Last week in Parliament we saw the successful passing of the
Queen’s Speech. The Queen's Speech is the first act of a new Government and
presents a legislative programme of the laws which the Government wants to pass
during the course of the next two years.
This year’s Queen’s Speech was particularly important as its
main feature is the Great Repeal Bill, the process that will formally repeal
the 1972 European Communities Act, which took Britain into the European Union
and meant that European law took precedence over laws passed in the British Parliament.
It will also end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Also under
this Bill, all existing EU legislation will be copied across into domestic UK
law to ensure a smooth transition on the day after Brexit. As such, this is one
of the largest legislative projects ever undertaken in the UK and one that is
crucial for the upcoming Brexit process.
Also in the Queen’s Speech there were a number of measures
designed to grow the economy for the whole country. Throughout my time as MP
for St Austell and Newquay I have been clear that building a stronger economy
for Mid-Cornwall, with highly skilled, all year round jobs, is a real priority
for me, as a strong economy allows investment in many of the infrastructure and
other projects that we want and need.
In the Queens Speech, I saw a message of hope, a plan of
action, and a clear commitment to deliver for the economies for the South West
and for Cornwall specifically.
In particular the speech contains legislation that when
introduced will ensure the United Kingdom remains a world leader in new
industries, including electric cars and commercial satellites.
There seems little doubt that our roads will soon be
occupied by an increasing number of electric vehicles. These will require batteries
to power them on their way. The recent discovery of significant deposits of
Lithium (one of the rarest metals on earth) in Cornwall – a vital component for
all the batteries required for these new cars, spells good news for Cornwall
and a potential great revival of not only mining the metal but also in becoming
a centre for manufacturing of batteries, creating many new, skilled, well paid
jobs in our communities.
Commercial Satellites, another key government prioritised
industry, specifically mentioned again in the Queens Speech, tie in with the
ongoing bid for Cornwall Airport Newquay to become the UK’s first commercial
spaceport, one which I have championed since its inception.
These are exciting times for Cornwall and I will continue to
do all I can to ensure that we continue to benefit from new and existing
opportunities that are coming our way.
As always, my team and I are here to serve
the whole constituency and work hard to make a real difference to the lives of
everyone needing support. If there is an issue you would like my assistance on
then please contact me on either 01726 829379 or office@stevedouble.org.uk. Additionally, I hold regular, appointment
only, advice surgeries across the constituency. Dates of these can be found at:
www.stevedouble.org.uk/events
