A early morning run on a still and overcast day and then into the Commons on my bicycle. Yes, I now ride in and out on two wheels and join the many others pedalling and sweating their way to work. After routine matters had been dealt with, I went across to PCH to attend a gathering of LEP representatives from the south west. They are rightly trying to create something equivalent to the Northern Powerhouse in order to attract more Government funding. Many MPs from the SW attended and we had a useful session. Our equivalent is called the Great South West and its three priorities to increase productivity are rural, trade and investment (marine) and infrastructure. Then it was into the Chamber for PMQs. Corbyn concentrated his fire on the Brexit negotiations and didn't do well at all. A quick working lunch, where I finished off tonight's speech on nursing, and then to Committee Room 6 for the next session of European Scrutiny Committee. Today we took oral evidence from Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and the PM's Europe adviser Oliver Robbins. Much is heard about the latter and the huge influence he has on the PM but the Committee thought it high time to bring him out of the shadows to answer questions. That took some time as we had to order him to attend after requests for his attendance were turned down. The session was televised and took over two hours. The Chequers' Deal came under scrutiny, with Mr Raab stubbornly defending it. Many others, including EU negotiators, think that deal is dead, and personally I'd like to see it dropped. What would be far more digestible would be a super-Canada trade agreement, which the EU has already said it likes. Mr Raab told the Committee that that did not resolve the border issues in Ireland, but many of us feel this has been intentionally overblown by both the EU and Ireland. It was an interesting session, though, and some light was shone on proceedings. You can read what was said on Hansard. Then it was back to my office to go over my speech once again. At about 1930 I walked into the Chamber at the tail end of a debate on upskirting, which is to be made a criminal offence. I was finally called by the Deputy Speaker at just after 2000 and my speech about the shortage of nurses can be read on this website. The minister, who I have a lot of time for, answered as helpfully as he could, but the Government is not going to reintroduce bursaries for nurses, which is a pity. Back to Dorset in the early hours.