On Armistice Day, I was honoured to join the representatives of the Armed Forces, the Mayor, residents of Burgess Hill, representatives from local Schools, local services and to lay wreaths. I also attended the early Remembrance Sunday Service in All Saints, Highbrook, as well as joining the East Grinstead Memorial Day Parade. It was a great honour to join the Town Mayor, the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Susan Pyper, the Chairman of MSDC Cllr Margaret Belsey among very many others. We owe so much to all the men and women who have served our great country and those that continue to serve and give so much, and I want to thank everyone who helped organise and attend the fitting events over the past week. I particularly enjoyed the Ardingly Choral Society Remembrance Concert on Saturday evening at St Wilfrids in Haywards Heath.
COP26 has come to a close, with 197 parties agreeing to the newly-dubbed “Glasgow Climate Pact”. Important new commitments to decarbonisation plans, increased funding from developed countries to support developing countries adapting to green policies, a new framework for a global carbon market have been agreed, as well as much more. I do think it’s important to acknowledge more can still be done. The Government will not rest on its laurels in leading the global fight to save our planet for our children’s generation, and the generations who come after them.
Meanwhile, our landmark Environment Bill received Royal Assent last week, and is now law. This bold, wide-ranging and vital Act will improve our air and water quality, tackle waste, increase recycling, halt the decline of species, and improve our natural environment. Importantly, this Act will also crack down on companies who actively discharge sewage into rivers, waterways and coastlines, including a new duty enshrined in law to ensure water companies secure progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from storm overflows. I know constituents have been worried about getting this matter right and this Act will bring about the real, deliverable long-term change we all want to see.
Constituents have also been sharing their thoughts with me following the recent confirmation that NHS staff will be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine by April 2022 where they are able to. I believe this is the correct decision because of the unique responsibility they have. When it comes to vaccine certification, there are numerous nations who have gone far beyond the UK in terms of introducing them. We must continue to protect the most vulnerable members of our society and I urge all those able to take the booster as soon as you are eligible to protect ourselves and the wider community.