THIS week in Parliament, we saw the launch of the new industrial Strategy, which gave me a valuable opportunity to highlight the opportunities that exist at Boscombe Down for the aeronautical industry.

We also saw the High Court judgement on Brexit. My inbox continues to be filled with missives from constituents of all shades of opinion but, the 11 Justices of the Supreme Court have decided that Parliament must vote to trigger Article 50, so that is what in due course must happen.

Unusually, I left London early this week in order to attend the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce meeting and also to continue a series of visits I have been making to those people most directly affected by Highways England’s proposals to improve the A303 at Stonehenge.

I realise that this is a challenging time for many people who may stand to be impacted by one or both of the proposed routes. I will be listening carefully to the detailed feedback of as many people as possible – particularly in Winterbourne Stoke and Berwick St James – before I submit my own response to the ongoing consultation exercise.

All major infrastructure investments of this type have the power to provoke strong feelings and I know that, as well as talking to me about it, a great many people will want to accept Highways England’s invitation to respond to the consultation.

That is as it should be. As many constituents have reminded me in recent weeks, improvements to the A303 have been discussed off and on for nigh on 50 years.

For those village residents who have been blighted by ever-increasing increasing traffic problems for decades and who fought hard for a solution to be put on the table, there is, at last, some hope but it is still crucial to take the time to make sure that it is delivered as well as possible and with sensitivity to the balance of local opinion.

Homeowners, farmers and landowners along the proposed routes are key stakeholders and I will not cease making representations to the officials charged with conducting the consultation to ensure that they are listened to and inconvenienced as little as possible.

On Friday, I look forward to visiting Broad Chalke School and continuing conversations around the Porton Down science park and associated projects.