Britain has benefitted from record-breaking inward investment by foreign companies, creating 5,507 new jobs in the South East according to the figures released on 30 August 2016, by the Department for International Trade .

Maria has called on Minister of State for Victims, Youth and Family Justice to give victims of revenge pornography anonymity to help improve the reporting and conviction rates for this appalling crime.

The Women and Equalities Committee has called for UK women to have protections similar to those in Germany after a ‘shocking’ increase in workplace pregnancy discrimination over the past decade. 

Maria said: “Although I have had considerable contact with South West Trains as the current operator, I also wanted to meet their parent company Stagecoach Group who are bidding for the franchise. I had a good meeting with Stagecoach Rail, to make sure that they too have a good understanding of what Basingstoke rail users want from the new franchise.”

Maria attended an unusual morning assembly at Merton Junior School in Popley this week, when the Google “Internet Legends” team visited the school to promote internet safety. She said: “The internet is a wonderful place for education, entertainment and communication, but children need to learn the skills to stay safe in the digital world.

Maria attended an unusual morning assembly at Merton Junior School in Popley this week, when the Google “Internet Legends” team visited the school to promote internet safety. She said: “The internet is a wonderful place for education, entertainment and communication, but children need to learn the skills to stay safe in the digital world.

Maria met the teenagers taking part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme at the Basingstoke College of Technology where they were planning their activities aimed at raising funds for Naomi House, St Michael’s Hospice and Anna’s Challenges, a charity for cildren with Cystic Fibrosis.

Maria commented; “It is tremendous to see how the support for this event has gone from strength to strength. It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic participants and organisers. The Basingstoke and District Disability Forum should be congratulated on ensuring that this event is such a success.”

Maria met with Basingstoke Town Ladies Football Club (BTLFC) to celebrate their league victory. Maria commented:  “Basingstoke Town Ladies FC’s promotion from Regional football into the Premier League is an outstanding achievement.

Maria said: “Residents are right to be angry at the delay in starting work on a permanent GP surgery. Rooksdown residents have endured a catalogue of delays to essential local services being established as a result of poor planning when the main estate was started more than 10 years ago. (Picture shows Maria with Rooksdown's Borough Councillor, Simon Bound.)