It is a great honour to be asked to serve in the mother of all parliaments. It is a great honour to be an MP. To do this job, and to make our democracy happen the Houses of Parliament require protection. It will be very odd and very raw for all of us to be returning for a new working week tomorrow morning, with all the memories and horror of what happened last Wednesday so fresh in our minds. We all grieve those lost and wish well the recovery of the injured. But the day job continues.
For my part I begin the process of parliamentary scrutiny of the Prisons and Court Reform Bill, which has evidence and committee sessions this Tuesday and Wednesday. I am also one of the whips on duty in the house for the last day of debates for this spring term, which is Thursday.
I have several constituents down in Westminster to meet and discuss the expansion of the north east economy, and have a host of other meetings this week, ranging from events to discuss expansion of our tourism sector here in the north, to discussion of our FE sector.
Monday I am helping to guide through the house the changes to the horse race betting levy, in committee room 12 at 4:30.
