Monday

THE All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Gambling Related Harm met and took evidence from Dr David Zendle who is a behavioural data scientist.

He is also a lecturer in computer science at the University of York, a member of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG).

He was joined by Dr Leon Xiao, a PHD Fellow at the IT University of Copenhagen, who researches video game law, particularly the regulation of loot boxes - used as a means to purchase in-game currency.

The evidence around loot boxes leading to the normalisation of gambling in children is overwhelming.

The practice of the industry in grooming children as the next generation of gamblers is appalling.

Tuesday

MY select committee met to consider the Devolution Capability of Whitehall. We had two fantastic witnesses, Rt Hon. David Lidington, former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Lord Dunlop.

Currently the main person with the responsibility for engaging with the devolved parliaments is Michael Gove. It is a role that has been allocated to a number of departments over the years and now washes up in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

This is after it failed to work well in the Office of the Department of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office.

Michael Gove is seen as a good fit for the job but my impression is that it should be assigned to a department and allowed to mature under civil service guidance.

I managed to sit in on the Post Office Horizon enquiry. The Fujitsu representative managed the committee better by being full of contrition, accepting responsibility and promising recompense.

The Post Office representative was less forthcoming, and because of that the committee turned on him.

The most important thing is that those who have been wronged are cleared of any criminal record and financially recompensed as soon as possible.

There was a Ten Minute Rule Bill on Scotland’s self-determination. Alba’s Neale Hanvey proposed a Scotland (Self-Determination) Bill, which would amend the Scotland Act 1998 and would transfer the power to hold an independence referendum to the Scottish Parliament.

Not surprisingly, it was opposed and so the house divided for a vote. I was happy to back the bill along with my SNP colleagues but 57 Tory MPs, 147 Labour and 13 Liberal Democrat’s were among those to oppose it. In the end it was heavily defeated.

So much for Labour standing up for Scotland.

The Safety of Rwanda Asylum and Immigration Bill was debated and voted on. It’s a well-rehearsed bill which is ugly and mean but popular among the Conservative and Unionists.

At the APPG on medical cannabis we had a presentation from Dr Helen Beckett Wilson and Dr Lindsey Metcalf McGrath from Liverpool John Moores University on their sociological study on patients who have been prescribed cannabis since the law change.

There was also a presentation from Ananda Developments PLC on their recent UK trial updates.

Wednesday

AT Prime Minister’s Questions Keir Starmer was ruthless in his cross examination of the Prime Minister with his forensic questioning. I am joking, it was the usual childish name calling.

I met up with representative of Tenacious Labs to discuss the supply chain issues around hemp in the UK. While I fully understand the emotional argument for access to hemp and cannabis products, the fact is that most people would require an industry with all the supply chain routes to produce products that have been ethically tested and have a guaranteed quality.

I understand why people are wary but that’s how mainstream access works. We voted much later than originally planned on the Rwanda Bill so I stayed over another night.

Thursday

I CAUGHT the first tube from Westminster at 5.30am and was in Inverclyde at 8.40am.

The morning was consumed by constituency engagement and late afternoon I sat in on the council’s environment and regeneration committee.

In the evening I spoke with a green energy supplier about the domestic market and the current offerings.

Friday

I HAD a meeting with Vodafone regarding their Connecting the Countryside report, and in the afternoon I held cost of living surgeries in the Oak Mall.