Hdyraulic fracturing – known as fracking – was the focus of debate in the House of Commons last Monday.

When global fossil fuel reserves are three times larger than the amount we can afford to use without devastating climate change, I find it hard to see how permitting novel ways of exploiting yet more can be justified.

I therefore voted against the Government to support a freeze on all fracking for at least 18 months, as well as an independent assessment of its environmental effects.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Conservative MPs voted against us and the vast majority of Labour MPs abstained, so our amendment to the Infrastructure Bill was defeated.

I was also ready to vote for another amendment to stop Government proposals to allow companies to frack underground without the landowners’ agreement, but delaying tactics by the Labour front bench prevented it from being put to a vote.

Without these changes, I decided to withhold my support from the Bill at its final reading.

As I pointed out during the debate, without a global climate deal, even if by fracking the UK used more gas and less coal, the displaced coal would still be burnt in other countries.

Claims, therefore, that fracking can help prevent climate change are clearly false.

There was good news elsewhere in the Infrastructure Bill, though.

I had put my name to a cross-party amendment to introduce a cycling and walking investment strategy, which we managed to persuade the Government to support.

For the first time, we will now have long-term funding and support for walking and cycling.

Wiltshire Council’s Mansion House in Corsham is set to become an incubation centre for digital start-up businesses, thanks to investment we’ve secured from the Government.

I’ve been an enthusiastic advocate for the digital technology sector in Corsham, and in Parliament last year I asked the Deputy Prime Minister to back our Local Enterprise Partner-ship’s bid for funding for this project.

I was delighted to hear him announce last Thursday that we will get the money to make it happen, helping to bring more businesses and jobs to the heart of the town.

I had the pleasure this week of attending a Burns Supper at Melksham’s Brookside care home to celebrate their fundraising efforts for dementia.

My next constituency surgery will be at Bradford on Avon Library on Friday, February 13, from noon-1.30pm.