In the few days leading up to the Easter recess several important events occurred.
The long-awaited but no less extraordinary power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein required legislation to give it effect.

Consequently the programme of business in the house was altered at short notice for this to be debated before the recess. It was passed without a division.
We also heard a statement about the situation in Zimbabwe.
I was pleased to hear an opposition front bench spokesman congratulate the minister giving the statement for “the most outspoken criticism of the Mugabe regime that I have ever heard from a minister in the house”.
South Africa was also criticised for not doing more to help the situation. But the minister told the house that rumours Angolan troops’ involvement could not be confirmed.
The Health Select Committee published its report on NHS workforce planning and concluded that this has been a failure.
One consequence was an explosion of extra posts when money was available a few years ago to meet Government targets.
Unfortunately, some of these posts are no longer affordable.
The report attempts to make clear that NHS staff reductions are not only due to compulsory redundancies but also due to the much larger effect from staff vacancy freezes put in place across the country to lessen the financial deficits faced by health trusts.
This report was completed too soon to take evidence on the current crisis for junior hospital doctors from the new appointments process for hospital training posts.
There is widespread frustration and serious concern that many of our best junior doctors are being bypassed by this selection process and may be forced to go abroad.
A compromise agreed by a review group and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has not satisfied the concerns of juniors and many of their consultants.
As the only ex-hospital doctor on the health committee I am gathering evidence of these dissatisfactions in the hope of achieving some committee action soon after we return to London.
At home I had the privilege of opening the Worcestershire Orchid Society’s Show at Stourport High School. I knew that orchids were difficult to grow but I did not know that there are more than 35,000 species of every size, shade and shape imaginable and that many examples would be on stands from the host society and from visitors.
The stands were breathtaking masses of colour and form.
I made two purchases of reputedly easy to grow species and I was extremely grateful to be given a magnificent white orchid in full bloom. Now I am terrified that even with the cultural notes provided it may not survive under my care.