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I receive a lot of standard emails which are pre-scripted by campaign websites and organisations. I do collect, read and consider these emails but, given the volume, I do not always reply to them individually. I will, however, post my response to issues raised here where I can.

Where it is of a wider public interest, I will also raise with the relevant Minister and update this page accordingly once I have their response.

Climate and Nature Bill

I am delighted that my Liberal Democrat colleague, Dr Roz Savage, is able to sponsor such an important piece of legislation and I am committed to supporting the Climate and Nature Bill on Friday 24th January and hope to speak in the debate.

 

The Climate and Nature Bill is particularly important because it combines plans to tackle both the climate and nature crises simultaneously. Before now, efforts to address these crises have been disjointed and covered by separate pieces of legislation.

 

I believe that the climate-nature crisis we are currently facing is multi-faceted and caused by intertwining factors and requires strong and unified legislation like the CAN Bill in order to be reversed.

 

I am particularly pleased with the inclusion of proposals to establish a Climate & Nature Assembly which I feel would be an important tool for the government to consult and collaborate with the public about plans to address the climate-nature crisis.

 

This Climate & Nature Assembly would be truly world leading and would set an example for other nations for how to work collaboratively with the public to reduce our environmental impact.

Lee Dillon Climate and Nature Bill

New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill

I am pleased to say that I am fully supportive of the ‘Sunshine Bill’. This legislation is significant for Newbury as a constituency, and the UK as a whole, for meeting our net-zero targets.

This Bill is an essential piece of legislation that will see all new homes required to incorporate solar panels into their designs from the beginning. Importantly, this Bill also introduces a clear set of standards for compliance and makes provisions for penalties should developers fail to comply with these requirements. Hopefully, these changes will reduce our reliance upon ‘solar farms’ in our countryside that take up valuable space for farming and will free up land that we desperately need for domestic food production.

I believe that the Bill is well thought through and provides important exemptions for homes where it is not feasible, or economically viable, to install solar panels or for properties that generate other forms of renewable energy. I am pleased to support my Liberal Democrat colleague, Max Wilkinson, on Friday and I very much hope that the Bill will progress to the next stage.

Global Ocean Treaty

I recognise the importance of protecting our oceans for generations to come. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I confirmed our commitment to the Global Oceans Treaty during the General Election. I am pleased that the Government is taking this issue seriously and is moving to ratify the treaty.

As an island nation, our oceans are an important source of jobs, leisure, and food for us all and must be properly protected. As such, I will attend a future session of Parliamentary Business Questions and intend to ask the Leader of the House what progress the Government has made in introducing a bill that would enshrine the Global Ocean Treaty into UK Law.

As a father, I am personally committed to ensuring that we safeguard our natural environment for future generations, and I believe this sort of change can begin locally. One of my top priorities as Newbury’s MP has been to protect the constituency’s many chalk streams. These chalk streams are not only beautiful but vital for local wildlife and biodiversity. However, these chalk streams are under threat from pollution, over-extraction, and mismanagement of sewage systems. I hope that you will join me in my campaign to protect these local streams as they ultimately feed into our oceans.

Global Plastics Treaty

I have signed Greenpeace’s pledge ‘to support a strong global target to cut plastic production’. 

I am strongly committed to reducing the UK’s impact on the environment and believe that one way this can be achieved is by reducing the amount of single-use plastic as far as possible, and when it really must be used, ensuring it is disposed of properly. If we are able to provide affordable alternatives to single-use plastics, we can aim to eliminate the use of non-recyclable plastics within three years.

As a part of reducing the UK’s impact on the environment, I believe that we must adopt techniques to develop a more ‘circular economy’ including cutting resource use, waste, and pollution and maximising recovery, reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing.

Safer Phones Bill

As a father of three, I know that keeping children safe online is more difficult than ever but also more important than ever. The Government and social media companies must do more to protect children from harmful content and activity online.

I will examine the proposals brought forward in the Safer Phones Bill to make sure they protect children effectively.

As a party, the Liberal Democrats would support putting a legal ban on smartphones being used in schools, rather than it just being guidance, as it is at the moment (whilst ensuring school leaders can exercise discretion in making appropriate exceptions – for example for young carers or students who need to use their smartphones to monitor a health condition).

I feel it is vitally important to have measures to protect children’s rights and interests online. It is essential to ensure that proper safeguards are in place and that children are not just protected from online harms, but are also empowered to exercise their digital rights to access age-appropriate information and services online.

My colleague, Munira Wilson MP, the Liberal Democrats’ Education, Children and Families Spokesperson, has already met with Josh MacAlister to discuss the Bill and has agreed to work collaboratively on its contents.

Education is also crucial for keeping children safe online. Schools need to teach children about online dangers, and how to use the internet and social media safely and responsibly. Also, parents must be empowered to protect their children online, which might include education about digital literacy, together with advice and support for them on best practice.

I am calling for the Government to create an independent children’s online safety advocate, as called for by the NSPCC, who would act like a consumer watchdog to promote and protect children’s interests.

 

As the Safer Phones Bill progresses through Parliament, I will be working alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues to ensure the Bill protects children effectively. I will continue to champion online safety for children throughout this parliament.

VAT on Private School Fees

I believe that, as a matter of principle, we should not tax education. Education is essential for the individual and for society as a whole and as a liberal, I believe it is important that parents are given choice when it comes to their children’s education. 

On a wider note, our ambition is for all state education to be of such a high standard that no parent will feel compelled to make the kind of sacrifices to which you refer in order to send their child to an independent school. I want to see an education system that enables every individual, no matter their background or needs, to flourish, succeed and fulfil their potential, with a level playing field for all pupils, wherever they are educated. Many independent schools already give back to their local education community through partnership with state schools, and I want to see this kind of best practice - such as the sharing of specialist facilities or teachers, clubs, and higher education support - replicated across the sector. It is my fear that removing the VAT exemption from independent schools will reduce this kind of partnership work to the detriment of both the state and independent sectors.

Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill

The Conservatives are using the victims of this scandal as a political football. The Conservatives and Reform were goaded along by Elon Musk, by voting for a motion that would not secure a national inquiry for victims of child sexual abuse but instead, it would kill these crucial child protection measures completely. 

 

The Liberal Democrats put forward our own amendment to take real action to tackle the child sex abuse scandal, by implementing the recommendations from the national independent inquiry in full.

 

No child should ever have to experience sexual abuse, and it’s clear that real action is needed to prevent these sickening acts from happening again. Another inquiry should be part of making that happen - but the government must also focus on implementing the 20 recommendations of the Jay inquiry as quickly as possible. We’re focused on pushing for real change and supporting the victims.

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