HearFromYourMP

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Another very busy week in Westminster and in my constituency

Posted by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 10:53, Fri 13 June 2014:

Parliament can be very frustrating. I was up VERY early on Thursday morning to submit an application to the speaker to ask an urgent question about disability benefits. Made the deadline of 8am, and then began to consider the short speech I'd make if my application was successful.

At 8.45am, I was told it wasn't. I could have had a couple more hours in bed.

But I understood why my urgent question hadn't been selected when I discovered another question had been submitted, on the appalling delays at the passport office in recent weeks.

The chamber was packed with MPs wanting to raise problems their constituents had experienced. I wanted to ask about families in my constituency who have contacted me about the problems they've had.

But again, frustratingly, there were so many MPs wanting to ask questions that there wasn't time for us all to be called, and once again, I missed out. Thankfully, I'd at least been able to raise the issue earlier in the week when we were debating the Queen's speech.

I'd had a busy few days at the end of last week in the constituency. I was delighted to attend the opening of new premises of Trafford Park company, Northern Drives and Controls. This fabulous company services and repairs electronic equipment and motors, highly technical, specialist work. It was all the more exciting to meet former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who performed the official opening.

I also went along to meet residents who live near Urmston station, who are unhappy at the new fence erected by Network Rail. They weren't consulted about that.

And I also held a surgery on Friday, and another on Saturday, both of them very busy.

Plus a visit to Faizan e Islam mosque to present a cheque to the family of 9 year old Haris, money raised by the community to help him get the specialist health treatment he needs. Dropped in to the sewing group that meets in Stretford Mall, and attended a wedding on Saturday evening.

Sunday was a fantastic day, my annual road safety event at Stretford fire station. We were joined by Greater Manchester Police, the North West Ambulance Service, Institute of Advanced Motorists, the Probation Service, and Trafford Council. The sun shone and more than 300 people came along. I'm very grateful to the Fire Service for hosting us.

I set off to York early on Monday to speak at a conference on fairness and poverty commissions. I've been involved in the Manchester poverty commission, and in parliament, the All Party Group on Poverty, which I chair, has commissioned a report on these commissions, which now exist around the country. It was a very interesting event.

Then down to London to host a tea party for Kellogg's in parliament, to mark their 16 years of support for school breakfast clubs. These clubs make such a difference, especially to children whose parents struggle to afford a healthy diet, or who leave very early for work.

Tuesday began with a photocall with the Kennel Club and a beautiful spaniel puppy, part of my Marvellous Mutts campaign to encourage dog owners to have their pets microchipped. Then I had a visit from some teachers from the constituency, part of a lobby of MPs organised by their union, the NUT. We discussed a whole range of issues about what's happening in schools both nationally and in Trafford.

I went into the chamber to ask Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt about funding for new health facilities in Old Trafford. We desperately need new GP premises, and I was pleased he agreed to meet me to discuss it further.

I met representatives of the Fire Brigades Union, who wanted to talk about their concerns about the new North West control centre. Then a meeting of the Shadow Work and Pensions team, a meeting about suburban services and family incomes, before heading off with a group of women MPs for the hen night of our colleague Jenny Chapman, MP for Darlington. And we had a great time!

On Wednesday, I met ABTA to continue the discussions I've been having about safety on overseas trips. Then I met the British Deaf Association, who wanted to talk about their campaign for British Sign Language to have legal recognition. PMQs, a quick catch up with Niall from Church Action on Poverty on their new report on hunger and the rising use of food banks, and then I went to a drop in organised by LGBT Labour on tackling discrimination against trans people, where I was delighted to see Anna from the constituency and her partner Teraina.

I listened to the final part of the day's debate on the Queen's speech, helping to take notes for Rachel Reeves, who was summing up. Finally, I went off to dinner hosted by the fabulous Manchester United Foundation. So it hasn't all been hard work this week.