A lot of my time this week is focused on my role as PPS to Hilary Benn, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, as two pieces of legislation affecting our brief are being debated in the House of Commons. On Tuesday we've got the second reading of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill, which was the Government's panic reaction in the summer to the lack of growth. It goes directly against everything they've ever said (although never meant!) on localism by giving extraordinary powers to the Secretary of State to take planning decisions away from local Councils, and it weakens the powers of Councils to press developers to include affordable housing in  their projects. It also contains George Osborne's crazy idea to take away employment rights from workers in return for shares. On Wednesday we're debating the amendments from the House of Lords on the Local Government Finance Bill which reflect our concern about the mess they're creating on Council Tax, which will hit those who can least afford it.

On Tuesday, I'll be questioning Vince Cable, in my role as a member of the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee, on his Department's Annual Report.  My other meetings in Westminster this week include a joint event of All-Party Groups on disability (I'm Vice-Chair of the group on Motor Neurone Disease) looking at the impact of welfare reform and a meeting of the All-Party Group on Kashmir. I'll be meeting retired members of my union, Unite, who will be at Parliament as part of a lobby by pensioners , supporting an event for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and catching up with Sheffield University's Director of Campaigns. I'll also be welcoming some constituents to Westminster; if you'd like to find out more about seeing Parliament do get in touch. Back in Sheffield, I'll be catching up with my staff on individual casework and, at 6pm on Thursday, I'll be speaking at one of my regular Q&A sessions with local students (32,000 of whom live in my constituency) - all students welcome. It's at 6.30pm in Mappin Hall at Sheffield University.