The return to Parliament following Christmas and New Year has certainly been busy, and one of the first Bills looked at since the return was the Energy Bill. The Bill contains measures to promote carbon capture and storage and renewables, and I look forward to the debates on these in the coming months, though I am sure the most contentious debates will be held over the measures concerning new nuclear build. The real issue for me is the question of what to do with the nuclear waste, and the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Committee which I sit on will be evaluating this question amongst many others in detail. Until this issue is properly addressed, we should be focussing more firmly on the renewable and carbon capture options within the Bill.    

The reform of capital gains tax has also been a topic of debate this January, and I welcomed the recent statement by Alistair Darling that an ‘entrepreneur’s relief’ will be introduced as from April.  The entrepreneurs’ relief will provide a special 10 per cent tax rate for the first £1 million of qualifying gains, and I know there will be businesses in the constituency pleased with this announcement.  

Another announcement this month was the Government’s plan to promote cycling with a £140 million funding package over the next three years. The money will enable up to ten more Cycle Demonstration Towns which can use funding to provide bike parking spaces at schools, personal travel planning programmes, create secure storage at workplaces and shops, and build more cycle routes. I think this could be a really excellent opportunity for Great Yarmouth as current cycle towns such as Darlington have already seen a 79% increase in cycling trips and car trips go down 11%.  I have already written to the Director of Transport at the County Council to ensure our authority puts in a bid for a slice of the money.  

Back in Great Yarmouth I attended the Holocaust Memorial Service at the Blackfriars Road cemetery on Sunday and was pleased at the numbers of people who turned out to remember the millions who suffered at the hands of the Nazis in the Second World War. It was an honour for me to be able to lay a wreath with the Mayor. It is a timely reminder that even today genocide is still happening in Darfur and the international community must put a stop to this. Later this month I will be going to Auschwitz with the Holocaust Education Trust with some students.  

Also on Sunday was the Freedom of the Borough Ceremony for the Royal Anglian Regiment. Having seen several celebrations and events over the years I must admit that the numbers of residents who turned up to show their appreciation for the role the regiment played in Afghanistan was fantastic. The following service at the St. Nicholas Church was equally well attended, in fact it was packed. Not only was it a time for recognition of the service provided by the regiment but to remember those soldiers who died in conflict as well as those who were wounded. Well done to all involved.  

It is also important to recognise those that protected us and served their country in previous years, and so I was delighted by the announcement this week that there is to be a new badge for members of the Women’s Land Army and Timber Corps. Land and lumber girls as they were known worked on farms during WWII to feed the nation and fell timber as the men went to war. At its peak in 1943 there were some 80,000 women working on the land, but until now the tremendous work these women did for their country has not been acknowledged. As with the Armed Forces Veterans Badge, I will be pleased to help anyone eligible claim their badge, so if you would like further information, please contact Louise in my office on 0207 219 3447.