THIS month I have been involved in many serious national and international campaigns involving the death penalty in America, the NSPCC's fight to end child cruelty and unfairness in company pension schemes.

Meanwhile, the saga of the former Smith's Dock shipyard rolls on. I have been in touch with the senior management of the new owners A&P Holdings and they continue to assure me of their intention to get the business up and running some time this year.

In the meantime the former yard's workers and their skills are being employed elsewhere in the country and abroad. I worry that when the yard re-opens they may be reluctant to come back and work in South Bank again. I will continue to press the case for this yard to be re-opened as soon as possible.

I will be talking again to Northumbrian Water in the next few days about changing their plans for combined sewage overflow tanks in Marske and coming up with proposals that achieve cleaner beaches with the minimum of disruption to the residents of the village.

And on a lighter note, I'm also backing a big campaign to ensure that beer drinkers get their full measure when they buy a pint of their favourite tipple.

I am very supportive of my constituents getting value for money. I am disappointed that pub companies have not followed the lead of the social clubs on Teesside who use larger pint glasses with a clear mark which denotes the true measure and also leaves room for the froth.

Not that I drink pints of the amber nectar myself as your Member of Parliament. I employ people who do this for me. (Only joking.)