Stephen's Week

HALF TERM RECESS 12th - 18th FEBRUARY 2007

During the week I had a bit of down time but was also "on duty" for quite a chunk of the week. I visited GLOSCAT - the main FE College serving Gloucester and Cheltenham. As well as a meeting with the principal Greg Smith. I had a tour of the site and was photographed by the local media in the health and beauty section. No jokes please about my hair not taking

long to style! I also made a speech and answered questions at an evening meeting of Cheltenham Liberal Democrats in support of my colleague Martin Horwood.

In Bristol I met with the Council's anti social behaviour officer to talk through the action being taken against some troublesome Sea Mills residents. I met with the developers and Sainsbury's who want to build a new supermarket in Ashley Down.

On the media front I went on Radio Bristol's breakfast show to talk about new development plans for St Pauls. I also was one of the guests on ITV's Thursday night political show, talking about prison reform. On the education front I made several press comments about the latest university applications statistics (they are up) and about Blair's ideas for incentivising private giving to universities, which I broadly agree with.

MONDAY 19th FEBRUARY

Back to the Commons. Lunchtime meeting with the civil servant co-ordinating the national commemoration of the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Of course this is of relevance to Bristol and there will be many events in the city throughout the year.

Education Select Committee in the afternoon was a session on our enquiry into higher education. Witnesses were the Vice Chancellor of Leeds University and the NUS. We had separate witnesses to discuss the graduate job market. A new report by my old employers PWC for Universities UK shows that the salary premium for a graduate is an average of £160,000. But over a working life this is about £3,400pa.

TUESDAY 20th February

Interview with a volunteering magazine on how to get students involved in voluntary work. Issues are the need of many students to work to fund their living costs. In fact a lot of voluntary work by Bristol Uni and UWE students goes on unseen in Bristol. I've made the point to Bristol's student president that this should be publicised more, to counter some of the adverse publicity students get. Later I meet a company that works in student services that is trying to launch a "nectar" like card for graduates.

In the evening I strayed by accident (honest!) into the annual reception by CAMRA. For beer loving MPs this is the highlight of the year. The chocolate and biscuit manufacturers bash is more my sort of thing but I feel obliged to try a pint of "cascade" from Yorkshire. I also get given a book on the history of beer. This put me in the right frame of mind to head back to the office to watch the first instalment of the BBC's excellent documentary on Blair's premiership. I guess we're in for a year of "legacy" programmes. Incidentally, when I went in for breakfast this

morning I noticed a large upright box had appeared in Members' Lobby - the entrance hall of the House. One of the doormen told me it contained the new statue of Thatcher. It was to be unveiled on Wednesday evening by Mr Blair's political mother herself. "I don't suppose you've been invited sir, have you?" said the doorman!

WEDNESDAY 21 February

Morning meeting of Education Select Committee was in two parts. In the first private session we agreed a majority report on citizenship teaching. Two of the Tories don't like the idea of citizenship (educated voters are presumably a bad thing) so wouldn't play ball. The open session was skills for post 16 year olds. We had an interesting (well I thought so) debate on whether a skilled workforce in itself leads to higher productivity and what is the role of other factors such as management, transport infrastructure, capital investment, etc. The meeting runs until noon so for a change I go back to the office to watch PMQs rather than sit in the chamber. It's totally different.

Then over to a committee room to do a Q&A with students from top universities. You've heard of the "Russell Group" from me before - this is the group of Vice Chancellors of the 19 top research universities, which includes Bristol. Well the student union leaders call themselves

the Aldwych Group. For half an hour I had them to myself until Boris Johnson (who speaks for the Tories on HE, when he can be bothered) arrived late, which injected some fun into proceedings.

Scoffed a 15 minute late lunch then walked (it was a nice sunny day) over Westminster Bridge and down to Elephant & Castle for a meeting with the VC of London South Bank University. I get on well with Prof Deian Hopkins because he is not only Welsh but a historian too...but we try to stick to our topic of the new 14 - 19 diplomas. Gordon Brown has appointed him as

their champion in higher education.

Walked back to Westminster and had a meeting with NUS mainly on the upcoming FE Bill. Then to our weekly Parliamentary Party meeting before heading off to Paddington for the 8pm train back to Bristol.

