Emily was hoping for a taste of a day in the life of a busy constituency MP and I certainly think she got that.

We started off with a routine visit to Horsham's JobCentrePlus.

This was a welcome opportunity to learn about the services they offer – which go a long way beyond dishing out benefits and other allowances.

We are lucky to live in a reasonably affluent area but there are still plenty of people who have been unemployed for a long time, people with disabilities who could, with the right support, get back into the workplace, and lone parents whose well-being would be so much enhanced by a job.

We went on to visit a local company that does a good job in proving just how businesses can flourish in Horsham.

Corporate Mosaic in Piries Place is a supplier of company secretarial and legal support solutions to large national companies, employing 15 local people.

Next I had a meeting with a Conservative colleague interested in standing for Parliament.

I always give the same advice. Don't have any illusions about it – a political career does take over your life.

But it offers the greatest opportunity to make a difference and so can be fantastically rewarding.

During the afternoon I attended the opening of Bourn Meadows, a new housing development in Kirdford.

At the far west of the Horsham Parliamentary constituency, this was an upbeat event, attended by lots of members of the local community excited by this development which has transformed a rundown brownfield site.

It also carries the hope of reopening the village shop as a community enterprise.

After my regular catch-up with Liz Kitchen, leader of Horsham District Council, it was on to Crawley Down, at the far north east of the constituency, for a local advice surgery.

Lots of concerns there about hospitals and local housing development.

Please do contact my Horsham office on 01403 242000 or the London office on 020 7219 2494 if you would like to make an appointment at a forthcoming surgery.