THE poppies at the Tower of London have been a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that were made for the safety of this country.

Remembrance Sunday has always been well respected by Gwent. It has a strong history of service and our efforts to mark the day have reflected that.

It has proven to be a true fixture in the calendar year after year where people pay their respects, young and old alike.

I made sure to mark the weekend with several remembrance activities in my constituency.

On Friday evening I attended the Festival of Remembrance in Ebbw Vale before joining the annual Tredegar Council organised hike to the site of the crashed Wellington Bomber above Trefil.

Six servicemen died in a plane crash at the site in the Second World War. Thick cloud and bad weather meant that the plane, running out of fuel, descended far from its intended landing spot of East Anglia.

I then attended services throughout the borough on Sunday. It was pleasing to see so many turn out and mark the occasion on a day to take stock and appreciate all those who gave their lives.

In Westminster, as part of my work on the Public Accounts Committee, we are looking at the problems surrounding foreign national offenders.

We need to make sure that the police are able to check offenders in custody so they can be returned to their country of origin straight away.

Housing offenders is expensive to the taxpayer, which is why the Home Office need to get a grip on this issue.

Finally, I was disappointed to read in the Argus that a Gwent shopper had been targeted in a supermarket car park after someone had watched her enter her PIN number.

I’ve been campaigning for months to protect our most vulnerable from scams on their doorstep and over the phone, most recently backing last week’s National Consumer Week.

But this is a quick reminder that these opportunists will look for any chance they can get even in the busiest of locations.

In my constituency we have also had problems in the past with card readers attached to cash dispensers.

Make sure to cover your keypad when entering your PIN. If the cash machine looks like it has been tampered with, err on the side of caution.