MADAM - Ministerial visits are normally focused on specific issues and scheduled at relatively short notice.

Pete Rosser's examples in his letter (SNJ, August 21) are cases in point.
Both Baroness Warsi and Maria Miller were keen to explore the impact of specific policies, and I drew their attention to the Door Project and SVA as examples of best practice.
On both occasions, the ministers were able to speak with managers, staff and, crucially, service users in a free and frank way.
This process is extremely valuable in terms of making and implementing public policy.
I am proud of the many excellent organisations we have in the Stroud Valleys and Vale where such visits can take place.
There are other forms of ministerial visits and we have one coming up in Stroud in November when Michael Fallon, Minister for Business and Enterprise, will be opening my Festival of Manufacturing and Engineering.
This will be a useful opportunity for the wider public not only to meet the minister but also to engage with manufacturers and engineers.
Finally, in my role as a Member of Parliament I probe ministers in Parliament on a range of issues on behalf of constituents, either individually or more collectively.
Many of my interventions and questions are prompted by direct or inferred requests from constituents and this is all part of the accountability mechanism of government.

Neil Carmichael
Member of Parliament for Stroud