DESPITE the World Cup and threatening weather, crowds turned out to watch the procession at Bewdley Carnival.

Those of us walking with the procession were kept abreast of the score by people who left their televisions briefly to watch the procession pass.

All were prepared with bags of coins to ration between the floats and many tin-bearers.

Arriving at the carnival field the weather improved and the World Cup match had been won.

I enjoyed the school steel band, the falconry display, and the model traction engines with their superb display of ploughing.

The Mayor's Sunday service at Bewdley was splendidly user-friendly, with a wide selection of readings, some extremely funny, a good selection of hymns and short, but appropriate, prayers.

Last week the Commons health committee had a chance to question Alan Milburn about progress implementing the NHS reforms.

The long-awaited changes to the NHS consultant contract allow both sides to claim credit.

They define more consultant hours for the NHS but where consultants are already providing these hours, as most are, there is recognition of this.

The Secretary of State was more cautious about the "big bang" approach to NHS computerisation than Lord Hunt had been at a recent conference in Birmingham.

I alerted Mr Milburn to the concerns of the National Association of GP Co-operatives about NHS Direct.

The health committee is doing a detailed study into the causes of delayed discharges from hospital and we have visited two village communities which have gone a long way towards avoiding admissions to hospital and allowing early discharge of their residents.

We also visited one of the important producers of home monitoring equipment and were impressed by the range of parameters which can be watched at home with little inconvenience to the resident and yet can automatically trigger help if needed.

Technology has come a long way since the press button alarm we have seen our grandparents wear around their necks or, more usually, leave on the mantelpiece in another room so that they are out of reach when needed.

There are threats to the independence of parliamentary select committees and as the only Independent MP this freedom of other committee members from party whip is crucial for me on the health committee.

If these committees were to divide on political lines there would be no independent parliamentary scrutiny or criticism of Government policy and decisions.

I hope the House of Commons will realise this, and party MPs revolt against their whips if membership of select committees were to be biased against independently-minded party MPs like Gwyneth Dunwoody of the transport committee, and David Hinchliffe of the health committee.