Monday

After a weekend in the constituency, it's time to travel back to my office in the House of Commons to attend to parliamentary duties. Most MPs, including myself, now have their offices in the purpose built PortCullis House next door to the House of Commons Building, and so here is my first port of call. You may think that spending time on Monday morning driving to London wastes precious parliamentary time;

however, sitting times are actually from 2.30pm – 10.30pm on a Monday (so that members can return from their respective constituencies), meaning I have a full day ahead of myself when I arrive.

If anything is certain on a Monday morning, it is that my diary will be full for the day – beginning usually with reading letters sent to me by constituents the previous week. I work with researchers within my office to resolve the more complex problems that arise. Next it's a meeting with the Welsh Select Committee, which until this year I chaired. Often there can be more than one meeting per week and in many cases, such meetings

are held at a location within Wales so that better evidence can be collected. One of the biggest issues that the committee deals with is the passage of new powers to the Welsh Assembly, the process of which is summarised HERE.

On this particular Monday, Parliament opens the day's sitting with the Defense Secretary taking questions. Such questions are official in nature and published within parliament's official record, Hansard. Questions are submitted beforehand, and the relevant secretary of state will answer either in writing or during this sitting (verbally) – whichever has been requested by the MP delivering it. I had recently submitted a question to the Defense Secretary; however, I had requested a written reply and do not attend this session. Instead, I work with my researcher on a Press Release regarding an issue that a constituent has brought to my attention so that the local press can publish my objective opinion on the matter.

After a brief lunch and attending to a number of phone calls, I join the North East Wales Group of Labour MPs to discuss a variety of issues including an upcoming event on Manufacturing in North Wales to be hosted in Parliament. With the evening fast approaching, a controversial bill is being put before parliament at its second reading. This is recognised as the most important stage of the bill's life and often there will be -

many votes on certain controversial sections of the bill. If a section does not pass, it may need to be amended and another vote taken.

Before any voting commences, there will be an extensive second reading debate in which MPs who wish to make a point are offered a chance to do so. The voting process can sometimes continue past the 10:30p.m. Threshold until a bill is agreed that satisfies a majority.

On this occasion the bill passes its second reading and I finish for the day by quickly replying to some important emails.

Voting may well go on until 10:30pm the following day, and with the aim of being at the office by 10am tomorrow, I leave the office for home.