Following enquiries made at the request of a constituent, I have learnt that prospective employers recruiting from the Jobcentre must be aware that because of the Data Protection Act the Jobcentre is unable carry out criminal record checks.

Some employers are registered as entitled to obtain information from the Criminal Records Bureau.

Other employers are wise to take up references even for temporary positions as my constituent told me he was robbed by a short-term employee with a criminal record taken on from the Jobcentre.

At a useful meeting with Councillors Ken Stokes and Keith Robertson and Andrew Dickens I heard that waste recycling is going well and that by the middle of March, 32,000 of the 42,000 properties in Wyre Forest will have recycling bins for paper, textiles, plastic, tins and glass. They are pleased with the co-operation of householders and so the targets they have been set which are to increase the amount of waste recycled to 18% and reduce landfill by 8%, are achievable. Problems with medical waste are being sorted out with the Director of Public Health.

I also learnt of the Council’s concern about the control of pests in sewers as an anomaly in the law means that Severn Trent who own the main sewers are not responsible for baiting them for pests. Such baiting would cost Wyre Forest £15,000-£20,000 per year and Council officers believe it is an example of a privatised utility passing the buck to local authorities. I hope to clarify this with parliamentary questions.

The Second Reading of the Gender Recognition Bill produced a number of letters from constituents asking me to vote against it.
I was saved from making a decision on the Second Reading by train delay that made me too late for an unexpectedly early division. Only 26 MPs voted against the Bill.
Before the Third Reading I will have more time to consider the Bill. However, I understand Britain is one of only four European countries to refuse permission for transsexuals to change their gender on their birth certificates.
If the Bill goes through, I understand that Ministers of Religion will be given the option to refuse to marry a couple if one of them is transsexual and that a "gender recognition panel" will process applications taking into account medical and other evidence.

During Health Questions on Tuesday I raised the profile of the Capital Medical Training Centre situated on our hospital site.

This is the only UK organisation that provides accredited vocational training in the maintenance of complex medical equipment for NHS and Ministry of Defence engineering staff. 
It produces rent for the cash-strapped Acute Trust and attracts trainees nationally and internationally to Kidderminster.