Mike Hill MP: All must be done to help Katrice's family

But I hope they can take some comfort that Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said he’s happy to sanction a review of the case and has agreed to meet myself and Katrice’s father, Richard.

A re-investigation, called Operation Bute, is already being carried out by the Royal Military Police and I’m hopeful that there is some progress being made after many years of stagnation and unanswered questions.

Finding out what happened to Katrice is not going to be easy and nobody has a magic wand they can wave to come up with the answers, but I’ll continue to do whatever I can as Richard’s MP to get the right people asking the right questions.

l WHILE being an MP is an amazing opportunity to make a difference, it can also be incredibly frustrating.

Every day I get Parliamentary updates on conflicts all over the world in places like Syria, Myanmar and Egypt. Most MPs have to accept there is little they can do to bring an end to these tragedies.

But we must never forget that every day billions of people all over the world get along just fine. I gave this message at Hartlepool’s Nasir Mosque last Sunday when I was invited to speak at their peace conference.

There is no question that there are many more things that unite us than divide us.

My closing remarks encompass my thoughts; One people, One Town, One Nation, One World. I know that our Muslim neighbours in Hartlepool feel exactly the same way. It was an honour to meet so many of them.

l TRAVELLING back to Hartlepool last Thursday on the fantastic Grand Central we hit a bit of a wobble. A few miles away from York the train piled through and was rained upon by what felt like ballast from the track. It was a scary moment because it felt as if we were leaving the track and an accompanying loud bang in the end compartment only added to that fear.

The incident led to a driver inspection and it turned out that a window had been shattered in the rear cabin.

The episode threw the argument between the RMT union and Northern Rail over guards on trains into sharp focus. Without the onboard staff to reassure us, the journey would have been more stressful.

The staff were there to update us and advise us, while the driver was able to devote his efforts to dealing with his train and making the decision as to whether he could safely proceed with the journey.

This situation is evidence that if Northern Rail and other profit-based companies press on with the idea of removing guards from trains then we will be poorer for it.

l CONGRATULATIONS and thanks to everyone involved in the Wintertide Festival last weekend on the Headland. This brilliant event is a real asset to the town and I hope to see it go from strength to strength every year.