Terry Rooney for Bradford East

Monday 2 February

Although I managed to make it into the office in the House of Commons, unfortunately some of my meetings were cancelled because all transport in London was severely affected by the snow.  However, the following did go ahead:

-     Work and Pensions questions in the Chamber

-      Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we received evidence for our enquiry on the Equality Bill 

Votes on Liberal Democrat motions on ‘Building out of recession’ and ‘The case for urgent reform of parliament’

Tuesday 3 February

Further meetings cancelled because of the snow, but the following went ahead:

-      Chaired the Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum on the subject of ‘Nutrition and the Elderly’

-      Attended a reception organised by the National Skills Forum on ‘Closing the Gender Skills Gap

-      Had a one-to-one meeting with the Acting Chief Executive of Job Centre Plus

-      Attended a meeting with Tony Lloyd MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party

Votes on Conservative motions on ‘Skills and Further Education in a recession’ and ‘Child protection’.

Wednesday 4 February

-       One-to-one meeting with Kitty Ussher, Work & Pensions minister, to talk about the future of the Social Fund

-      Attended a meeting of the All Party Group on Sex Equality at which Harriet Harman was speaking

-      Meeting with Professor Dan Finn, Associate Director of the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion

-      Attended a presentation by the Chief Executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills on ‘Fight the Downturn by Investing in Skills

-      Attended a reception hosted by Women and the Vote on ‘Looking to the Future’

-      Attended a dinner hosted by Yorkshire Bank

Vote on the Police Grant and Local Government Finance reports

Monday 9 February

-      Participated in a round-table discussion organised by Reform on ‘The Economics of Government vs Employer Initiative’ with Will Cavendish, the Director of Health and Wellbeing at Department of Health

-      Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we received further evidence for our enquiry on the Equality Bill 

Vote on the Political Parties and Elections Bill

Tuesday 10 February

-      One-to-one meeting with the Chief Executive of Reed in Partnership

-      Attended a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health

-      Participated in a round-table discussion on Vocational Rehabilitation organised by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health

-      One-to-one meeting with the Chief Executive of Counsel and Care

-      Attended a meeting of the Yorkshire Group of Labour MPs with Yorkshire Forward

-      Attended a meeting of the UNITE Parliamentary Group

Vote on the Banking Bill

Wednesday 11 February

-      Chaired the meeting of the Work and Pensions Select Committee where we considered the draft of our report into contract commissioning

-      Met representatives of the PCS union as part of their lobby of parliament

-      Met construction workers from UNITE union

-      Attended the Westminster Hall debate on Pleural Plaques

Votes on Conservative motions on ‘Government’s failure to address the increase in housing waiting lists’ and ‘The future of the Royal Mail’

16-22 February – the House of Commons was in recess

Tuesday 24 February

-    One-to-one meeting with the Chief Executive of Turn2Us

-    One-to-one meeting with James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to talk about the issue of health & safety in relation to tower cranes

-    Hosted a meeting and reception with Community Links entitled ‘Need not Greed’ 

-    Chaired a round-table discussion organised by Reed in Partnership on their research report, 'Implementing Work for your Benefit’

-    Attended a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector

-    Attended a meeting of the Yorkshire Group of Labour MPs with the Regional TUC

Votes on Conservative motions on ‘Law and Order’ and ‘British agricultural production and food labelling’

Wednesday 25 February

-    Attended a seminar organised by the 2020 Public Services Trust seminar on welfare to work and rising unemployment

-    Attended a reception to launch Family Fund extra

-          Attended a reception organised by the British Lung Foundation as part of their Action on Mesothelioma campaign

Vote on the Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

Thursday 26 February

-    Led the Westminster Hall debate on the Work and Pensions Select Committee Report on Carers