THE government inherited many problems. Some still need to be faced up to.

One particularly distressing issue is the daily struggle of the thousands of children let down by a system too slow to recognise, diagnose and support them during those vital years when a child’s development needs to be nurtured, not ignored. Cornwall has a higher level of Special Educational Need (SEN) than the UK average; and a system overstretched and under supported. But the government’s much-promised answer, to be contained in the Children White Paper, has been delayed again.

Meanwhile the Treasury points out costs have soared 60 per cent since 2015 – children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) grown from 240,000 to 483,000 – with limited capacity in the state system, more than £2-billion a year spent on private school places at an average of £61,500 a year (compared with £23,000 for state schools) and more on taxis to get them there.

I’m holding a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Summit next year. An opportunity for educators, parents, and schools to identify actions we want the government to take, and which can be taken locally to help children, schools and parents. I’m keen to listen, and to work with local families to ensure children get the support they deserve.

I was pleased to meet Transport Minister Keir Mather MP in Westminster this week. He says he wants to help. I’ve invited him to visit, to help him better understand the challenges islanders face, and then help ensure sustainable solutions are found. Scilly may be an exceptional place. But it’s also a tough place to survive, especially if you’re not well off.

Two-thirds of all income to the primary provider of transport to Scottish islands (CalMac) is government subsidy. In comparison Scillonian passengers, freight customers and inter-island travellers pay unsubsidised full commercial rates. No government has yet offered parity for the Isles of Scilly.

So, net migration fell from 649,000 last year to 204,000. Irresponsible politicians whose existence depends on stoking fear on immigration will be concerned. Migration has seen exceptional changes in recent years; driven as it has been by one-off factors: 1. Homes for Ukraine scheme (218,000 migrants over 21 months); 2. British passport holders fleeing Hong Kong; 3. The post-pandemic spike in student visas (which peaked at 650,000); and 4. the post-covid decision to extend healthcare visas to recruit desperately needed care workers.

With the visa route for social care workers much tightened, and more overseas students set to return home, the fall in net-migration seems set to continue. Inconvenient news for those politicians who need it to grow to fuel their politics of fear and hate. Indeed, the real worry across many sectors – including agriculture and care work here in Cornwall - is how we will cope with the politically driven fall in migrant workers. But of course, no leading politician dares mention this.