WITH the parliamentary recess thankfully coinciding with school holidays, I have been able to combine child wrangling and work duties this week.

We started with a quick trip to Durham to see No 1 daughter at university, then headed back to Wiltshire, all the while pursued by a virtual Red Box of ministerial correspondence and must-dos.

We have a duty minister system so that one of us is on call at all times but when there are rail-related matters I do ask always to be kept in touch.

The children told me this week, as we gazed on the early steam locomotive technology on display at the Beamish open-air museum, that I have become something of a train bore.

Nonsense! I said, before going off to discuss what grade of coal the costumed engine drivers were using and what speed they could reach on the early wagonway.

Even if it is true that I am developing spotterish tendencies (or in-depth knowledge as I prefer to call it) I feel that can only help me as we push forward with the record levels of government rail investment in the UK.

We are not alone in the world in investing in our railways and I am being tasked with various trips and meetings to fly the flag for British technology and exports which I am always keen to do at a local or national level.

All of the overseas ministers or business people that I meet want to discuss Britain’s relationship with the EU.

With the countdown to this week’s summit running down, it is heartening to see our Prime Minister fighting so hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain, so we can get a better deal for our country and secure our future.

While much progress has been made, there is still more hard work required and I know that the PM won’t stop until he has a deal that he can put to the British people – one that works and is best for Britain’s economic and national security.

But in the end, after decades of democratic deficit, the British people will decide whether we are stronger with our European neighbours as part of the European Union, or on our own and that is only because this government made a promise and kept it – to deliver an in/out referendum.

I expect formal campaigning to begin shortly and will be doing all I can to ensure my constituents get the information they need to best reach a decision.