Monday

Business was very light at Westminster today, so I delayed my journey down until late in the evening and instead I undertook casework reviews. I can’t always achieve the outcome that I would like when constituents bring cases to me but I can ensure that we investigated every avenue and handled the case as professionally as possible. And reviewing closed cases affords me that insight.

Tuesday

My usual Tuesday morning routine does not apply today as my select committee has taken itself off to Berlin. I decided my time was better spent at Westminster where I chaired the All- Party Parliamentary Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation. I heard testimony from women that have survived being trafficked and prostituted. These very brave women are fighting to change the law to decriminalise those forced into sexual slavery and prosecute the purchaser. The CEO of Azalea, an organisation that supports women to get out of prostitution and move on with their lives, Ruth Robb, talked about the very personal engagement required with each women but also the need to educate men so we can end the demand. After the meeting I took the women on a short guided tour of the Palace of Westminster. It was great to walk and chat with them in a more relaxed atmosphere and I wish them all the best going forward as they seek to piece their lives back together and seek happier outcomes.

Following on from a recent select committee session when I questioned the automatic inclusion of twenty-six Church of England bishops in the House of Lords, I met with representatives of Humanist UK. It was a wide-ranging discussion about democratic deficit and the role of all religious bodies.

In the evening, I met with the secretariat of the APPG on industrial hemp. We are seeking to amend the law to enable companies to invest in the growing of hemp and the industrial uses that it can be put to. Currently they are subjected to the proceeds of crime act as the law is not good in defying the difference between hemp and recreational cannabis. Companies have had their bank accounts shut down and their ability to operate halted. This is all due to ignorance. There are a lot of companies lined up to invest in the growth of hemp and the companies that manufacture clothes, pet food, insulation and many more products but they can’t take the risk until the law is changed.

Wednesday

I met with Warm This Winter to discuss the retrofitting of houses to ensure they are easier to heat and clear of dampness and mould. The right to buy in England is exasperating the problem but fortunately in Scotland and Inverclyde we are pushing ahead with new social housing building projects, however private landlords also need to be held to the same high standards.

It will take a long time to replace all the poor housing that existed in the social housing pool when it was offloaded to third party housing providers but the signs are that it will happen.

Before Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) I had time to meet with the Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy. They are a research organisation that help to inform politicians about the current drug policy and the methods and means by which we can improve it. PMQs was the usual chimps tea party with The Speaker continually having to interrupt the prime minister and leader of opposition to threaten expulsion if members don’t quieten down.

Unfortunately, he never follows through on his threat. Stephen Flynn, once again, pointed out the Labour Party’s compliance with Conservative Party policy, this time it was the scrapping of the cap on banker’s bonuses which Labour have now decided they agree on.

I dropped in to see the Faster, Fairer, Funded campaign, which is pushing for a funded pathway for people with pancreatic cancer. A pathway that supports them through their diagnosis, treatment and care. And I went to support Labour MP Khalid Mahmoud at an awareness session for chronic kidney disease. Khalid had a kidney transplant in 2014 and it has changed his life.

Thursday

Politicians are often denigrated and can be an easy target for abuse. This is not helped by the likes of Kaye Adams stating that politicians are not human. Once any group of people are categorised as less than human it is easier to abuse them. That’s why days like today that I spent door knocking and talking to constituents are so valuable. Obviously, I get held to account and occasionally I get shouted and sworn at but the majority of people are appreciative of what I am trying to achieve, even if it sometimes takes longer than we would hope.

Friday

I had a briefing from Jane Grant, chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and the new chair, Dr Lesley Thomson. These are regular events and it a great opportunity to hear about the problems faced by today’s NHS and importantly the good work and solutions that are being considered.

I met with the charity, Positive Action in Housing, as they have been working with a group of men seeking asylum throughout the past year, who are accommodated in a local hotel.

In the evening, I attended an understanding Gaza event in the Broomhill Hub. There were expert speakers present and it was an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the story of the Palestinians and ask questions too.