I had great fun last Friday helping pupils at Bressingham Primary School make a large buddy as part of Global Campaign for Education's 'Send My Friend to School' campaign.

There is a serious point. The buddy will be sent with lots of smaller ones made by the children to world leaders at the G8 summit in Scotland in July as a reminder of the million or so children across the globe - the majority of them girls - who receive no education.
	BACON BUDDIES: Richard Bacon MP with Bressingham School pupils and their Buddies

In September 2000, the United Nations set a target to get as many girls as boys into school by 2005. This target will be missed in at least 70 countries.

SAVING CYGNET: Richard fights the closure of Cygnet House with Cllr Martin Wilby

It's good news that Cygnet House in Long Stratton is to stay open. The Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership did as they promised and listened to what people want.

I shall continue to press for Cygnet House to be used for the benefit of South Norfolk residents. Elderly people unfortunate enough to suffer from mental problems need the very best care for which Cygnet House is renowned.

When I visited the company earlier this year, Chief Executive Phil James told me that a lack of affordable housing in the area was making it difficult to recruit staff. He also warned that some work could be moved to Hamlin Electronics' sister company in Mexico - as is now the case.

Other companies in the area are facing similar recruiting problems. A study by the Halifax Building Society revealed that key workers such as nurses, teachers, police and fire officers have to borrow more than double the standard rate of three times their salary to buy a home and Diss is more expensive than Norwich.

Affordable housing is vital to the local economy and it is one of the main issues I shall be focusing on in this Parliament.