DUE to my particular interest in the debate over the impact of council publications on local newspapers, I've been sent notice of an important debate in Westminster Hall next Wednesday.

By coincidence - or is it? - that's the day I'm due to attend an evening reception for regional editors with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

The debate on the future of local newspapers takes place at 2.30pm and follows an early day motion by Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow.

The Sutton and Cheam MP, who comes from a family of tailors and seamstresses (not journalists) submitted the motion last month.

In case you missed it, here is is again - I think it sums it up rather nicely:

"That this House believes that local and regional newspapers have a long track record of serving and being at the heart of their communities; notes that local media are widely acknowledged as the most trusted of all media; further believes that the independence of local media is vitally important to proper scrutiny and accountability; is concerned that local authority subsidy of news can create unfair competition, making local commercial media unviable and pose a threat to free speech; is further concerned that 100 local newspapers across the UK closed in 2009; further believes that the requirement to place statutory notices with publications independent of the placing authority should be preserved; and calls on the Competition Commission and Audit Commission to review the impact of the growth of local authority funded newspapers on the local media market and free speech."

* The motion has 45 signatures from MPs - sadly, none of them from the North-East.