And so the warm weather continues, and as I write this, so does our success in the World Cup! Whatever the result this week, I think we can all be proud of the England Team and of what they have achieved throughout this year’s tournament.
This summer there has been a huge amount to celebrate, whether it’s our NHS as it turns 70, the RAF which is marking 100 years since its creation in April 1918, or our LGBT community with Pride events taking place across the UK over the summer.
Just last week Portsmouth MP and Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, announced the Government’s 75 Point LGBT Action Plan. This key Plan – the first of its kind in the UK - followed the Government’s National LGBT Survey which received over 108,000 responses, making it the biggest response to an LGBT consultation ever received. Many of the findings within the results from this survey show that while in the UK we pride ourselves on being an accepting society, there remains much more work to do. I was particularly sorry to hear that so many same-sex couples feel unable to hold hands in public, and will be showing them my support by joining the LGBT community in our area at Eastleigh Pride later this year.
In my most recent column I spoke about how great it was to visit Berrywood Primary School and speak about my work within Government to secure the future of the planet and everything that relies upon it – including our elephants. I was therefore delighted that last week saw the Ivory Bill pass its Third Reading, and I am particularly pleased that this Bill will now include a consultation on also introducing greater protections for other species including hippos, walruses and narwhals from the trade in ivory. This is an issue that many of you have written to me about and I am thrilled to continue to push forward this legislation as your local MP.
Many of you have also taken the time to write to me welcoming the £20.5 billion increase in NHS funding by 2023/24. This was a key announcement as the NHS turned 70 last Thursday, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those that work in and support this great British institution. As Eastleigh’s MP I have had the great pleasure to meet with local nurses, care staff, GPs and others, and couldn’t be more proud of the NHS team who are there when we need them most.
Friday last week then saw the return of Private Members Bills being presented to Parliament, and I couldn’t be more pleased to see one particular Bill, Finns Law, unanimously pass through its Second Reading. All of us recognise the huge support that our police provide to our community, and I know how important protecting animals is to my constituents, including those that work alongside our police forces and armed forces. I am therefore delighted that this key Bill - named after a stabbed police dog – moves a step closer towards preventing attackers of service animals from claiming self-defence and bringing a common sense approach to the protection of service animals.
It would be remiss of me to finish without mentioning Brexit. I will be sending out a full update on the Government’s Brexit proposals soon, and if you would like to receive this then please email me at mims.davies.mp@parliament.uk