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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Ashley Cowburn

Matt Hancock tells MPs 'it's a pleasure to be here' - after skiving off for almost 5 weeks

Matt Hancock has told MPs "it's a pleasure to be here" in his first Commons appearance since bunking off for almost five weeks to appear on I'm a Celebrity.

The reality TV junkie finally got back to work on Friday as he attempted to pass a law for school pupils to be screened for dyslexia.

Speaking in the Commons, the ex-Health Secretary, who left the Australian jungle on Sunday, said "it's a pleasure to be here, clean and well-fed".

In recent days Mr Hancock, who was stripped of the Tory whip last month, has faced calls to resign after abandoning his West Suffolk constituents to take part in bushtucker trials including eating a camel penis and a cow anus.

He is expected to recieve around £400,000 for taking part in the ITV hit programme which he left on Sunday after coming third.

Matt Hancock returns to Parliament today (PA)

Introducing his dyslexia Bill, Commons Depty Speaker Nigel Evans joked: "This is the third Bill of the day and I know Mr Hancock you appear to making a habit of coming third these days".

The now independent MP for West Suffolk replied: "I am not quite sure what to make of that. But I am honoured to be third today and let's see how that goes."

Mr Hancock, who has dyslexia, said he was "delighted" to have cross-party support for his bill and said for decades children with the learning difficulty have been failed.

He insisted it is an "outrage" that teachers are not currently trained to support children with the common learning difficulty.

The former Cabinet minister said early identification of dyslexia is essential to reach full literacy.

Mr Hancock, who now sits as an independent MP, said: "There is a gaping hole in the Government's literary drive, because shockingly one in five dyslexic children get identified in school.

"Just one in five. These are on the department's own figures."

Due to the tight parliamentary timetable on Friday Mr Hancock's bill did not pass a crucial hurdle - but will resume on December 9.

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