Parliament rises tomorrow for the Christmas recess and I’ll be working from Sheffield this week. I’ve online meetings in connection with my role as Chair of the newly formed All-Party Parliamentary Group on Young Carers and Young Adult Carers, with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on building safety,  and as a member of the Health and Care Select Committee.

As the Royal College of Nursing holds its second strike day tomorrow, I’ll be pressing the Health Secretary to end his refusal to talk to nurses’ leaders about pay and stop hiding behind a pay review which was framed by the money made available by the Government. I’ll also be promoting my Christmas Appeal for the Children of Somalia who are facing acute starvation after four years without normal rain.

My office closes for Christmas and New Year from Friday and reopens on Tuesday 3rd January after the New Year’s Day bank holiday. My next preview of the week ahead will be posted on 9^th January when Parliament returns. Until then, I wish everyone the very best for Christmas and the New Year.