I am not sure what the absolute highlight of last week was, except probably the Nomads 80s Extravaganza at Woodley Village Hall.

I know what hard work goes into their performances and the joy on the faces of young and old alike is wonderful to witness. My particular favourite was their rendition of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", always a favourite. 

Of course, it may have been slightly eclipsed by Tuesday's election for the Deputy Speakers of the House of Commons.  I will not try to claim this was a role I had long coveted, but it was something that had been suggested to me by a Labour MP about a year ago.  She approached me to see if I would consider standing alongside her, and I was delighted we were both elected. I cannot quite believe that I am now Madam Deputy Speaker. 

This week has been a long one in Westminster, with a sitting Friday and new duties for me in the Chair.  There is a rota for the Deputy Speakers so we are only in the Chair for two hours at a time, but it is every day, which has meant some serious diary juggling for me.  It also means I am heading back to Saturday surgeries as there look to be many sitting Fridays scheduled in the coming session.

It was my privilege to take to the Chair for the first time to listen to a series of Maiden Speeches given by new colleagues.  It was a fascinating trip around the geography of the UK and also a wonderful chance to hear a little of the back stories of new Members. It was great to learn what had triggered their journeys into politics and also to try to work out who are going to be the stand out members of the new intake. 

Obviously my constituency work always has, and always will, come first, but with a new way of doing things. I must now be politically neutral, but that does not mean I will be any less active in the local community, and it certainly doesn't mean I have forgotten any of the big challenges that still face this constituency.  I raised the issue of the brewery site in my Maiden Speech in 2010 and I raised it again in my speech last week. I will be meeting the Minister to discuss it further because if we are going to see more house building across the country there really needs to be laser like focus on getting brownfield sites with extant permissions finished.

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP