This week in Parliament has been focused on winding up business ahead of the new session of Parliament which starts on the 11th.
In my role supporting the Lord Chancellor at the Ministry of Justice I was particularly pleased to see a lot of our hard work pass into law including new legislation to tackle terrorism and new protections for victims of domestic abuse.
On Monday I met with Toby Nolan whose Norden-based company has developed a application called Candle designed to help improve understanding of and support for mental health in the workplace – it’s great to see a local success story like this making a difference in businesses across the country.
Later in the day I had a meeting about National Citizen Service and how they are going to be delivering their programme in Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale over the next year. I’m really looking forward to working with them. NCS is a fantastic opportunity for young people to develop themselves and make a contribution to their community.
I also asked the Education Secretary to join me in a discussion about T-Levels with Hopwood Hall College. These new qualifications are a great way for young people to get practical experience in business and industry and I’m keen to make sure their launch is as smooth as possible.
On Tuesday I had meetings of the Science Technology Committee, the AGM of the APPG on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (of which I am the Treasurer) and the last of the Lord Speaker’s Lectures in the evening.
On Wednesday the Science and Technology Committee held an inquiry into the safety of vaccines following press reports of blood clots. It was extremely reassuring to hear from some of the country’s top scientists and to ask them questions.
Later in the day I had a meeting with the team from Link4Life where they updated me on their future plans, including ambitious plans for Middleton Arena and Heywood Civic Centre.
As Parliament was prorogued on Thursday I was able to head back up North for meetings in the constituency. I also had meetings with the Health Secretary and Vaccines Minister.
On Friday I met with the team at Blubird Care in Heywood and heard about the work they’ve been doing to support people during the pandemic. It was wonderful to see their dedication and professionalism as well as their plans to boost the community.
Finally, whilst Parliament isn’t sitting I’ve been able to get out and support some of our excellent local election candidates. I’ve really enjoyed speaking to people on the doorstep which is something Coronavirus has made impossible up to now.
What’s clear is that people want a Council that listens to them, that will protect the greenbelt, keep council tax low and spend money wisely on the services they want, not wasteful vanity projects.
Please don’t forget to vote on Thursday – you have the power to make a difference in your community with the choice you make.
