I have always prided myself on being Conservative Member of Parliament with a very prominent agricultural and green streak running through my work. It is become increasingly evident that the environment and natural world we live in is beginning to dictate more and more of our policy decisions. Never has the environment, as well as man made threats to it, been higher on the public, Government and global agenda and I am delighted to see more and more joined up thinking on this matter.

I like to think that my work in Parliament is reflective of my interest in this area. I am a member of both the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Environmental Audit Select Committees and I am Vice-chairman and Chairman respectively of the Climate Change and Ancient Woodland All Party Groups. I know many people in Taunton Deane are ahead of the curve and fully appreciate the importance of the natural world and I am conscious that I attend as many debates and meetings on this subject on their behalf.

I believe this increasing attention dedicated to this field both locally, nationally and globally was positively manifested at the Paris climate change conference. I was delighted that the talks in Paris culminated in a global deal, with every country in the world now signed up to play its part in halting climate change. The deal will limit global temperature rises and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, which is vital for our long-term economic and global security.

I would like to reassure my constituents that I will continue to stand up for our environment in Westminster as I fully understand that a sustainable natural world and healthy and sustrainable food production is the key to our future. At a time when our surroundings are under threat from increasing development and carbon emissions I will be a strong voice for the vital protection of our environment.