This is has been one of my busiest weeks in the Chamber since I was elected last year. I spoke in the Chamber every day, which has meant that I have been doing a lot of ‘bobbing’ (which is where we continually stand up and sit down) in an attempt to catch the Speaker’s eye!
It started with the Policing and Crime Bill on Monday, which includes new legislation which will require our blue light services to collaborate with each other in order to provide a more efficient and effective service for the public. As you may know, this has been a topic of particular interest for me since being elected. I was particularly pleased to see in the Bill the additional powers it would bestow upon PCCs, in terms of extending their responsibilities to include the fire service. I have been arguing for some time that PCCs should take on the responsibilities of the Fire Authority to ensure this service is also directly democratically accountable to the public. I believe the measures set out in the Bill are a positive step forward. You can see my full speech here.
Tuesday morning began with another session of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee. This week we heard evidence given by experts from the computer and video games industry. We heard their perspectives on how the Government can encourage growth in the area and help young people get the skills they need to start a career in this sector. With it being International Women’s Day, I asked about how we can encourage more women to become involved in careers in this industry. After the Select Committee I was delighted to contribute to the debate devoted to International Women’s Day debate. I was keen to praise the work being done by Young Enterprise to encourage teenage girls to become entrepreneurs and businesswomen in the future.
The Secretary of State for Health, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP made a statement on Wednesday, which saw him talk about different ways in which we can learn from mistakes and create transparency in the NHS. As Cannock Chase is in the catchment area of what was the Mid Staffs NHS Trust I was keen to understand more about the new Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch which is being introduced.
Thursday started with Transport questions, where I again raised the multiple issues faced by Chase Line users with the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP. During Business of the House Questions I was delighted to be the first of the Conservative bankbenchers to be called by the Speaker. This was an opportunity to praise the achievements of Brereton’s Redbrook Hayes Community Primary School ahead of a visit I will be making to the school next week.
This was quickly followed by my last appearance in the Chamber this week when I had the opportunity to celebrate the number of apprenticeships that have been started in Cannock Chase and how we have been topping the tables in Staffordshire. With National Apprentice week starting on Monday, I was glad to have the opportunity to showcase the great work being done by both businesses and apprentices in our area.
All this activity this week means that as well as getting lots of local issues raised in Parliament, I have now spoken in more than 50 debates since being elected! If you do want to know more about what I am doing in Westminster, why not set up an alert and receive an email every time I speak in Parliament. You can do so here - http://www.theyworkforyou.com/alert/?pid=25350. This will enable you to keep fully up to date with my activity in Parliament.