Housing, exams, SITraN, MADE, Freshers' Week and sustainable development -my week ahead

The Commons starts this week with questions to Eric Pickles and Ministers at the Department of Communities and Local Government, so I'll be there as PPS to Hilary Benn supporting our Shadow Team. There's a lot to be pressing with the Government and our questions will be focussing on the housing crisis and the mess they're making of planning reform in an attempt to kickstart the economy. Labour's alternative covers both points; restore our tax on bankers bonuses which will raise £2billion a year and use the money to build 100,000 affordable homes, creating 25,000 jobs and getting the economy going.

I'll then join questioning of Michael Gove on his latest plans for exams, following his announcement in June that he wanted to revive O-levels. I'm getting fed up with his constant talking down of our schools, teachers and pupils. His rose-tinted vision of a past of grammar schools and inkwells ignores the reality of an under-resourced and divisive system which failed so many young people. And a 'one size fits all' system of assessment based on a single closed exam doesn't measure the abilities of all our children. What do you think; I'd welcome your views?

Parliament goes into a mini-recess after Tuesday for the Party Conference season, which has two bonuses for me. I'll get along to my first mid-week Blades game for about a year, but more importantly, I've time to spend on activity in the constituency. Among other things, I'll be visiting the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) which leads worldwide research in the fight against motor neuron disease (MND) and related neurological disorders. Because this pioneering work is taking place in the heart of my constituency, I've taken on a role in Parliament as Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on MND.  

I'll be joining other city leaders to welcome the Duke of York to open MADE, Sheffield's Festival of Entrepreneurship, and attending an evening event as part of their programme. It's a great initiative which celebrates the creativity and innovation which makes Sheffield a great place to build a business. I'll also be visiting Kelham Island to discuss plans for a new sustainable development of houses, flats and workplaces, I'll be meeting new students at the University of Sheffield (and next week at Hallam), attending an event for the Festival of the Mind, catching up on the difficult budget decisions being forced on the Council by the Government, meeting about Sheffield TV proposals, reporting back to the monthly meeting of my Constituency Labour Party, attending a dinner to celebrate the work of our great Sheffield Theatres and joining the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow to open an event for the University of the 3rd Age.