Westminster Diary - 31st August 2006

Friday, 1st September 2006

As you know, I am currently enjoying a long summer holiday. Well, not quite. In fact, I am spending quite a lot of time in the supermarket at the moment, or at least with one supermarket chain. The Parliamentary recess provides an opportunity to catch up with reading and paperwork, but also to take advantage of the varied learning opportunities available to MPs. For example, an organisation called the Industry and Parliament Trust arranges for interested MPs to spend time in business or industry and to learn how some of the companies the Trust has a relationship with operate. I have chosen to spend some of my allocated time with Waitrose and I must say the experience has been fascinating so far.

My reasons for choosing Waitrose were simple. They plan to open a supermarket in Kenilworth in 2008 and with word of their decision to do so came significant additional interest and investment in Kenilworth town centre. I wanted to see what kind of shop has that effect before it has sold a single product. The planned branch will be the first in Warwickshire and based on the company’s experience of previous store openings, people will travel from all around to shop in it, so Waitrose are clearly doing something right.

Regardless of the choice of company however, this seems to me an enormously worthwhile scheme. No MP enters Parliament knowing everything about everything, despite the impression some give. We should have the humility and common sense to fill the gaps in our knowledge where we can. Parliament passes laws which have considerable effect on individuals, organisations and businesses in all walks of life and it is not a bad thing to know something about the people you are legislating for. From a position of greater understanding, it is also possible of course to conclude that not legislating is better than legislating and I don’t think we reach that conclusion often enough. So I am grateful to the Industry and Parliament Trust for giving me the opportunity to understand better a company and an industry about which I knew very little but about which I may one day be asked to make laws.

Parliament is many things and one of them is a fantastic learning opportunity. This is hugely enjoyable – almost as much fun as the long holiday most people think we are all having.

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Updated on Friday, 1st September 2006