![Newton Abbot Clock Tower](/sites/www.annemariemorris.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_large/public/news-gallery/Clock%20Tower%20-%20column_3_0.jpeg?itok=2WfaMrHi)
The Government have decided this week that they are not going to follow up on the hydrogen heating plan for towns after three attempts to run pilots failed because residents didn’t want to be a part of the trials. I find this very frustrating because hydrogen should very definitely be part of the climate change solution. While I understand if you ask someone would you prefer to stick with your natural gas or we fiddle with your boiler and it takes hydrogen you would say no – why go through the change? However, if the question was would you prefer hydrogen with a minor change to your boiler or a heat pump which will cost a lot, require significant adaptation and won’t give you the level of heat you are used to, the answer might be different! It’s not the end of the idea but no further work for now.
In more positive energy news, the Government have committed £196m to a uranium enrichment site in Cheshire, to power the new generation of nuclear power plants in the UK and £600m on a design competition for a world-first nuclear fusion power plant. We’ve known for decades that nuclear power is going to have to take over the bulk of energy generation from fossil fuels. Renewables are an important part of the mix – but weather-dependent as they are, can’t do base load and provide consistent reliable energy.
We have all been frustrated by the Bank of England’s decisions about interest rates. First, they raised them too slowly, then they did nothing but go up despite an improving economy doing better than our European counterparts - albeit not growing as fast as predicted. Interest rates are determined by the bank based on its forecasts which have been regularly wrong. Finally, after pressure from the Treasury Committee on which I sit, Dr Bernanke, a world-leading economist and former Chairman at the Federal Reserve in the USA, was asked to review the Bank’s approach. His findings confirmed how woeful the method of forecasting used by the Bank was. The committee discussed Dr Bernanke’s findings with him this week and we will certainly be lobbying for change!
The Criminal Justice Bill which we debated this week deals with changes to the law on crime and anti-social behaviour, which is a growing problem in Devon. While there were sensible amendments to existing legislation in it, the stand-out change was the new offence imposing the same penalties on cyclists as motorists when they cause death or serious injury by careless or dangerous cycling. I have been lobbying for this change with Ian Duncan Smith and I am pleased the government accepted our amendment. Now we need to go further to ensure safer roads for all road users which for me should mean requiring cyclists to abide by the rules of the road – traffic lights, zebra crossings and speed limits! a licence and number plate would enable proper monitoring and enforcement.
It was Devon County Show week and the show was as spectacular and popular as ever! The competitors and their animals were polished in appearance and performance! I dropped by to visit the National Farmers Union and find out what their number one ask was – more support for food production! Quite right! The security of a nation is as much about military defence as it is about security of food supply. And dare I say its water supply! South West Water have a lot to answer for in this week’s contamination of water supplies to Brixham and Devon MPs are already on the warpath!
A business breakfast in Dawlish on Thursday, a fantastic concert by the Shaldon Singers and Shaldon Sinfonietta on Saturday night and on Sunday lunchtime a very different sort of performance staring Maggie Duffy and Bob Thompson at Denbury church reminded me why it is I love Devon so much!
As always, if you would like to book a surgery appointment (in-person or virtual) or raise a specific issue, please call my office on 01626 368277 or email annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk to arrange an appointment. The next in-person surgeries will be in Newton Abbot (31st May), Teignmouth (7th June) and Dawlish (28th June).