A longer than usual week in Westminster this time, but for all the right reasons.
This week was Budget week and right off the bat I'd like to say how impressed I was that the Chancellor had managed to get so much into it even given the difficult financial backdrop.
Measures on Childcare and Pensions were particularly welcome and reflect many of the emails you have sent to me lately.
Like most MPs I took the opportunity to feed in to the treasury with what I thought should be their priorities and I was pleased to see some of that input in the final document.
Also this week I secured a question to the Foreign Secretary - I asked about looking again at sanctions on the Iranian regime who are doing despicable things to their own people, destabilising the Middle East and clearly trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Adding to my meetings with cabinet members, I also spoke with the Environment Secretary about air quality in our area and my concerns about Andy Burnham's repeated attempts to introduce his Clean Air Zone, as well as having a frank discussion with the Levelling Up Secretary about the dangers of further devolution without proper scrutiny.
The past few weeks a number of you have written to me about telegraph poles being installed by IX Wireless under permitted development rules. I have spoken to the Digital Secretary about this and she gave a clear view at an Adjournment Debate on the subject that they were not behaving in the spirit of the legislation. The council has also been remiss in not putting conditions on IX, as they're permitted to do. I'm working with local Councillors in Norden and around local Councillors who aren't that bothered in Middleton to see what can be done.
As with most weeks, I had drop in meetings with organisations you asked me to meet and that included the National Brain Appeal who are encouraging more research into neural conditions like Alzheimers disease.
Finally on Friday I was in the Chamber to support a number of Private Members' Bills, including a ban on Trophy Hunting, a ban on advertising low-welfare animal activities, streamlining the Lasting Power of Attorney to make it easier and cheaper to apply and the introduction of new rules to ensure Child Support is payed on time and in full.
I'm looking forward to another busy week next week, but until then, stay safe.
