Good visit to the University of Suffolk last week. I was pleased to be able to meet new nursing students who have just started their courses. We are fortunate to have such a good nursing school at the University and I believe that is partly down to the Vice-Chancellor who herself has a nursing background.

There are exciting plans to expand the nursing school over the coming years and part of the reason for this is to support our Hospital.

For my weekly column this week I have written about my appointment to the Education Select Committee and how I intend to use my position on the Committee to benefit both my constituents and those with special educational needs across the country.

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Very pleased to announce that yesterday it was confirmed that I’ve secured a place on the House of Commons Education Select Committee. The Committee is composed of 11 MPs from a number of different parties and is responsible for holding to account the Department for Education and other associated organisations such as Ofsted. It was a great honour to have been elected to serve on the committee.

As many of you know, I’m very passionate about working to ensure that all children regardless of special educational needs they may have is given every opportunity to achieve their full potential. I also feel that my responsibilities on this committee sit comfortably with my primary responsibility which is serving my constituents. I know how important education is an issue for thousands of my constituents and hopefully this gives me a platform to promote positive change.

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Last night I met with the Policing Minister Kit Malthouse to discuss my concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour issues in Ipswich. I made clear that I think there needs to be a fairer funding formula that benefits Suffolk more than the current system and that there should be a zero tolerance approach to crime and anti social behaviour issues. I was glad the Minister agreed with my approach and he should know, when he was Deputy Mayor for Boris Johnson he was responsible for tackling crime across the capital and he did a very good job!