First up was a 0845 meeting with Dorset Council (DC) and Bill Reeves, the CEO of Portland Port, who kindly chairs the South Dorset Business Panel that I initiated four years ago. The aim was for business to have an input into the future of Weymouth and Portland as it is they who create the jobs and prosperity, not politicians. The Leader of DC was also present and we had a useful hour together, with a frank exchange of views. Back to the office for a Teams meeting with my parliamentary team. There was quite a lot to go through. Dorset and Wiltshire's Fire Chief Ben Ansell left a message for me, so I called back to receive a very helpful brief on a house fire in Weymouth in the early hours. Tragically, a middle-aged woman died in the fire in Devon Road. There is to be an investigation, but it looks like an accident. Very sad. Better news was that DC had approved the second phase of a multi-million pound investment in specialist educational care. It means there will be an additional 228 places. The money will help existing special schools and enable main stream ones to establish inclusion hubs. The investment will also help to reduce the cost of sending children outside the county by increasing facilities in it. Dorset has already received £37.5 million and this second slice of the cake is most welcome. At about 1900 I had a conversation with the new business minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. He was briefing MPs on the Government's decision to lift the pause on shale gas extraction. With spiralling energy prices, it is sensible to look at our own resources and that is what's planned.