AS Journal readers will be aware, I recently wrote about the proliferation of illegal vaping products, often containing dangerous chemicals and targeted at children, which not only pose serious health risks to those that use them, but also undermine the legitimate economy whilst financially supporting criminal gangs who also engage in other nefarious activities such as people smuggling.

After I penned that article in the Journal, I raised the issue in a meeting with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and I know a large number of other colleagues have campaigned on this issue given the frequency with which concerned parents were raising the issue in their communications with us.

I am glad that the Chancellor has listened, and I strongly welcome the news that the Government will be taking action to ban single use vapes, and will continue to push for stronger regulation, tougher fines and stronger enforcement from trading standards to tackle this issue.

People who vape have the right to do so, but they also have the right to know that the products they buy are both legal and safe to use.

I also strongly welcome the ban on nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas, which was often being sold by drug dealers to teenagers as a recreational drug, often as a gateway drug to hook them on stronger narcotics in due course.

Many residents will have seen the visual evidence of this insidious trade in our local parks and play areas, with small silver canisters frequently littered around the edges of such amenities after a gathering of teenagers the night before.

There are of course legitimate uses for nitrous oxide in industry , medicine and even baking, but frequent recreational use causes neurological damage, as you might inevitably expect from inhaling a component of rocket fuel.

I believe parents strongly support these measures to protect children from illegal, substandard and harmful products, and substance misuse.

We will only fully know the harm done to children today by illegal vapes and laughing gas in the years to come, as the health consequences become apparent over time.

I also welcome the proposed ban on the American XL bully breed, having seen, like many of you, the viral videos online detailing the savage attacks carried out by several dogs of this type. Whilst debate will doubtless continue about whether the fault lies with the temperament of this breed of dog versus the irresponsible nature of some dog owners, it is right that government has stepped in to address this issue before an avoidable tragedy involving children takes place.

I welcome these proportional and balanced measures, which I have no doubt, will have strong support from the general public.