2016 January

On 13th January 2016 I attended a reception to celebrate the historic number of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) MPs. The event was hosted by Operation Black Vote, an organisation which formed in 1996 when there were only 5 MPs were BME. The current number of BME MPs is 41, which is still just 6.3% of all MPs despite Britain’s population being 12.9% Black & Minority Ethnic. BME councillors present 4.1% and BME Lords are at 5.3%.

I asked a question at Foreign and Commonwealth questions (FCO) on Tuesday 12 January 2016.

The 2nd report from the Science and Technology Committee is now available to read here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmselect/cmsctech/469/46902.htm

I have been a member of the Mr Speaker’s Panel of Chairs since June 2015. On Monday 11 January 2015, I chaired the Second Delegated Legislation Committee on the Draft national Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2016.This proposed legislation comes into force on April 4 2016.

On Saturday 9 January 2016, I called a demonstration outside Pleck Library against the proposed closure of Pleck and South Walsall Libraries.