My Week 10/09/2015

The Commons returned this week and, with controversial issues to discuss, sat until 12.45 am on Monday night.

The Prime Minister made a statement on the military action against terrorists in Syria, which I firmly support, and on the humanitarian action to help refugees, which is the right thing to do.

As I said in this column last week, "we should not turn our backs on those fleeing for their lives" and "we should help genuine asylum seekers, those for whom it would be too dangerous to return home."

Those who say the UK is not doing enough tend to ignore the fact that we spend more on aid than just about anyone else.  We have already pledged £1 billion since the crisis began.  No other European country has come close to this level of support.

On Tuesday I went to a meeting of the new All Party Parliamentary Group on Digital Communication and Broadband where the challenge of getting superfast broadband into rural areas was discussed.

I'm increasingly convinced that in order to close the 'digital divide', we need more competition, which means breaking up BT and Openreach.

I also attended a meeting to discuss constituency boundary changes before the next election, when the number of Commons seats will be reduced from 650 to 600.  However the changes in West Sussex aren't expected to be drastic.

As I write today (on Wednesday) I will be attending meetings to discuss the road and rail network in my constituency, and later the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, will be speaking to the Arundel & South Downs Conservative Association Patrons' Club dinner in London.

In the Commons we will pay tribute to The Queen, who today will surpass Queen Victoria's record as the longest serving monarch.  What marvellous, dedicated service she has given the country.

On Friday I will be speaking and voting in the Commons against the Assisted Dying Bill, which I feel very strongly would be absolutely wrong, and later holding surgeries in Steyning before attending the Hurst Festival launch party in the evening.

On Saturday lunchtime I will be speaking at an event in Bury with Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown, marking the end of a busy week.