It’s been another busy week in the Whips’ office with a full sitting on Friday last week when Private Members’ Bills were read and a hectic amount of activity in the two departments for whom I am the Whip, namely the Department for Work and Pensions and the Depart-ment for Communities and Local Government (known within government as D-Clog).

Both have a very busy schedule and given that welfare reform, housing and planning matters are some of the main issues that fill my constituency inbox, it is fascinating to see what is coming up in terms of legislation and change.

or example, next week we will debate a Bill to abolish the Audit Commission, a dry topic but one that has big cost saving and performance improvement implications for local councils, and after the second reading of the Bill, it will then go into a committee stage for several weeks where more than 20 MPs (in this case) will debate the Bill clause by clause and subject it to intense scrutiny.

The committee rooms are like a mini House of Commons, with debates, votes and other shenanigans, and it is my job to make sure the process runs smoothly.

On any day there will be several of these Bill committees in action which goes some way to answer the question I am often asked: “What are you all doing when you are not in the chamber?”

I was also able to join the Prime Minister in welcoming home Brigadier Rupert Jones MBE and 120 representatives of one of our local army formations, 1st Mechanized Brigade, when they marched into Parliament this week.

These ceremonies allow MPs, Lords and parliamentary staff to say thank you, on behalf of all of us, for the service that has so willingly been given and it was particularly good news that the Wadworth brewery generously provided the beer for the event for the few soldiers who preferred a pint to a cup of tea!

The rest of this week for me will be focused on boxes and bubble wrap.

I pledged at the last election to live locally (even though my old home is just outside Salisbury) and after several years of false starts and house sale disappointments, I am able to deliver on my promise.

My new home is right in the heart of the Pewsey Vale and the children and I am so looking forward to finally settling down in the place that we love and which I am so proud to represent.