Westminster is back from recess but before I give you a rundown of the week, I'd like to address the elephant in the room.
More news of rule breaking in Downing Street has emerged and I'm just as fed up and angry about it as you.
It was right that Prime Minister apologised at PMQs on Wednesday. It was the very least I expected. I'm not going to comment further until the full report by Sue Gray has been published. I believe in due process and that means letting a full and fair investigation take place so we have all the facts before us.
On Monday I started the day by asking the Defence Secretary to join me in thanking our Armed Forces for their work in supporting the Vaccination Programme. The military will be stepping in to help locally in Greater Manchester from next week and their support for the NHS is greatly appreciated.
Later in the day I joined colleagues at a meeting of the APPG on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict of which I am officer. We discussed the work we planned to do this year to help raise awareness of these evil crimes and what we can do to make sure more is done to tackle it.
Later in the week I attended a briefing by the Health Secretary on the latest stages of the pandemic. There's cause for optimism, but we clearly still have a way to go until we can safely live with Covid.
The majority of local cases in hospital are unvaccinated, so please do get your jabs.
On Wednesday the Science and Technology Select Committee resumed our inquiry into the future of the Space Industry in the UK. The sector is booming and the UK is in a good position to be a world leader. We questioned heads of some of the world's leading Space agencies including the European Space Agency of which the UK is a leading member, to hear their thoughts on the future of the sector and hear what they've been doing to get ready for the future.
On Thursday I paid virtual visits to local health centres, vaccination clinics and North Manchester General Hospital - I wanted to thank the staff for all their work over the pandemic and also to hear their honest thoughts on what has worked and what hasn't. It was a really worthwhile set of discussions and I learned a great deal.
On Friday I had a rare Sitting Day helping to pass some of the Private Members Bill that were put up last year. That included speaking in favour of my colleague Mark Jenkinson's Careers Guidance Bill which will set new standards for compulsory careers advice from Year 7 upwards. Young people should have as much information as possible to help them decide what path is best for them, whether that's University, and Apprenticeship, NVQ or something different altogether.
I also supported Bills which would prohibit sex offenders from standing for local government and a Bill improving access to public transport for people with disabilities.
On Saturday I was back out on the doorstep with the local team talking to people about the issues that matter to them.
I'm hoping to speak to lots of you over the coming weeks, but as always you know where I am if you need me.
