Think back to when you started at school and you’ll have an idea of what it’s like to arrive for the first time in the House of Commons as a new MP. Lots of new MPs nervously introduce themselves, while older hands play the role of the wily sixth former, helping newbies navigate the maze of conventions and traditions that make the place so unique.

My work as a biographer studying two of the greatest Labour Parliamentarians, Nye Bevan and Clement Attlee, gave me a historical insight into the workings of Parliament. But walking in for the first time as a new MP, sent to represent people in Torfaen, still got my heart racing.

Making my maiden speech in the Commons, I paid tribute to my predecessor Paul Murphy and to the people who give our communities such strength in Torfaen. My new job – of standing up for the people of Torfaen – is one that I will do to the very best of my ability, both in Parliament and in my constituency.

A ballot of MPs is held each year for the chance to present a Private Members’ Bill, with MP’s names being drawn from a hat. The MPs who come near the top of the list get to submit a Bill on an issue of their choice. That Bill is then read and debated in Parliament, and could potentially become law.

Luckily, I was drawn in the top 10, so have started work on my own Bill. My predecessor-but-one, Leo Abse, famously took through a huge number of significant Private Members Bills, and was heralded as the ‘Member for happiness’ as a result. No pressure there then!

After much consideration, I decided to bring forward an Off-patent Drugs Bill. The Bill would improve access to treatments for a range of conditions such as breast cancer, MS and Parkinsons. It has the support of the charity Breast Cancer Now, and would work by helping make available on the NHS drugs that have fallen out of patent but have since proved effective for other treatments.

I lost my grandmother to breast cancer, so I wanted to take this opportunity to make a small difference to a condition that effects so many people. Importantly, the Bill is also specific enough to have a chance of becoming law, rather than being talked out or voted down. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update South Wales Argus readers on its passage later in the year.