It is now only a matter of days before Christmas, although the amount of work I still have to get through is enormous. Last year I was far more organised, having very unusually bought my wife’s Christmas present at least a week before the big day, which earned me some brownie points.

This year, I have reverted to type. I have been so busy that I haven’t been able to go out and buy Tiff’s Christmas present yet. My wife has said in recent weeks something along the lines of “let’s not buy each presents this year”, but although after twenty years together and still not understanding her- I’m not so stupid that I’m falling for that one.

Incidentally, you may recall my column a couple of weeks ago why I criticised my wife’s shopping habits. I have been asked to point out by Mrs Wright’s lawyers that she is, in fact, a perfect shopper and it is me, complaining and whinging all the time, that is the problem. I am happy to point this out, for fear of being sued.

I know Christmas is nearly upon us when I am able to go to a local school to present the winner of my Christmas Card competition with some prizes. About 1,500 cards were printed this year, going to people all over Hartlepool, the North East, Westminster and Whitehall.

This year’s winner and runners up were selected, as in previous years, by Joy Yates, Editor of the Mail. She had a difficult task, and I don’t envy her the job of choosing the Christmas Card. However I think the winner, Mia Costello, of Ward Jackson School was well deserved. I really enjoyed visiting the School, and sitting in on the Assembly, particularly hearing the school song which to my unmusical ears seemed to be a touch hip hop – we never had that in my day!

When I presented her with the prizes, she looked a little overwhelmed. She received absolutely fantastic prizes – as in previous years Hartlepool United provided a great first prize of being the mascot at a Pools’ home game in April. When H’angus turned up at the school the pupils went mad. Mia also received an iPod, an art set and a children’s book on Parliament (that book is actually more interesting than it sounds). I would like to thank the generosity of the many organisations that contributed and enabled me to present such substantial prizes to Mia and the six runners- up.

Thanks to the generosity of these organisations, the winning school received £185 in book tokens. I was also able to provide book tokens to all the schools that participated.

After presenting Mia with her gifts I went to Bramley Court near Rossmere Park. I was quite well received, but I think this might have been because I arrived bearing mince pies! It was good to see some great people and have a chat, and it has started to get me in the mood for Christmas.

Every year that I’ve been MP has been busier than the previous one, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, although I would like a good sleep for my Christmas present.

I know that some people in the town have suffered from misfortune or unhappiness in the past twelve months, and perhaps as a result of this are not looking forward to Christmas. However, I wish all of the town well and hope that everybody in Hartlepool has a very peaceful and Merry Christmas.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning I did a night shift with Hartlepool Police around the town centre.

I’ve done this a couple of times since I became Hartlepool’s MP, the last time about eighteen months ago. But in that time, so the Police tell me, the going out habits of many Hartlepudlians on a weekend have changed. A combination of special offers on booze from the supermarkets, later drinking licenses in pubs and nightclubs and a resurgence of Saturday night telly has transformed a night out for some people. Many people I speak to get a couple of cans or a bottle of something from the supermarket, get ready whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing and then go out around the pubs and clubs about midnight, staying out until the early hours of the morning.

This certainly was seen to be the case on Saturday night, when it was relatively quiet up until about 11.30, when it then got a lot busier. The Police told me, however, that it was a relatively quiet night. A combination of the credit crunch biting and the run up to Christmas meant that not as many people were on a night out than would otherwise have been the case.

Having said that, it was still a vibrant night. I don’t think I have ever been so cold in all of my life, and I had as many layers on as an onion. Quite how people wander about Hartlepool on a cold Saturday night in December with barely a stitch on is beyond me. Is this a sign of my age?

I knew a lot of people who were out, and the tone of the night was very good natured. One lad was out for the first time in 13 months, as he and his partner had had a new baby. Others said that they came out every week. The vast majority of people were out for a good time and then wanted to head off home.

However, you do get a mindless minority who either can’t handle their drink or actively go out looking for trouble at the start of the night. There was one lad who had apparently been drinking a lot of shots. He was being held up by his two mates, but I have never seen anybody look so ill. When the Police officer shone a torch in his eyes his pupils were unresponsive. An ambulance had to be called to take him to A&E because there was a fear he would choke on his vomit in the night.

Despite the fact that it was a relatively quiet night, the Police cells at Hartlepool station were full for much of the night. This indicated to me that we need to focus on the hardcore element of people who can’t handle their drink or who go out to cause trouble. The new ‘Direction to Leave’ notices, recently brought in by the Government, are a good tool, Police say, for getting somebody to leave an area in order to minimise or stop trouble. I’m keen to see what else should be done to assist the Police in their job and for people to feel safe whilst they are having a drink. I’ll be having a chat with Vernon Coaker, the Police Minister, about this.

I just want to end by paying tribute to the Police. I particularly want to thank Tony Green for having to put up with me until 5am on Sunday morning. They do a fantastic job on behalf of the town, too often taken for granted.

I hate shopping. Absolutely detest it.

Actually, that’s not strictly true, so let me rephrase it. I hate shopping with my wife. I can’t quite understand why you have to look round every single shop, really slowly, and then end up back where you started. Why does it have to take so long? We’ve been together for years, but we still row over her shopping habits.

My shopping weakness is books. I can’t remember the last time I bought any clothes, as anybody who has seen me recently can testify. I’m really looking forward to reading some books over the Christmas holiday – if you’re interested the new biography of Led Zeppelin, a history of modern China and the new book by Colin Foster on every footballer to have played for Hartlepool United, “A Century of Poolies”. But I decide what book I like, go to the shop and get it. I don’t like this constant wandering about a load of shops that Mrs Wright seems so keen on.

I mention this because last Friday between meetings I walked through Middleton Grange Shopping Centre. It was busy, surprisingly busy for a Friday morning, which was pleasing. I also mention shopping because last week there was the news that Woolworths had gone into administration, with the threat that the well known brand could be lost from our high streets. I also understand that the company has faced another threat to its long term survival as Camelot have pulled out of selling National Lottery tickets and scratchcards from Woolworths’ shops. 30,000 people work for Woolies and although there is a guarantee that shops and employment will continue over the Christmas period, there must be a real fear for staff over their longer term job security.

The two issues – Middleton Grange Shopping Centre and the future of Woolies – are very much linked I think. If Woolworths wasn’t able to find another buyer and had to close, that would be a devastating blow for our shopping centre. I think it must be the largest or second largest store in the shopping centre after Marks & Spencer, and the loss of Woolies would leave a gaping hole in what the shopping centre had to offer.

I am aware that people’s shopping habits have changed. A great many people are at work all day and so don’t have the opportunity to pop into the shopping centre to buy things. Their shopping habits tend to be around the ‘big shop’ on Saturday, when they go to one of the supermarkets in the town. Out-of-town shopping centres are having a big impact as well, where people are likely to go to the Metro Centre or Teesside Retail Park and the internet has also had a big change on people’s shopping habits.

People complain that there isn’t the range of shops in our town. But success will breed success. If people showed confidence and loyalty I would imagine the range of shops would increase. Conversely, if people don’t even bother going into the town centre, more and more shops will close.

It’s three weeks to go before Christmas. I hope that you will do your Christmas shopping in Hartlepool, supporting local businesses and shops. This will help safeguard Hartlepool jobs and help to ensure we have a vibrant town centre. If you’d like to accompany my wife shopping, that would be an early Christmas present for me.