Health Questions on Tuesday were frustrating as they demonstrated the amazing ability of Ministers to wriggle out of actually answering questions posed. 
Talking afterwards to a senior Labour back bencher with moderately rebellious tendencies, he told me that one would have to live to be 110 to pose questions that forced relevant answers out of Ministers. 

I asked the Minister of State with responsibility for patient and public involvement how it was possible for the Department of Health (DoH) to produce a paper entitled "Patient and public engagement in commissioning" suggesting patient petitions to primary care trusts (PCTs), without mentioning local involvement networks (LINks), the very bodies being established by the Government to provide communication between the public and PCTs after the abolition of patient forums? 
I sought the only plausible explanation that one part of the DoH had no idea what another part was doing. But disregarding my question the Minister simply replied, "We have made the connections between local involvement networks and the possibility of petitions". 
However as a bonus she mentioned some powers LINks will have. 
This will be very useful to quote back to the DoH if, as we fear, these bodies risk having less teeth than the patient forums they replace.

Last Saturday night a packed Town Hall was thrilled by a sparkling performance by Kidderminster Male Choir at their Annual Concert under their brilliant, youthful musical director, David Barclay who in addition delighted us with his own mellow tenor voice. I hope we shall hear and see more of him. 
The Choir's guests were newcomers to Wyre Forest, Fret and Fiddle, Birmingham's only Hot Gypsy Jazz Swing Band who received floor-shaking applause for their virtuoso performances. Altogether a super evening that will guarantee a sell-out next year!