Last week ended very nicely with a visit over the weekend to some businesses in the constituency. It was a pleasure to “officially open” and be shown around the revamped Westlands Farm Shop by the owners, Graham and Kayleigh Collett. It sells a fantastic range of local produce!
It was also a real treat to visit the Roebuck Inn, where I met with landlords Ollie and Sara Pollard-Dambach and owner Peter Rogers. They have all worked so hard to keep the business running over the last few months and I was impressed by their innovative ideas. Would highly recommend a visit to both of these businesses next time you pass by Wickham!
In Parliament this week it has been a busy time with plenty of meetings. I met with a group of constituents to discuss the very concerning debt crisis facing developing countries, which I plan soon to raise with the Chancellor in a Parliamentary question. I was also interviewed by Radio Solent about my education paper, which you can read online here.
I attended a virtual meeting with the Children’s Society on the subject of county lines drug trafficking. This effectively fuels modern day slavery and child exploitation, with people as young as 12 used by gangs to ferry drugs from cities into rural areas. Those who do take drugs, perhaps thinking it a victimless crime, should really take pause and give thought to these child victims of gangs fuelled by their habit.
On a lighter note, I was really pleased today to take part virtually in a summit organised by the Chalk Rivers Action Group. The health of the River Meon is a topic I care about, and I know many of you who live along or near it do too. Hampshire's ecology depends on the health of chalk streams and the aquifers which feed them. Today’s meeting agreed to form a new national body specifically looking at the wellbeing of chalk streams and rivers, and I will certainly support and engage with its work.
A major piece of legislation this week was the return of the Agriculture Bill. This is an important bill that will revolutionise the way we subsidise farmers, focussing on public goods like the environment, animal welfare, soil health and food security. I know that some people had concerns about the rejection of a Lords’ amendment that aimed to protect our food standards against future trade deals.
Though this sounds good on the surface, I and many of my colleagues voted against this Bill. I will make a few very brief points on this. Firstly, the Government has repeatedly stated it is committed to retaining the UK’s high food standards. Secondly, the amendment would in face have made our standards higher and more rigid than under the EU, affectively making any future trade deal impossible. Thirdly, this would effectively have prevented any developing country from exporting food to us (as the reporting costs for standards would be prohibitive), devastating their agro-economies. Finally, it may well have negated a number of our agreed roll-over trade deals with EU third parties. These are the kind of unforeseen consequences that innocuous-seeming amendments often carry with them and is often why they are voted down.
We have also had the news this week that London will be heading into Tier 2 lockdown, prohibiting indoor gatherings with other households. I am glad that Meon Valley remains on Tier 1, but we must be vigilant to keep it that way. Sadly, as I travel to London for work, I will have to reduce my interactions with others even when in the constituency. On the bright side, the Prime Minister did reassure me directly this week that the restrictions would be lifted as soon as possible when the Covid transmission rate falls. You can watch the exchange here.
Keep safe and well – and have a good weekend.
