty holiday will help people's pockets.

Of particular local interest was the wonderful news that the Chancellor has approved an East Midlands Freeport. I and my fellow MPs have been campaigning long and hard for the project which will bring up to 60,000 highly skilled jobs to our region. It promises to be a real opportunity for our green manufacturing and automotive industries to put the East Midlands on the map.

You can read about all the main budget points here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-2021-what-you-need-to-know

Finally, a large part of my week has been taken up with two meetings in the Health and Social Care Select Committee and prep around the proposed NHS White Paper. The structure of the NHS and Care system has been under scrutiny like never before during the pandemic and I am keen to see positive changes in place and use my experience from working in the NHS to help shape a positive future. There is much more to come on this front, but I am pleased to be getting stuck in.

Aside from that this week I have:

• Received a briefing from the Health Secretary about vaccine rollout, efficacy and variants.
• Asked the Education Secretary about school improvements, including much needed improvements at Hastings High School in Burbage, you can see my question here: https://www.drlukeevans.org.uk/news/school-improvements
• Spoke with Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi about how rollout has progressed this week.
• Met with Cllr Nick Rushton, Leader of Leicestershire County Council, about planning and infrastructure issues.
• Had a briefing from Oxford University about vaccine misinformation and state interventions
• Met with professors and students at Leicester University Medical School to hear about their experience of the pandemic.
• Met with the Heart of England Community Boxing Club to see how to help with their future plans.
• Wrote to many businesses, pubs, gyms, hospitality and those who had been in contact about financial difficulty to inform them of the budget changes that may help them.