THE variety of issues that people bring to me on a typical constituency day never fails to surprise and delight me.

Last Friday, for example, I had 14 separate appointments, which encompassed everything from personal problems to neighbourhood issues, regional infrastructure and right up to vexed questions of national and global politics and human morality.

More often than not, it is not within my power to simply ‘fix’ the problem but I always try to identify a point of action from every discussion I have – whether it is to advocate for my constituent with a third party or organisation, to ensure that their concerns reach the ears of decision makers in government, to help them publicise their cause or to undertake research on their behalf.

This week, among others, I will be following up constituents’ queries with a private company, Highways England, Wiltshire Council, the Legal Aid Agency, The Foreign Office, the MoD and the Department for International Development – a fairly typical selection.

Sometimes, people are prompted to come and see me by a national event. This week, it was a group of local supporters of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child, moved by new research commissioned to mark 50 years since the introduction of the Abortion Act.

A compromise between proponents and opponents of abortion, the Act was designed to permit abortion in some circumstances, the so-called ‘hard cases’.

Fifty years on, my constituents expressed concern at what they see as a disturbing mismatch between the 96-98 per cent of doctor-certified abortions citing the protection of the mother’s mental health and other studies that show alarmingly high rates of depression and suicide following abortion.

Naturally, I hear sincere views from both sides of this highly emotional debate, each certain that they have the welfare of women at heart.

There seems little doubt that the system is failing some women and I welcome all efforts to better assess the often hidden impact of abortion on women by drawing together the best research on the subject.

As well as meeting individuals, I am always keen to get out and about and accept invitations to important events in the life of the constituency.

It was a pleasure to attend the launch party for Salisbury’s first literary festival and I urge people to take a look at the exciting programme and support the festival – whether by going to an event, accepting a reading recommendation or being inspired to put pen to paper.

This week, I am looking forward to Wiltshire College’s graduation ceremony – a well-deserved celebration of the achievements of this year’s crop of students.