As we exit from the Coronavirus pandemic, it is right that we turn our attention to improving our country and local area. I am very pleased that this week's Queen’s Speech unveiled a forward-looking agenda for the coming Parliamentary session. Among the proposed legislation will be:
* A landmark Environment Bill which will protect and enhance nature, and continue the UK’s rapid progression towards achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050.
* Three separate bills on animal welfare, allowing us to ban the export of live animals for slaughter, and protecting pets by introducing mandatory microchipping for cats.
* A Victims Bill, which will provide new legal rights for the victims of crime, and establish standards on support offered to victims of sexual and domestic abuse.
* The Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, which will provide new loans that help promote wider participation in further education, meaning that all will be able to attain the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy, irrespective of their background.
* The Online Safety Bill, which will require tech firms to tackle harmful and illegal content online, building on the success of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which is based in South East Cambridgeshire.
These are just some of the measures that the Government will be bringing forward in the coming months, and I look forward to seeing each and every one debated in the House.
