The environment is a topic which pops up frequently in letters and emails from constituents and I am pleased that the Government is making great strides in addressing the issues which are important to so many.

A huge step last week was the publishing of a draft Bill by Environment Secretary Michael Gove which will greatly strengthen animal welfare. A major part of this Bill is the official enshrining of animal sentience into UK law – an issue which gained significant coverage a few weeks ago. Further, the maximum jail sentence for cruelty to animals will rise from six months to five years across England and Wales. These possible new laws have won the support of organisations including the RSPCA, and will far exceed animal rights under EU law.

On a similar note, from next year CCTV will become mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England where live animals are present. This delivers on a manifesto commitment and will reassure consumers that high welfare standards are being enforced across the country. In October, the Government also set out plans to impose a total ban on ivory sales. More than 50 elephants are killed by poachers every day and the new ban will help to protect these majestic creatures by removing opportunities for criminals to trade ivory.

As I am sure you will agree, the BBC’s brilliant ‘Blue Planet 2’ has done an extraordinary job in shining a light on our world’s marine ecosystems. Protecting these is clearly of great importance and I’m hopeful that recent announcements will help to do just that.

More than eight million tonnes of discarded plastic makes its way into our oceans every year and poses a serious threat to marine wildlife. Since introducing the 5p plastic bag charge in 2015, usage has fallen by a whopping 83 per cent and £95m has been raised for environmental causes. The UK’s proposed ban on microbeads – tiny pieces of plastic found in products such as toothpaste and shower gel – is one of the world’s toughest and the Government has this month pledged to tackle the issue further alongside other UN states. The UK’s ‘Blue Belt’ has also been extended by over 650 square miles recently which will afford better protection to almost 150,000 rare seabirds.

More widely, the Prime Minister has this month unveiled a host of new measures to tackle both the effects and causes of climate change. These include £140m to help developing countries address the issue, an expansion of an alliance with Canada to lower coal use worldwide and a proposed summit on zero-emission vehicles. These announcements, along with those highlighted already, reaffirm that the Government both understands the growing risks faced by our environment, and is seizing the initiative to tackle them.

May I take this opportunity to wish each of you a very happy Christmas and a wonderful new year.