Having completed my first year in Parliament, this time I was able to thoroughly enjoy this year’s Queen’s Speech for its grandeur and its tradition, without the nerves of being a brand new Member. It was an honour to be a part of the proceedings and to enjoy the presence of Her Majesty, a feeling I am sure will never get old. However, more importantly, the Queen’s Speech itself carries the statement of business the next year. So what does the Queen’s Speech mean for Bury St Edmunds?
One of the biggest announcement of the Queen’s Speech was around the delivery of rural broadband. To be delivered through a ‘Digital Economy Bill’ the Government intends to ensure every household, namely the remaining 5% of the UK not yet connected, can access high speed broadband by providing customers with a legal right to demand a minimum connection of 10Mbps. Currently, 20% of my Bury St Edmunds constituency are without access to high speed broadband ranging from Bury to Stowmarket, from Bacton to Gislingham. This commitment, if fully delivered upon, could transform the lives of those in the localities and secure the UK’s status as a world leader in the digital economy.
Building on the Government’s drive in supporting local businesses, a ‘Better Markets Bill’ intends to improve Britain’s competitiveness particularly in simplifying and streamlining competitions investigations for businesses and reeling back more red tape for local enterprise. Furthermore, a Bill intended to support local growth and jobs will make provision for business rates to be retained by local authorities. These measures can deliver greater accountability and transparency to local businesses and allow local authorities, with local funds, to put more back into the community.
To the benefit of local and national economies, the intentions of the Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill is to support the economic recovery and create jobs and opportunities by delivering infrastructure to grow local areas. As well as handing over more powers to neighbourhood planning, an issue which I know is felt particularly strongly in Suffolk, the process according to the National Housing Federation could potentially act as a “real catalyst for speeding up locally-driven housebuilding”.
In the coming weeks, I look forward to welcoming other aspects of the Queen’s Speech to improve the life chances of people up and down the country. Yet these Bills, amongst others, focus on building from the ground up to strengthen our economy and improve our long term prospects. They have the potential to work in the interest of all in Bury St Edmunds and it will be my focus to make sure when the time comes, they deliver for my constituents.
Published in the Bury Free Press