Iain Wright MP today thanked all local staff who work over Christmas.

"From care staff and emergency services to retail and catering staff, there are thousands of people who work hard over the Christmas period to make sure we all enjoy a happy holiday.

"These staff all deserve a decent break at some point to enjoy themselves, to be with family and friends and have a well-earned rest.

This is my last column before Christmas, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a busy year and I will enjoy the opportunity to spend some time with the family. As I write this, we’ve just put the tree up, and it’s great to see the different reactions of the kids: Hattie, who’s three, excited and taking charge by wanting to put all the baubles on the tree; Benjamin, who will be twelve just after the New Year, trying to be a bit cool about it all (I’m not looking forward to the teenage years); Jacob, who’s nine, hovering between these two emotions of cool detachment and excitement; and Billy, just one, who finds it all baffling and who was trying to tell me how daft he thinks it is to have a tree with lights in the house.

Iain Wright MP today urged the people of Hartlepool to get involved in local consultations regarding the future of Hartlepool Primary Care Trust.

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) make decisions affecting important things such as doctor’s surgeries and community nursing. There is a proposal to merge PCTs in the area to form a Teesside-wide PCT.