This week has been a rush for the Government to put through the Second Readings of some of the key bills from the manifesto. These include the Scotland Bill, the European Union Referendum Bill and the European Union (Finance) Bill.
In the middle there were two Opposition Day debates neither of which generate too much heat.
As with last week, and I suspect next week huge efforts were made to allow space and time for as many maiden speeches as possible. As I explained last week these are meant to follow a pattern where the new MP says nice things about their constituency and, if they can, about their predecessor. This of course is not too difficult if their predecessor was of the same party but if one has spent many years or even just a few weeks fighting to take the seat from the sitting member of another party, this can prove a touch tongue-in-cheek. One then says a little bit on the subject of the debate and sits down with a sigh of relief. The next speaker, who is obviously on the opposite side of the chamber, is then normally required to say that this maiden speech was excellent, amusing and of high quality. It is always useful to get one’s maiden speech over fairly quickly as it then allows freedom to take part more fully in questions and be accepted as a fully-fledged member of the House of Commons.
Again the most interesting view from the Conservative benches was to see the opposition benches with Labour at one end and the SNP at the other attacking each other with the determination that is normally reserved for the battle between Government and Opposition. It made it a little easier for Ministers and for those on the Government benches as this jockeying for position and credibility continued. On the Second Reading of the Referendum Bill the SNP called for a vote. They were alone in the “No Lobby” as Conservatives, Liberals, Labour and I think the Northern Irish parties all voted Aye.
Predominantly my week has been a combination of attending the Three Line Whip votes and responding to the built-up constituency letters and problems. I really should count the numbers of letters sent to constituents but this week, particularly with campaigns such as those for and against foxhunting has meant that I have probably written to over 150 constituents.
The main campaign at the moment is the argument over foxhunting. In urban constituencies where most residents see the fox is this pretty doglike animal running through the parks and along the streets at night. There the atmosphere is of is opposition to foxhunting. In Mole Valley which is more rural and more so in our farming areas where the fox is seen as a vicious and destructive animal the support for foxhunting is much higher.
My own personal slight deviation from the norm of House of Commons business came from report in the Sunday Times claiming that asbestos fibres had been found in the House of Commons ventilation system. This made for a story with veiled images that the House of Commons would have to be emptied while major cleaning works were undertaken and one had visions of MPs dying of mesothelioma over the next few decades. As the only remaining member of the previous House of Commons Commission it was down to me to respond with a statement. In essence the extensive tests had been carried out and the Sunday Times worse fears were not realised. Extraordinarily although some of the media picked up the report I have had no questions from any single MP. This is quite surprising as there are a few doom mongers who would not miss an opportunity to predict the worst.