Last week ended with some fascinating constituency meetings and events. I met with Inspector Andy Tester of the Hampshire Constabulary to discuss the issues some Meon Valley residents are having with speeding and noisy motorbikes. It was interesting to learn about some of the methods the police have for dealing with this issue and about the potential use of new technologies like acoustic cameras.
I also met over the weekend with CANS (the Campaign Against Noise and Speed), where I could relay some of what I had discussed with Andy. I am looking forward to meeting with some motorcyclists, too, to explore the prospect of self-regulation by responsible bikers, who of course are in the majority. I know this has been a thorny and long-running issue, but I will do my best locally and in Parliament to tackle it.
I also visited the wonderful Flower Pots Brewery (you might remember I spoke in last week’s update about tax relief for small breweries like the Flower Pots) and had a fantastic lunch at the Hampshire Bowman near Dundridge. I would highly recommend a visit, if you have not already done so! Mark and Chloe, the owners, were hugely friendly and it made a nice change to see an eatery where there are rules about keeping your phone on silent!
Lastly, on Saturday I visited Cowplain Community Centre to celebrate its 6th anniversary. It was great to meet some local residents and there was even a birthday cake, baked by the master baker Cllr Pete Wade!
In Westminster, I met with the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR), where we discussed cyber security and online harm to children. Fortunately, there was a Parliamentary question on Online Harms immediately afterwards, so I raced out of the PICTFOR meeting to ask the minister a question about how we can better educate parents of the online risks to their children. You can see my question and the Minister’s response on Hansard here. On the subject of Parliamentary questions, I had the opportunity to ask the Chancellor about rural broadband provision on Tuesday. You can see a video of the exchange here.
Finally, I met with the energy provider, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). We discussed their plans to move to net-zero carbon emissions, both by reducing their non-renewables output and by increasing carbon capture projects. We also talked about electric vehicles and how more charging points will be necessary to make these more viable in rural areas like the Meon Valley. I was particularly impressed, however, to learn about the work they are doing to support vulnerable customers, including reaching out to people to check if they had been affected by storm Ciara last weekend and if they could do anything to help. If you feel you are in need of this support, you can reach them on 0800 294 3259.
It is now Parliamentary recess, which I find is a great opportunity to clear my head and think about solutions to some of the issues I hear about as an MP. I will also be meeting more businesses and constituents, as usual.
I am not going to do an update next week, because of the recess, but look out for one the week after that. It is also school half-term, so I hope some of you will be going away or at least enjoying having the kids around the house a bit more! In the meantime, hope you have a great Valentine’s day.