Parliamentary Labour Party Centenary
100 years ago there was an important British General Election held. But we in the Labour Party are particularly proud to be celebrating the centenary of the Parliamentary Labour Party. 29 Labour MPs were elected in 1906 and formed the first PLP chaired by Keir Hardie who was also Labour Leader. The first meeting of the group took place on February 12 1906. On February 8th, the nearest date available at Westminster to the actual anniversary, nearly all the current Labour MPs gathered in the House of Commons Chamber to hear the Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP pay tribute to those early pioneers and their legacy. She also praised more recent Labour heroes like Attlee, Bevan, Bevin, Gaitskill, Foot and Castle. The 1945 Labour Government has a record second to none as a reforming government with the NHS, National Insurance, freedom for India, housing and the foundation of the welfare state. Despite all our achievements we were only in government for 23 years of that century. So as well as marking our successes we must also remember all the years we were out of office, unable to help those who needed us; unable to support the poorest and most disadvantaged. Results like the Dunfermline By-election make us reflect on why we were out of power for so long and should make us all the more determined to do better in the next hundred years.

Agnes Hunter at Downing Street
It was a great pleasure to accompany local woman Agnes Hunter when she handed in her petition to 10 Downing Street calling for free postage for all parcels to our troops to be extended all year round. Agnes has done a power of work in sending parcels to Iraq and elsewhere and I know what a boost to the morale of service men and women and their families they can be. The free parcels scheme was first brought in at the beginning of the war because small items of confectionary and toiletries were not available. The Government agreed to make the free parcels at Christmas an annual scheme but have resisted extending it all year round because of costs. They estimate it would cost £3-£9 million and might have to be at the expense of free phone calls or Internet access.

Having recently returned from Iraq myself, I have seen at first hand the dedication of our armed forces. A small minority unfortunately have brought shame on themselves by abusing Iraqi youths. Anything that will boost morale and make it clear to our forces that they are appreciated can only have a positive outcome and is in my book a small price to pay. I know for a fact that Agnes will not give up until she has achieved her aim and I will continue to press the case with the Secretary of State, John Reid.

New Jab to beat Lethal Meningitis
Every baby is to be given a jab against the most lethal form of meningitis under a shake-up of the vaccination system. The pneumococcal vaccine will save up to 50 children's lives each year, and prevent hundreds of disabilities. It will be given routinely at two, four and 13 months. Invasive pneumococcal disease affects 5,000 children each year
Pneumococcal meningitis is the second most common cause of bacterial meningitis - after meningococcal group B, for which there is no vaccine - but has the highest death rate, killing one in five children who contract it. One in six suffer brain damage and one in four become deaf. Children are already vaccinated against meningitis C and Hib disease, which can also cause meningitis.
I have been campaigning for this change since I was first approached at my surgery by a mother whose teenage daughter died of pneumococcal meningitis. I have chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on Meningitis and was successful in securing a debate in Parliament on the issue. I am absolutely delighted that the Government has now agreed to take this action.