In his latest column for Frome Nub News, the local MP, David Warburton writes:

After a calamitous 19 months, I am thrilled that things are getting back to normal. It's been great to get back to a fully in-person Parliament – where we're finally able to discuss the many important issues of the day all together, face-to-face, rather than from behind the screen.

In Parliament, I recently arranged a debate on good-quality, affordable housing in the South West. Too many young people in Somerset are excluded from the benefits of owning a home. I believe that everyone deserves a place to call their own – a place for families to raise children and build their lives – and I very much welcome the efforts of the Government to make homeownership accessible to more people. I was glad the Housing Minister contributed constructively to my debate.

Just as Westminster is getting back to normal, so too in Somerset. It's great to see so many local events going ahead, and I'm eager for the wonderful Frome music scene to continue its meteoric rise as we emerge from the pandemic. For that reason, in the new Culture Secretary's very first appearance in front of MPs, I pushed her what more the Government would be doing to support the live music sector and called for an extension of VAT relief for live music tickets, that has jump-started the industry in recent months.

As we come back stronger from the challenges of recent times, I am confident that our local music scene will continue to flourish. Indeed, the Cheese & Grain has played host to some fantastic concerts since reopening, including a performance a couple of weeks ago by The Vaccines… how fitting! I encourage everyone to take advantage of our newly-returned freedoms, and to go out and support our local venues and artists; but also our cafes, pubs, restaurants, independent shops and everything else that Frome has to offer.

With COP26 around the corner, the climate crisis must be top of the agenda, both nationally and here in Somerset. I look forward to a productive climate summit to discuss the global issues, but I was also glad to meet the Environment Minister in the last couple of weeks to discuss local pollution issues. I am proud that we have such a strong voice for the environment here in Somerset, demonstrated recently by Frome's fantastically successful Great Big Green Week which boasted events ranging from art exhibitions, performance poetry, climate cafes, and a plastic free tea in the park. There's certainly a good reason The Times newspaper named Frome the best place to live in the South West!

You can follow what I'm up to both in Westminster and Somerset at www.davidwarburton.org.uk/news.