I have also this week met with the Association of Train Operating Companies to discuss national rail policy and Great Yarmouth station. We discussed proposals for private sector operators to have a greater say in managing stations which can lead to improvements and the idea of volunteers becoming more involved with the station.

The Fix Great Yarmouth Train Station team and I have worked hard over the last seven months to reach this stage.  This is a great step forward and a real change from the old government.  Hopefully now Great Yarmouth can look forward to the potential of a much improved station for residents and visitors in the years ahead.

The teams prepared themselves for the 24 hour long endurance relay and at 2:00pm started their first lap of the field; I joined several cancer survivors for the beginning of the walk. The teams were accompanied by live music and entertainment scheduled to run through the night.

It is always good to see the community pulling together for such a good cause.  Cancer is a disease that affects so many of us on a daily basis and events like ‘Relay for Life’ help boost cancer research funds.

Brandon Lewis said “  I was pleased to debate the Fire Review in the house yesterday.  We cannot afford any reduction in cover or service, homes in our community are at risk and I will do all I can to stop this happening." 

After being contacted by concerned constituents Brandon has met with officials from Network Rail and explained to them the current site was unsuitable as it was too close to both the waters and the main road into Yarmouth.  He argued that it should be moved to a location closer to the train station where it would not stand out and damage the views in the sea.

Brandon Lewis said, "I was astounded about the mast along the Acle Strait, to place a mast in an area of natural beauty seems ridiculous to me.  I hope Network Rail see sense and move the mast nearer to a station."

"The HMRC has listed its Great Yarmouth office to move most of its staff to a central office in Norwich. There was no clear economic case for this and the last government allowed the move to go ahead against a great deal of local opposition. This move could have a large detrimental impact on the local economy costing up to 150 job loses to Great Yarmouth, an area with above average unemployment already and few government based work opportunities. Is this process already too far progressed to review or is the Treasury able to re-consider this program and look again at retaining the Great Yarmouth HMRC office in full or even centralising HMRC for Norfolk in Great Yarmouth at Havenbridge House?"

Many local people have joined me in campaigning to keep this office open and the decision to close it was very disappointing. But, I will not give up. I still argue that Great Yarmouth would be a cost effective location for the offices and the Great Yarmouth office is right in the heart of the regeneration project area.

Prime Minister David Cameron said both parties had dropped policies - but the Coalition had the 'potential to be a great reforming government'. 

It would provide 'strong, stable government' for Britain. 

The document, which has been put together in nine days builds on the four-page deal produced during negotiations in the days after the General Election. 

It includes the agreements on policy areas such as banking, civil liberties, defence, the environment, Europe, immigration, welfare and political reform and plans to sell off at least part of Royal Mail. It also pledges to freeze council tax in England for a year.

Mr Cameron said the parties had managed to combine their 'best ideas and attitudes to create something that is greater than the sum of the two manifestos'.

He said, " This coalition has the potential to be a great reforming government united behind the three principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility but also united in the purpose of bringing strong, stable, decisive government to our country." 

Mr Clegg said the document - 'The Coalition - Our programme for Government' - would 'transform our country for the better'. Although money was short there would be a 'radical' reforming programme.

 " Money may be short but that does not mean our ambition is small. There is so much more to government than simply spending money."

In a joint foreword, they said, " As our parties have worked together it has become increasingly clear to us that, though there are differences, there is also common ground."

Brandon Lewis, MP said “It is great to be part of a new positive Government.  We have a real chance for a new and different type of politics, politics that delivers for people and stays focused on issues and solutions. I look forward to the challenges ahead and am proud to be part of the Coalition.”

Mr Clegg, who is in charge of overseeing the Government's political reforms, said he wanted to 'transform our politics so the state has far less control over you, and you have far more control over the state'.

He intends to scrap the ID card scheme and National Identity Register, all future biometric passports and the children's Contact Point

 Database. CCTV will be 'properly regulated' and the storage of innocent people's DNA restricted.

 Mr Clegg said, " Britain was once the cradle of modern democracy. We are now, on some measures, the most centralised country in Europe, bar Malta." 

The deputy Prime Minister promised to give voters powers to 'recall'

corrupt MPs. An elected House of Lords will be based on a proportional voting system

He said, " I'm talking about the most significant programme of empowerment by a British government since the great enfranchisement of the 19th Century.

 " The biggest shake up of our democracy since 1832, when the Great Reform Act redrew the boundaries of British democracy, for the first time extending the franchise beyond the landed classes.

Incremental change will not do. It is time for a wholesale, big bang approach to political reform."

 He accused the previous government of 'obsessive lawmaking' and pledged to get rid of the 'unnecessary' laws and 'introduce a mechanism to block pointless new criminal offences'.

Brandon Lewis said” These reforms are exactly what our country needs.    I am pleased to see that the Deputy Prime Minister is behind these reforms and is wasting no time in working towards this.  It is time for change and the new coalition government are starting work on that change.”

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt said that under the proposals the share of money going to each of the arts, heritage and sport good causes will increase to 20 per cent. 

The Big Lottery Fund would receive the remaining 40 per cent and the Fund would focus its support exclusively on the voluntary and community sectors. 

Mr Hunt said, " I want to get the Lottery back to how it was originally conceived. That's why I will restore arts and heritage, as well as sport, to their original 20 per cent shares of Lottery funding, ultimately providing an extra £100 million each year for arts and heritage - £50 million each - a figure that will be even higher once the Lottery ceases to fund its share of the Olympics and its cultural festival.  " The lottery was set up to fund grassroots initiatives, not as a pot of money for Ministers to dip into. At times like this it is even more important to the arts, heritage and sports sectors which is why I am wasting no time in making these changes.  " And, because I want to see a rise in the amount going to voluntary and community organisations, I will make sure funds to that sector are protected with the Big Lottery fund focusing its support exclusively on that sector."

 Mr Hunt was speaking today to an audience of arts leaders and funders.

Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth said, “This change in Lottery funding will give local community organisations a greater chance to receive the funding they need.   I am pleased to see that Mr Hunt is wasting no time in making the changes that are needed to restore the Lottery back to how it was originally conceived.”

Brandon Lewis said “ I am very pleased that Martham Primary and Nursery School has won this prize. Having two children of my own, I know the powerful effect reading can have.  I enjoyed talking to the children about the type of books they like to read, which included JK Rowling and Agatha Christie. The staff at Martham are obviously doing a great job in getting kids proactively interested in reading and I am proud to support their work.”