SOUTHEND West MP Sir David Amess highlighted the U-turn on radical plans for three Essex hospitals in a debate in the House of Commons.

During his speech, Sir David raised a number of issues, including the recent decision to preserve Southend’s A&E as a full 24/7 blue light service and the Grenfell fire disaster.

Sir David said: “Before the House adjourns for the summer recess, I wish to raise a number of points. Putting it mildly, the general election was not a great success for the party to which I belong.

“Against that background, there were also terrorist attacks that affected us all, and when we returned here, the Grenfell disaster happened. I hope that the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, my Hon Friend, the Member for Northampton North, (Michael Ellis) will ensure that the recommendations of the all-party parliamentary fire safety and rescue group on the retro-fitting of sprinklers, the reviewing of building regulations and the insistence that sprinklers are put into all new school buildings are acted on.”

Sir David added: “At the heart of my personal general election campaign was a local row about whether our accident and emergency provision had a future. I told my constituents that, just as I had worked with others 20 years ago to ensure that Basildon A&E did not close, this time I would work to ensure that Southend Hospital would not be downgraded.

“I am pleased to tell the House that a press release was issued by the Success Regime stating that it was going to develop “a revised model that would enable all three current A&E departments to continue to treat people who need emergency hospital care, including continuing to receive ‘blue light’ emergency patients with serious conditions.”

Sir David said: “I thank all those constituents and others who came to see me in my surgery to make representations about this issue.

“I know that the news will also please colleagues in neighbouring constituencies.

“We were pleased to have a visit from the Countess of Wessex to the foetal medicine unit at Southend Hospital. That was greatly welcomed.”

Sir David also went on to raise the issue of changes to school catchment areas in Leigh and Chalkwell.

He said: “Locally, parents are concerned about primary school catchment areas. I regret the stresses being put on parents at Chalkwell School, in Leigh and in the West Leigh catchment areas.

“As a Conservative Member of Parliament, I believe that all schools should be able to expand if at all possible, and I hope that the heads and governing bodies will reflect on that.”