On Monday, I met a group of thirty students from East Carolina University who are on a study tour of the UK to learn about our health system. I happen to think that America can learn a great deal from the way we organise health care and vice versa, so it was a very interesting discussion.

Yesterday I attended a reception held by Guide Dogs UK, a charity very close to my heart. Guide Dogs UK do vital work for people who are visually impaired in Stourbridge, and I am proud to have supported a number of their campaigns over the last five years, including discouraging pavement parking. The dogs were simply wonderful.

Today I will be meeting children from Rufford Primary School who are visiting Parliament. I always love welcoming students from Stourbridge down to Westminster, and I know that the children enjoy having a tour of the Houses of Parliament and learning about our work. In my experience children of primary school age ask the best questions.

I will be back in Stourbridge tomorrow, and I am looking forward to opening the new First for Education office in the morning.

First for Education are a teacher supply agency, and do excellent work in making sure our local schools have high quality teachers and support staff. Afterwards I’ll be meeting David Harcourt, Manager of the Waitrose in the Ryemarket, to discuss regeneration in the local area.

Next week is Carers Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of the challenges carers face and to recognise the contribution they make to society. I will be marking the occasion by visiting Ashgrove Care Home in Dudley Wood.

Finally, during my campaign for re-election I heard a number of concerning reports about store staff on 25 hour week contracts in supermarkets, and in particular the number of hours work these staff were actually guaranteed. I would like to get to the bottom of this issue, and so if anyone has worked in a store where they have experienced problems with a 25 hour week contract (not actually providing 25 hours of work per week) then I would be very grateful if you could get in touch with me. All such contact will be treated in absolute confidence.

Margot can be contacted on 01384 370574 or margot.

james.mp@parliament.uk.

You can also sign up to her regular newsletter at www.

margotjames.com/subscribe or you can write to her at The Old Library, Hagley Road, Stourbridge, DY8 1QH.