I was impressed with the Severnside North flood defences when they were in position in Bewdley last week.

But I was relieved that they were not actually tested as the river level receded before reaching danger point.

I visited Manchester last week with the Health Select Committee as a part of the Committee’s inquiry into sexual health. Sex education varies tremendously throughout the country and from school to school. There is a general shortage of treatment services for patients with sexually acquired infections and in Manchester there is an alarming rise in that ancient and awful illness, syphilis. It was revealing talking to young women to learn that the fear of HIV so prominent a few years ago has receded and now they are more worried about the risks of pregnancy than the risks of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases. I hope the inquiry will raise the profile of the risks of unprotected sex and also the shortage of specialist services for treatment of this group of diseases.

I was delighted to attend the Annual Dinner of the King Charles I School Old Boys Association. It is impressive that this Association has transferred its allegiance to the new (since 1977!) King Charles I School and that it now welcomes lady members. This is a breath of fresh air when compared with organisations that resist a helpful and appropriate response to change. The Association goes from strength to strength and I wish it well.

RoadPeace held its Annual Service at St. Ambrose Church last Sunday. This was well attended and the sad catalogue of lost lives that was read out for commemoration pointed to the importance of this charity’s work and to the desperate toll on our roads. It was especially poignant because of the M25 coach accident affecting so many people from Evesham.

I was able to contribute to the debate on the Queen’s Speech with -

• brief mentions of the feeling in Worcestershire against regional government 
• and the unreliable train services from which we suffer.

The NHS is still high on the Government’s agenda. 

• I appealed for recognition that the Service is still under great financial pressure. Much of the extra money going into the NHS is initially being swallowed up by existing debt rather than leading to improvements in service.

I was pleased to learn that there is backbench Labour disagreement with the idea of foundation hospitals because of fears of a two tier health service and of doubts about the benefits of charging Social Services for delayed discharges from hospital.

I will wait with interest to see if a Labour backbench revolt grows that could lead to a government change of mind.

R.T.