AFTER a busy surgery last Friday I travelled to Cairo with a group of parliamentarians to meet with the new Egyptian president and some of his key ministers.

The purpose of this 48-hour visit was to seek to understand, directly from the key players, what is happening following three tumultuous years in that country.

The visit did prove helpful and will provide the basis for a number of questions in Parliament and discussions with the Foreign Office.

I was particularly pleased to hear the president’s commitment to ensure women and minorities will be given more visi-bility and power under the new constitutional arrangements.

I hope the Parliamentary elections later this year will run smoothly.

On Monday I returned directly to Westminster from Heathrow, for a busy day in the chamber.

An urgent question on prison places was called following the weekend’s coverage.

Given that some 45 per cent of those released from prison will commit another crime, we know that tackling reoffending is key to reducing the prison population over time.

This means making sure those with shorter and less serious convictions are given opportunities in employment and training, so that when they leave they have the skills they need.

One of the most effective ways to deliver this is through online learning platforms, so I asked the Justice Secretary about the progress we are making to improve the systems across our prisons, so that when a prisoner is transferred, they do not lose the progress they have made purely because different secure systems cannot interact properly.

The Foreign Secretary also made a statement on the developments in Iraq.

One of the most alarming implications is the news that some 400 British citizens are estimated to have travelled from Britain to fight overseas.

I urged the Foreign Secretary to make sure that those individuals can never return to this country.

It is a fluid and constantly evolving environment, and there have been some truly shocking images from the conflict.

The UK will be working closely with international partners to support Iraq as it tackles the scourge of terrorism.