As the cost of energy continues to climb, my colleague, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, met with leaders of energy-intensive industries. UK Steel boss Gareth Stace said no solutions came from the meeting. He said: "We can't wait until Christmas and beyond. Or even a few weeks. We need action now, it needs to be swift, decisive action." The government said it was exploring ways to manage high energy costs. Gas prices have risen 250 per cent since January, pushing up costs dramatically. Mr Stace told the BBC that Mr Kwarteng had listened, but had provided "no immediate solutions or guarantees". The UK Steel director general said he was "baffled" because governments in the rest of Europe had stepped in to support industry, although they faced lower energy costs than in the UK. This reckoning was always coming our way as successive governments failed to invest sufficiently in energy production, instead banging on about unrealistic targets for so-called green energy, which will simply impoverish us and lead to more crises. I'm all for relaxing our reliance on fossil fuels, but not until an alternative/s work and are affordable. It is extraordinary what risks politicians of all colours are prepared to lay our country open to as they set unreachable targets with abandon. First up today for me was a catch-up, virtual meeting with senior DC councillors, officers and some of my Dorset colleagues. As always, the meeting was informative and helpful. There is no doubt that DC is facing a funding challenge and MPs will once again lobby the government hard for a fairer share of the cake. Another virtual meeting with my friend and colleague, Neil Parish, chairman of the Defra Select Committee, whose role sees him very well informed on rural issues. I then drove to Trigon to meet my group of farmers, who I meet quarterly. It's proved a huge success and a useful way of exchanging information. We had a packed agenda, as you might imagine with all that is going on, and NFU President, Minette Batters, joined us half way through. She's a feisty woman and takes no prisoners, representing farmers will common sense and determination. It was a pleasure to chat to her. At 1430, I had to leave, but we'd had 90 minutes together and I said I'd try to get George Eustice to attend at the next one. Tragically, a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in the Afghan city of Kunduz killed at least 50 people, officials said, in the deadliest assault since US forces left. Good news, though, in that England men's Ashes series in Australia this winter will go ahead "subject to several critical conditions", said the England and Wales Cricket Board. England had concerns over their families being allowed to travel, quarantine and 'bubble' arrangements amid the coronavirus pandemic. And, following the appalling and deeply shocking murder of Sarah Everard, Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock would lead an independent review into the Metropolitan Police's culture and standards. It would examine the force's vetting, recruitment and training procedures. Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said the move aimed to "make sure that the public have more confidence in us". Finally, I join my colleagues and friends in paying tribute to James Brokenshire MP, who died aged 53, having been diagnosed with lung cancer more than three years ago. James was a lovely guy, intelligent and kind, and we will miss him enormously. I have written to his wife, Cathy, and my deepest sympathy goes to her and the family. Minister Boris Johnson described the father of three, a former Northern Ireland secretary, as the "nicest, kindest" colleague.