He piloted important legislation on national parks and statutory swimming to promote water safety for school age children.

[2] Norrie was educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned into the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) in 1956.

He served in Northern Ireland, Aden as ADC to the C in C Middle East Command, Germany on regimental duty and as GSO3( Intelligence) 4th Guards Brigade.

Professor David Bellamy presented the prizes at Fairfield Nurseries and encouraged Norrie to take up the green cause in Parliament.

[7] In April 1991 Norrie sponsored a Private Member's Bill on swimming and water safety on behalf of the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS).

[9] The bill he sponsored became law in 1994 under statutory order, meaning that since then swimming and water safety have been part of the national curriculum for physical education in England.

[10] In 1991 a pivotal Countryside Commission report,[11] chaired by Professor Ron Edwards,[12] recommended a number of measures for better protection and management of the National Parks of England and Wales.

He pressed for an independent commission to explore methods of increasing organ donation (e.g. by presumed consent) which was introduced in Wales in the Human Transplantation Act 2013.