This week has been spent focused on the upcoming fiscal statement by the Chancellor, making sure that the concerns and priorities you have told me about are reflected in the decisions he makes, but it has also been about ensuring that we honour those who have served this country in the run up to remembrance Sunday.
On Monday I joined colleagues in placing a cross in the House of Commons garden of remembrance on behalf of Heywood and Middleton.
Heywood is the only town to have lost its serving MP in both world wars and our towns and villages have a proud record of representing this nation in uniform, so it was an honour to pay tribute to them.
This week, I also had the chance to ask the MoD Ministers about the future of NATO deployments as work to combat Russian aggression.
Later on the week I was able to sit down with the Chancellor to outline what I thought we need to see in the fiscal statement next week.
Whilst tough choices have to be made, they should be focused on helping those who need it most.
Later in the week I participated in a number of parliamentary debates and put forward my support for retaining the Triple Lock on pensions.
Parliament officially went into recess on Wednesday afternoon (albeit for a long weekend) so I joined the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme at Sandhurst, the Army's officer training college. I'm always impressed and reassured by the calibre of the men and women I meet through the scheme.
Back in the Constituency, I joined residents in Middleton for Armistice Day and met with representatives of the Primary Care Trust to see how they're improving health services in the town.
This Sunday I'll be laying wreaths at 5 memorials across the Constituency.
I imagine I have plenty to say after the statement next week, but until then, take care.
