I HAVE had an informative meeting with the chief constable of West Mercia Police and met several of his senior officers and the director of finance.

I was very interested in presentations about police recruitment, and a detailed analysis of the drugs problem in our area.

I heard that soon we are to have a new call management centre with state of the art communications system.

This, with satellite navigation, will promise a more effective and rapid response to calls from witnesses or victims of crime.

I was warned that with the necessary increase in the accuracy and completeness of crime reporting ordered by the Government, there will be an appearance during the next two years of an increase in crime.

This will be due to more comprehensive recording of crime, and will allow much more accurate comparisons in the future.

I was pleased to go to an evening social meeting of the local branch of the National Osteoporosis Society.

I was impressed by the numbers attending and by the wide age range present, suggesting that members of the younger generation are interested in their elderly relatives' health as well as methods of prevention of osteoporosis.

A presentation ceremony by the Friends of York House Surgery was packed with friends and staff of the health centre.

It was very good to see such tremendous support for another local health institution.

I had a useful meeting with the head teacher and senior staff at King Charles I High School and heard of their concerns, about funding in Worcestershire, increasing bureaucracy, poor recruitment of teachers including supply staff, and about Curriculum 2000.

I have a meeting soon with the director of educational services for the county at which I can raise these and other concerns.

In London, work on the standing committee for the National Health Reform Bill continues.

If one were to think of making amendments to the bill, this would be a frustrating exercise because there is always a Government majority on the committee that is unlikely to accept amendments other than their own.

It is clear that the main function of this committee is to allow MPs to question ministers on the content of the bill for clarification, and if one can raise an amendment that causes the Government to put in a similar amendment, this is likely to be carried.