Knife crime and further action on zombie knives has been on the agenda in Parliament this week. The BBC has chosen to portray this as an issue MPs are dealing with in their constituency surgeries every single week. That is categorically not the case, but the incidence of knife crime is deeply worrying and it is absolutely right that Parliamentary time has been given to strengthen existing legislation.
I have been focused on a debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday on Girlguiding, on the work I do with organisations like the Epilepsy Society on anti-seizure medication, and my Committee took evidence this week from Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza and Dr Claire Dewsnap on the increase in sexually transmitted diseases in children. Nobody likes talking about this but the stark reality is we have to equip children with the knowledge they need to protect themselves.
This week we are marking Holocaust Memorial and I am attending the event in Southampton to mark Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Day. It is somewhat depressing to have seen so much more security around this event than ever before, what a terrible reality. Although the thing that strikes me is here in Southampton we work hard to maintain community congestion and tolerance and understanding, and it is crucial we continue to do so.
