2016

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.

On Sunday 10 January 2016, I took part in a debate on the BBC Sunday Politics West Midlands. We discussed whether Birmingham Airport should be able to offer lower rates of Air Passenger Duty, when the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU should be held and whether Councils should be forced to spend the funds they keep in reserve.

On Wednesday 6 January 2016 there was an Opposition day debate on the recent flooding. The debate was moved by the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Kerry McCarthy. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rory Stewart, responded.

On Wednesday 6 January 2016 I met with Whitehall Nursery and Infant School in Westminster for a Tour of Parliament. Unfortunately, as Prime Minister’s Questions was taking place at the time of their visit, the children did not have the opportunity to see the Chamber of the House of Commons. I met with the school after Prime Minister’s Questions. I told the children about the story of Emily Wilding Davidson about her campaign for women’s votes. she also wanted women to be represented in Parliament. Emily hid herself in the cupboard near St Mary’s Undercroft Chapel off Westminster Hall where the children were sitting during the night of the 1911 census so she could say that her address was the House of Commons. It is thanks to all those women who took a stand so women could vote and I could sit in the House of Commons.