In the early hours of St George's Day, my wife Victoria gave birth to our first child, a son.

He weighed in at 6lb 1oz. Mother and baby are both in fine health.

We are calling him Rollo William, named after several grandparents and great grandparents including my great grandfather William Bacon of Norwich. April 23 is also William Shakespeare's birthday!

I was with Victoria during the labour and the thrill of seeing our son born was a unique moment in our lives. The joys of fatherhood have now begun. All parents will know what I mean when I say there are some things you just have to experience to understand – and that being a parent is one!

YOU'VE GOT THE POWER

I RECENTLY visited Scole Primary School to take part in the You've Got The Power project.

It is based on an animated DVD produced by the Houses Of Parliament which explains how Parliament works. Versions are available for both primary and secondary schools.

Part of the project involves finding out about your local MP. It was clear the children had worked very hard prior to my visit and I answered a wide range of questions from the pupils aged from seven to 11 on how Parliament works and what being an MP is like. Perhaps the best question was: "What impact does being an MP have on your family life?"

I congratulate headteacher Andrew Berry and his staff for encouraging the children to become involved in this subject.

ASPERGERS HELP

OVER recent months I have been contacted by a group of mothers with adult sons suffering from Aspergers and other Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

They all tell me that finding the right care and support is nigh on impossible. They just do not fit the criteria for many social services departments.

People with Aspergers are often highly intelligent but lack everyday communication skills, which often leads to frustration and violence. It also makes them particularly vulnerable.

I organised a meeting between the mothers and Norfolk County Council Adult Services. The outcome is that with the help of Asperger East Anglia, the county has agreed to train a number of carers and other professionals to recognise the symptoms and understand the needs of sufferers.

A working party of mothers and interested agencies is also being set up to explore ways of ensuring adults with Aspergers receive help and information with housing, benefits, employment, drugs and related issues.