On Monday this week there were events both here and across the world to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. I was privileged to attend the service in Parliament and listen to two survivors of the holocaust tell their stories.
There has been an enormous amount of effort over recent years to make sure the survivors accounts are not lost. We have had an exhibition in Portcullis House with virtual reality headsets and Mr Speaker has had an initiative to capture the stories of survivors in order they can be heard by future generations.
On Monday I signed the Holocaust Book of Remembrance and at 8pm we lit Holocaust Memorial candles to remember those who were murdered for who they were and to stand against prejudice and hatred today. 6 million Jewish people were murdered in the holocaust, as well as gay people, members of the Roma community, disabled people and prisoners of war. We must never forget.
This week we have had Statements in the House on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the civil war in Sudan and the Eastern DRC, and the Treasury’s statement on growing the economy and an urgent question on airport expansion. Clearly the Government has a balancing act to do in order to make sure that development and growth do not happen at the expense of local communities and councils having the power to determine what happens in their area. When we discuss devolution and strengthening the powers of Local Government, we need to make sure those powers are not quietly being transferred back to Whitehall.
I am very conscious this week large numbers of Nursling and Rownhams residents are having their lives disrupted by the burst water main on the A3057. Southern Water has told me the road closure will be kept to as short a period as possible, but it has been poorly advertised and the diversion signs were not in place before the road was closed. I know that has caused traffic difficulties for many, which Cllr Adams-King has been raising with Southern Water to try to get a better solution to the current difficulties.
On Friday I am very much looking forward to attending the official opening of the Absolar installation on the roof of the new Draper Tools building in North Baddesley. It is one of the biggest buildings in the whole of the Test Valley and the 900 solar panels will generate a 117 tonne saving of CO2 emissions annually. Draper Tools isn’t just a significant local employer, it is one with a serious commitment to the environment, and the new building also features environmentally efficient heating and lighting, and as a business they work hard to recycle more than 80% of their waste. Absolar are also a local company, based at Chilworth, and it is great to see their roof top installations being developed.