WEDNESDAY last week was a busy day in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister backed my call for railway investment to improve regional connectivity at Prime Minister’s Questions which I want to use to focus on the Heart of Wessex line.

With the ‘Yeovil South Chord’ we can connect Bournemouth and Dorchester to Exeter and achieve Dorchester to London journey times down to 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The Heart of Wessex line (the line from Yeovil Pen Mill to Weymouth) is an important artery and will get West Dorset and the wider South West back on track, providing much needed connectivity. A boost in rail will help keep cars off the road, particularly the A35 where a reduction in road traffic is much needed.

Later on Wednesday afternoon, I again pushed for investment in faster broadband for Dorset. I have been working hard for months to secure Government funding for broadband for rural Dorset which has too long been disadvantaged by poor broadband connectivity. I specifically asked the Minister to top up the fund for a full-fibre spine for Dorset which would be a huge step forward in getting fast internet for our homes and businesses.

It’s been a year since I introduced my Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill to Parliament, which will change the law to ensure proper punishments for those that abuse animals. Having navigated various hurdles presented by coronavirus, last Friday, my Bill completed its passage through the House of Commons and is now in the House of Lords. I’m hoping it will receive Royal Assent in May.

And finally, this week I met with West Bay fishermen to discuss Government support for the industry. I will continue to stand up for our fishing industry here in Dorset.

Chris Loder

MP for West Dorset