Stephen's Week

MONDAY 13th MARCH 2006

Lunchtime and evening receptions for British young scientists. Both had chemists and earth scientists from Bristol University. After 10pm we had a debate on the latest "Message from the Lords", pressing an ID Cards Bill amendment. We are currently in "ping-pong" with the Lords, which means batting back and fore amendments. Unlike ordinary business there is no time limit on ping pong, so I got home at 12.30am.

The government promised at the last election that the initial take up of the cards and the provision of information for the database would be voluntary. Compulsion was probably a decade away. But now they are making it clear that whenever anyone renews their passport they will have to supply all the personal information needed for the huge new database.

Their argument is that you don't have to own a passport or travel abroad so when you ask for one you are doing so voluntarily. This means Labour are not breaking their promise!! This was but the first Blairite contortion of the week.

We will go in playing tennis until either the Lords cave in (or the Commons comes to its senses, but there aren't enough Labour rebels on ID cards just now) or 12 months passes, when the Parliament Act 1949 kicks in and the Commons gets its way.

TUESDAY 14th MARCH

There was some news I couldn't tell you last week. On Wednesday Ming Campbell started putting together the non Shadow cabinet team. I was happy in my role as Shadow Public Health Minister but indicated I would be interested in two other posts, if they were available. To my delight it was confirmed that I would move to number two in the Education Team, working with Sarah Teather. And I would be Shadow Minister for Further and Higher Education. This will fit in nicely with my seat on the Education Select Committee and I will also be able to draw upon local connections with Bristol University, UWE and our FE and 6th Form colleges.

But it meant picking up at short notice (yesterday afternoon) speaking at a conference on youth issues. With briefings from Danny my researcher, Sarah's researcher and drawing on my own knowledge I was able to survive a 15 minute speech to a lecture hall full of local government and youth charity experts. A large part of being an MP thus far has been flying by the seat of my pants, trying to cover a spokesmanship and two select committee places on unrelated topics. My Westminster and cross country workload will now be more focused.

Votes later in the day were on various aspects of the Animal Welfare Bill. The most contentious was on the banning of 'tail docking' of working dogs. The hunting lobby were obviously against a ban. Our rural MPs were more divided. In the end I chatted to Colin Breed (SE Cornwall) who had sat on the pre-legislative enquiry. He had decided to vote for a ban and I went along with this, which certainly reflected the views of my post-bag!

WEDNESDAY 15th MARCH

Breakfast meeting with heads of Medical Schools and Nursing Schools. I was there wearing my old job hat, but it fits my new one too! There has been a big expansion in medical degrees but there is concern that the NHS can't cope with the influx...

Education Select Committee was taking evidence from the National Union of Students about FE. At noon to the chamber for PMQs, which was just a warm up for the main business of the day, the Second Reading of the Education and School Inspections Bill. The main points of contention are the creation of independent state 'trust schools' and the fear that if all schools become their own admissions authorities, they will skew the social balance of their intake. But naked politics comes into it as well.

Blair doesn't have the support of enough of his own MPs. If the opposition parties voted against, then the Bill will fall. But Cameron calculated that bailing out Blair would be a bigger humiliation and that's precisely what happened. Fifty two Labour MPs rebelled (a notional majority of 69 so you need only 35 for a defeat) and we and rebel MPs shouted "Tory Bill" when the vote was announced at about 7.30pm.

Off to dinner in the Members' Dining Room and a familiar face appeared at the table - Paddy Ashdown! Peers who have been MPs can use all of the Commons facilities and some of them prefer younger colleagues...

THURSDAY 16th March

Interview with a new political web site www.thepoliticaljunkie.com that will launch in April. They are profiling "interesting" new MPs...

Tabled an Early Day Motion calling for a Taxpayer's Charter. It's number

1821 and you can look at all EDMs here http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/ I was asked to do this by the Chartered Institute of Taxation, of which I am a member. It is timed for Pr's Budget, on 22 March.

Mid morning was Education Questions to Ruth Kelly and her team. A heavy week on the education front.

Votes later on were more ping-pong on ID Cards and the Terrorism Bill.

Arrived back in Bristol at 9.15pm.

FRIDAY 17 MARCH 2006

To the Hawthorns University café for an interview with 'Nonesuch', the Bristol Alumni magazine.

Then to Fairfied High School. The school will shortly be moving from its century plus location in Montpelier to a new build just off Muller Road. Had an interesting discussion with the head about a variety of school issues.

After lunch down to Temple Back Fire Station for a meeting with the entire crew of 'Blue watch' to discuss changes in their pensions. Fire personnel have been able to retire at 50 for a long time but now John Prescott wants to raise this to 60. We all know the retirement age will creep up for everyone else, but I can see the point that 60 might be too old to be a fully fit fire fighter. I will have to look at this further.

Then to Council House for usual surgery till 6.45pm.

WEEKEND

My body has staged a rebellion and I think I'm going down with flu, spending most of Sunday and a fair chunk of today (Monday) in bed.

But three line whip on ID Cards tomorrow (again!) so will have to get self to London and I don't want to miss the budget on Wednesday. Possibly Gordon Brown's last...