Saturday November 28th: Enjoyed attended a charity dinner organised by local fundraiser, Maria Hains, in aid of Crawley Hospital League of Friends and Manor Green School. Maria tirelessly campaigns for many local good causes.
Monday November 30th: Welcome figures showing that the percentage of young people not in education, employment or training is at its lowest ever level. As I always say, there is always more to do and I will be holding a Crawley apprenticeship fair in the spring.
Tuesday December 1st: At House of Commons Exchequer Questions I welcome the increase in free childcare from 15 to 30 hours which will benefit many Crawley parents. Rollouts of this programme are planned from September 2017.
Met with the Dyslexia All Party Parliamentary Group to discuss better awareness of the condition in schools and the criminal justice system. Around 10% of the British population suffers from Dyslexia in some way.
Voted aye to the Immigration Bill Third Reading. This aims to address benefit/health tourism as well as strengthen our borders.
Had the pleasure of presenting my petition for fairer school funding in Crawley and West Sussex to the House of Commons; the current system is not fair with West Sussex being one of the worst funded areas in England. I am pleased that the Chancellor has announced a new funding formula.
Wednesday December 2nd: Voted to extend UK airstrikes against Daesh to targets in Syria. The UK has already been taking such action in Iraq for the past 15 months and given the continued threat posed by these terrorists to not only us at home but also women and children in Syria, I feel this is the right course of action.
Thursday December 3rd: Paid tribute to the Crawley Town Supporters Alliance for their continued, fantastic, charity work in the local area with their Crawley Kicks Project for young people as well as their fundraising for Chestnut Tree Sussex Children’s Hospice.
Friday December 4th: Met with the leadership team of the new Forge Wood Primary School. This school, for Crawley’s newest neighbourhood, is due to have its first intake of children in September 2016.