Parliament resumed at Westminster this week. During the summer “recess” I have thoroughly enjoyed my visits around the constituency. This has been reflected in this column and its great to be able to give a platform to some of the great organisations, businesses and charities that thrive locally. There are however, on occasion, national or even international issues that dominate peoples' thoughts in every part of the country.
There is no surprise that the issue that has dominated my constituency correspondence - and discussion at Westminster - since parliament returned is the refugee crisis. The characteristic kindness and generosity of Horsham people has been reflected in the messages I have received - including constituents who have not only found room in their hearts for Syrian refugees but are offering to provide room in their homes.
I am totally at one with so many constituents in believing that that UK has a moral duty to act, as indeed we have always done in the past. However in helping we must ensure we do not accidentally make matters worse or fail to address root causes.
Most of the 4 million displaced in Syria have no desire permanently to forsake their homes and homeland and the UK is at the forefront in assisting the victims of the conflict. UK taxpayers have provided 18 million food rations, access to clean water for 1.6 million people and education to 250,000 children. Last week we increased our contribution by £100m - taking our commitment to over £1bn. This aid assists those who have fled their homes but are still living within Syria or as refugees in the comparative safety of Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. We can all be proud that as a country we are unique in devoting 0.7 per cent of our total national output to providing aid overseas. This is a budget which is vital for the recipients but is also vital for us - it is profoundly in our national interest to help to tackle the areas of destitution in the world and help build the economic and political structures that prevent conflict.
The Royal Navy has already rescued 6,700 migrants crossing the Mediterranean but our task must be to discourage vulnerable people, who are often prey to criminal gangs, from making that perilous endeavour. That's why we, working with the UN, will be taking in the coming years 20,000 of the most vulnerable refugees from the camps bordering Syria itself.
Because we are not part of the EU’s Schengen agreement we are in a position to decide for ourselves the most effective way to provide aid to Syrian refugees. It is right that we help and I hope that our combination of assisting those in immediate need and providing targeted resettlement in the UK, whilst attempting, alongside the rest of the international community, to try and help resolve the seemingly intractable issues of the Middle East, is a constructive contribution to what needs to be a huge international effort.