THURSDAY 22nd February

I came back an evening early as Ming Campbell was visiting Bristol this morning. He was travelling up from Exeter, having done a Devon visit after yesterday's PMQs. From Temple Meads we went to Castle Park for photos with some of our candidates for this May's local elections. As it was belting down with rain we had to do them in the bandstand!

Then to the Riverside Youth Centre near the bottom of the M32. This is a superb youth facility. As it was half term there were plenty of children playing pool (we did a photo for the Evening Post, but Ming declined to try a pot!), climbing walls and boxing. Ming did several TV and radio

interviews.

Then we were both off to Temple Meads in order to get back to London for a 2pm three line whip vote. This was on "control orders" - the government's house arrest without charge provisions that we opposed last year and are subject to annual renewal. I spend the rest of the afternoon

ploughing through a pile of letters that I hadn't the chance to review during the week. Then back to Paddington for another trip back to Bristol.

FRIDAY 23rd February

Into the constituency office in the morning for a meeting with "BOGOF" - the residents group that is opposed to a new Sainsbury's opening near the junction of Ashley Down Rd and Gloucester Rd. At the same time we've also got people contacting us about the proposed extension to Tesco in Golden Hill. These issues are a political nightmare - there are people who oppose supermarkets but when did you last see an empty supermarket? Personally I most certainly oppose out of town sheds that compete unfairly with High Streets and city centres. But chain stores on high streets are more complicated. Do they draw people in, or do they overwhelm local shops? If you have a view mail me on stephenwilliamsmp@parliament.uk

Then up to Rolls Royce in Filton to do a "Question Time" for the CBI. My fellow panelists are Doug Naysmith MP for Labour and two Tory MEPs Caroline Jackson and Neil Parish, who appear to be quite at odds with each other. Questions were on local skills, transport, education and the reputation of Bristol, all fairly easy topics for me.

Down to the Council House for my surgery. Then off to Southmead for the hustings to select the new Parliamentary Candidate for Bristol North West. I have a direct interest in this as the winner will hopefully be my successor as MP for Henleaze, Stoke Bishop, Westbury, Sea Mills and parts of Horfield and Lockleaze. These areas go out of Bristol West at the next general election. There are two shortlisted candidates, Harpinder Cottwall and Paul Harrod. Both make excellent speeches and answer questions well. Either would be a brilliant candidate and it's a real shame that one had to lose. Having gone through several selection contests myself I know how traumatic an experience an internal election can be - fighting the other parties is much easier! In the end Paul Harrod was selected. I will now be working closely with Paul until the next election so that we maximise the chances of getting two Lib Dem MPs in Bristol next time.

SATURDAY 24th February

I meet a potential council candidate in the morning. In the evening I attended what will probably be the first of many Abolition 200 events this year. The Council House conference hall was packed out for a jazz concert with a selection of pieces including Duke Ellington's Sacred Concert. The Big Buzzard Boogie Band were amazing as were the Exultate Singers. They

were accompanied by renowned pianist Zoe Rahman and singer Jacqui Dankworth. I saw her parents Johnie Dankworth and Cleo Laine about 10 years ago in Bath. It was a really enjoyable evening. However, most of the audience were white...

SUNDAY 25th February

Off to the BBC on Whiteladies Rd to appear on the lunchtime Politics Show. Liam Fox is on for the Tories and we talk about the use of independent providers (ie private companies) in the NHS. Then on my own I do a defence of Lib Dem led Bristol City Council, awarded a one star rating (out of a maximum of 4) by the Audit Commission earlier this week. I reminded viewers of the dreadful mess that Labour had made of the city over a 20 year period. I point out the progress on housing and resources where we scored 3 and leisure where we went up to 2. The challenge remains in education, but there are signs of improvement.

Then down to the Council House for the third day in a row for the Chinese New Year celebrations. 2007 is the year of the golden boar. As well as lunch we get the traditional Chinese dragon dancers, a children's band, some beautiful singing and the most amazing acrobatic display that I've ever seen. I met the political Counsellor from the Chinese Embassy and told her I was looking forward to visiting China in June on an education delegation.

My key board doesn't have Chinese characters so "Kung Hei Fat Choi" to you all!