(Belated) Week -- 8th January

Usually a quiet week but suddenly it erupted with minister sending children to private schools, Home Office mistakes with "absconders" who may reoffend. John Reid must be keeping everything crossed!

Is it not time to break up the department and get a minister who knows what's going on in the world out there to run the thing?

Back in Norwich we are campaigning on 20mph limits around schools, getting our One Railway Report out (www.freewebs.com/onerailwayinquiry) following an inquiry into the Norwich-London rail service and suffering the embarassment of losing to Plymouth Argyle.

This week our think tank, Newton's Apple (www.newtons-apple.org.uk) examines the cancer services now and in 20 years' time. It will involve question of how to improve our NHS and deliver the treatment which are rapidly becoming available. I look forward too to meeting the President of Tanzania to discuss malaria, TB, AIDS and Cancer and we in the UK can support their programmes.