Hereford and South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman, in his regular Hereford Times column, gives an insight into government activity around the coronavirus crisis

As readers will know, the past three weeks have been a frantically busy period for the Government as it battles the coronavirus.

As the Prime Minister has said, we will do everything possible to protect businesses, jobs, livelihoods and the British people as a whole.

In the Treasury, we have been working around the clock to support the Chancellor in delivering first the Budget, and then a wave of further major interventions to help people and keep the economy going.  

These have covered our public services and the NHS, the financial system, companies large and small, micro-businesses, charities, the third sector and the self-employed. They have involved public investment, cash grants, interest-free loans, deferral of tax due, encouragement to the banking system to ease credit terms and conditions, and a thousand other things. 

There has also been a huge amount of activity in Parliament itself, all conducted at warp speed.  

On Tuesday, I had the daunting experience of taking through the House of Commons in a single day a new Bill which allows the Government to bring forward an extra £266 billion in cash to support public spending, much of it in the fight against the pandemic. 

In Herefordshire, it has been amazing to see the dedication of our NHS staff and social and care workers, many putting in repeated 12-hour shifts on the front line.

And Herefordshire Council staff have worked very hard to deliver the new programmes, maintain services and support families.

But no less amazing has been the community response, with dozens of organisations and hundreds – perhaps thousands — of local people stepping forward as volunteers to help each other out. Care packages, essential medical transport, and social support for the elderly and isolated are just a few things that have sprung up unbidden. Bravo!

My team and I have also been extremely busy, helping businesses get support, directing people to key services and especially assisting people with loved ones trapped abroad.

Social media has been invaluable, and I have set up a special coronavirus page on my website with lots of key information and links to core local and national services and support. This is regularly updated, so do please check it out on www.jesse4hereford.com/coronavirus

With patience, discipline and care for each other we will get through this. And I have no doubt we will come out stronger and more united than ever at the end.