I WAS pleased on Friday to meet with the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Economic Regeneration for Wiltshire and to reinforce how critical it is that Salisbury’s strategic projects are at the top of the LEP’s plans.
I also visited the women’s refuge, who do such an amazing job for women at risk in Salisbury.
Unusually, later in the afternoon, I chaired a discussion on the Israel-Palestine issue with a group of constituents with committed, divergent but equally passionate views. I hope to follow up these issues with a visit to Israel later in the year.
It was a great privilege to attend Woodford Valley Primary Academy on Friday to unveil their new defibrillator. Many thanks go to Dr Kate Glyn-Owen, a passionate advocate for public health, whose determination brought this project into being, working closely with Woodford Parish Council. I am also very grateful to Woodford Valley’s headteacher, Mrs Rebecca Carson.
This week the House of Commons also agreed, with a majority of 355, to replace our Vanguard Class submarines and enable us to maintain our at-sea nuclear deterrence.
On Monday evening, I was delighted to be appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond. This is the third such position in which I have served a Cabinet minister. I hope it will provide a key vantage point on fundamental decisions on the economy at this time of uncertainty.
I had the privilege to be drawn to deliver the first Prime Minister’s Question to the new Prime Minister on Wednesday.
At the end of the week I will proudly graduate from my MA in International Security and Strategy.