REACHING the million mark for vaccinations was a milestone.

There’s still worry and frustration for many but huge efforts are ongoing. In a briefing with the health board, I was advised they’re now looking to move on to all those under 65 and classified as being at risk, along with their carers. That’s welcome progress, even though that will take some time.

There’s going to be a slight dip in daily numbers as available vaccine supply drops, although it’ll increase again in later weeks.

Given that 130 countries in the world have had none, we should count our blessings. I’ve criticised the UK Health Secretary and still do for many things but not this issue. On available supply, great work has been done but this is a global pandemic and for our own safety as well as humanity, others also require vaccinating.

Parliament wasn’t sitting last week so interest turned elsewhere. With the budget approaching, it’s time to recognise the changed landscape brought about by Covid.

Thirty-five per cent of retail sales were online. With most shops shut and struggling to survive, it’s time that major internet suppliers paid their share of tax.

The high street shop will need support and even then many might not survive. Making sure that Amazon and others pay current taxes they’ve shamefully avoided, as well as increased ones to create a level playing field, is essential. No company should be above or beyond the law.

The behaviour of Facebook in Australia is reprehensible and global action is required to ensure that these corporates neither bully individual countries nor avoid paying appropriate levels of tax.

Likewise, it’s wrong of big business to be paying huge bonuses to directors when staff are struggling. It’s simply wrong that RBS, or NatWest as they’re known now, have done that. Given the Government stake in them then they should be brought to heel. Public funds bailed them out and this is just an abuse.