Some positive news this week for schools, jobs and our economy. The number of job vacancies is at the highest figure since 2001, and the number of people in work is the highest since records began. That means the share of the workforce looking for work and unable to find it is at its lowest for 40 years.

We are used to seeing this sort of news by now, but the more important point is that wages have started to reliably and consistently outstrip inflation. Earnings are up 3.3% year on year – much higher than inflation at 2.1 per cent.

And our schools are improving all the time. Five out of the top ten primary schools in Dudley are now in the Stourbridge area, led by second-placed The Ridge Primary School in Wollaston. Pedmore CE Primary School, Cradley CE Primary School, Wollescote Primary School and Greenfield Primary School also made the list. Over half of the 22 primary schools in Stourbridge have improved this year, despite our tougher reformed tests. That is down to the hard work of local teachers and students, some of whom I met last week at the excellent Withymoor Primary School, which has also seen significant improvements to test scores. The school’s student Council asked me some tough questions which would rival any Select Committee in Westminster!

All in all, these are real improvements to the cost of living and to our children’s education, and I am proud to be part of the Conservative administration delivering them.

I continue to be disappointed in Dudley Council’s inaction over the proposed travellers’ site, greenlit for land in Coseley by the previous administration. With a site in place, travellers could be moved on from sites like Withymoor in just two hours, preventing weeks of disruption for residents. I urge the Council again, on behalf of people in and around Stourbridge affected every year by these illegal encampments, to act now and get the site built by the summer.

No article would be complete without a few comments on the current state of the Brexit negotiations. I have written three articles now over the last few months, including most recently a blog I wrote for the Huffington Post. In each article, I talk about my own position, what our next steps could be and why I do not think ‘no deal’ should be government policy. You can view all three on my website at www.margotjames.com/brexit

I will be in Stourbridge on Friday for a number of meetings, including a private advice surgery in my constituency office. I will also hold more meetings about Russells Hall Hospital. I am confident improvements are being made, but remain determined to ensure they continue at pace.

As ever, you can keep up with my work on Facebook at www.facebook.com/margotjamesmp. You can also email any questions or concerns to margot.james.mp@parliament.uk and my team and I will do our best to help.