In the last month I have attended a number of events in the constituency including the Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen inter-schools sports day, Caerphilly Miners Centre summer fayre, a gala concert at the Van Guard Centre Caerphilly, and the Machen agricultural show

It was a pleasure to attend the Mayor, Mike Adams’ Civic Service and reception, and I recently chaired the AGM of Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services, of which I am President.

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the RAF and I was proud to compere a celebration at Heolddu School Bargoed.  As well as visiting Tir Y Berth Primary School it was an honour to be asked to present the year 6 end of year awards at Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Allta, and meet with pupil Lewis Moger who won a national competition with a poem, highlighting the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Hefin David AM and I spent an evening on patrol with PC Craig Ellis in Ystrad Mynach discussing the recent problems surrounding anti-social behaviour in the town.

It has been a hectic month at Westminster.  In between debates on Brexit, I have contributed to debates on the importance of NATO, and the need for regulations surrounding contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence to ensure proper competition.  I asked a question to the new Brexit Secretary on how much the UK Government would be willing to pay for access to aspects of the single market. I also raised in a question to Defence Ministers about the need for the MoD to award the contract for the Fleet Solid Support ships to British shipyards, following on from my support for a lobby by the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions.

In my Shadow Defence capacity I attended a Lockheed Martin / Air League event on the future of aerospace in the UK.  I was delighted to be able to join Shadow Defence colleagues in a Help for Heroes money collection at Westminster Underground station.

Visiting the Farnborough Air Show gave me a good opportunity to meet a wide range of companies in the aerospace industry.

I was able to go along to the inaugural meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Post- Brexit Regional Policy and Programmes looking at support for areas like the Valleys when European Social Fund monies come to an end.

I was privileged to hear the Bevan Society Annual Lecture where my colleague Nick Thomas Symonds, the MP for Torfaen, reminded us about the formation of the NHS and why we should celebrate its 70^th anniversary.