From the BBC to Downs Syndrome Swimmers

The week from Monday 10th to Saturday July 16th was another typical varied working week in and out of Parliament - for this MP at least!

The highlights came at either end of the week. First on the Monday when I led for the Liberal Democrats in a 5 hour Parliamentary debate on the future of the BBC. By contrast the Saturday saw me awarding medals at Ponds Forge in Sheffield to competitors in the national swimming championships for people with a learning disability. This event was organised jointly by Mencap, Special Olympics Great Britain and Downs Syndrome International Swimming Organisation and was attended by competitors from all over the UK. As a patron of DSISO I am working with them in their battle to gain admission to the Paralympics.

The rest of the week was crowded with a huge variety of other events. On the Monday morning I left Chesterfield early in order to meet up with 30 Parkside School students who toured Parliament before questioning me for an hour. Other meetings during the week included sessions on Libraries (closing all over the country due to Government under funding); Symphony Orchestras; the availability of Herceptin; Government plans to relax regulations on removing wall coverings containing asbestos; Tax Policy, Family Breakdown and finally (in London) a Thursday afternoon forum, that I chaired, on the future regulation of the Premium Rate phone number industry.

Friday of course was a full day back home in Chesterfield. This was mostly given over to my usual advice surgery at 69 West Bars where constituents raised issues covering a range as varied as Rape, Employment Tribunals, Special Educational Needs and the County Council's Residents Parking schemes around the Town Centre. Later in the afternoon I spent two hours visiting Enable Housing who provide supported housing and other services to people with Learning Disabilities in and around Chesterfield.

All this of course went on around the daily business and votes in the House of Commons.

Every week is always very varied, very long and very interesting.