The Palace of Westminster isn’t like a modern work environment in many ways and, whilst it is a privilege to be there, it does present certain challenges including a lack of meeting rooms and quiet spaces.

Last week I visited Rotterdam on a trip to look at port and related facilities there. As Europe’s biggest port, it has the effect of making the Netherlands our third biggest destination for exports after America and Germany.

Yeovil MP Marcus Fysh has welcomed the news that Yeovil Police Station is to remain open following refurbishment to keep a strong Police presence in the town centre.

Good news this week on a public health issue I have been interested in for some time. In response to a question in the House of Commons chamber I asked on Tuesday, health Minister Steve Brine announced a consultation with a view to introducing the fortification of flour with folic acid.

I was at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham for the first half of the week. I have been very critical of Conference season in the past as it takes up three weeks of the Parliamentary calendar just after the summer break and remains a little bit too corporate.

I think it’s important to pay tribute to our grass roots campaigners. Contrary to what some of my political opponents may falsely say, getting letters, emails and telephone calls from people in the Yeovil and South Somerset constituency is very welcome and central to my role as a representative.

Parliament entered its summer recess this week and it is a good point to look back at the last few months and also to the autumn session ahead.

Global Britain is an attractive slogan, evoking thoughts of our great trading heritage and also some of our cutting edge technologies leading the world. We can enter new and expanding markets as well as enriching our cultural connections and exploring interesting import options.

As an MP you get a fantastic set of opportunities to have meetings and discussions with interesting people from across the globe; Mark Zuckerberg perhaps proving an exception to the rule as he is at present refusing a House of Commons Select Committee summons (although not from one of the committ

Parts of an MP’s job are a real privilege and so may I say a big ‘thank you’ to all the organisers and helpers at both the St Margaret’s Hospice Summer Fete and the Haselbury Plucknett Summer Fair for involving me in their brilliant events at the weekend.