DESPITE the election this weekend of a ‘different’ sort of Leader for her Majesty’s Official Opposition, business in Westminster continues as usual.

Last Friday, like the majority of MPs, I attended the debate on the Assisted Dying Private Members’ Bill. Over the last few months I have received many impassioned letters and emails from constituents on this incredibly important subject and the sensitivity and difficulty of dealing with this issue was admirably displayed in the Chamber by the many ardent, heartfelt and informative speeches that were made.

I listened hard – I cannot speak in debates as a Minister – and voted for the motion, not because I think it was a good Bill but because I think we should move towards giving people more freedom at the end of life and this would have been a first step.

However, there was an overwhelming vote supporting the status quo and it is unlikely that the subject will return to Parliament in the next few years.

I then raced down from Westminster to join students, staff and others from the community at Pewsey Vale School where I was delighted to formally open the wonderful new food technology department where pupils had used the new facility to prepare the most amazing spread.

I have long been an advocate of teaching people the principles and practical skills of food and nutrition at school and these fantastic new facilities will, I am sure, ensure that students can get the most from the new food technology GCSE course which has recently been introduced to do just that. Still feeling a little full from the lovely canapes, I left the event to hold one of my regular constituent advice surgeries in the staff room.

Back in Westminster we also passed the first stage this week of The Trade Unions Bill which will deliver fairer strike laws. Trade unions have a constructive role to play in representing their members’ interests but it’s vital that we balance their rights with those of working people and businesses, who have a right to expect that the services on which they rely are not going to be disrupted at short notice by undemocratic strikes.

This Bill ensures that there must be a 50 per cent threshold for ballot turn-out, and an additional threshold of 40 per cent for support to take part in industrial action in important public sectors such as fire, health, education and transport. In my view, strikes should be a last resort and should only happen with a democratic mandate from union members.