There's an old saying that if something's too good to be true, it often is too good to be true.
I am sure that many readers have surfed the net and found budget flights at attractive prices only to discover hidden extras at the end that send prices soaring sky-high.
It's estimated, for example, that airline passengers alone have laid out a further £18 million on debit card charges in just the last three months.
I am backing the campaign by the respected consumer advocacy organisation, Which? against "rip-off" card surcharges.
They say that the government could easily and quickly ban debit card charges and make credit card charges fair and transparent. Every day of ministerial inaction costs customers an extra £265,000 on surcharges.
Another useful organisation doing good work for the people is the Equality and Human Rights Commission. They say that hundreds of thousands of disabled people regularly experience harassment or abuse.
Their report, "Hidden in Plain Sight", says that many disabled people have come to accept harassment - including verbal and physical abuse, theft and fraud, sexual harassment and bullying - as inevitable.
It shouldn't be so and I support their campaign for actions that reduce such behaviour.
Having personal family experience of Muscular Dystrophy, I also do my bit to support campaigners who are trying to improve things for those with the disease, including Duchenne.
Popular support has put the Include Duchenne education project in the National Lottery Awards and it is now in the finals for Best Education Project.
But they need as many votes as possible. I urge people to vote for them at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/best-education-project/103/ or by ringing 0844 836 9683. The deadline is 26 September.
Finally, you may have seen the radical proposals to redraw the boundaries of almost every constituency in the country. The proposals haven't yet been agreed by Parliament and, if they are passed, wouldn't come into force until the next general election which is due in 2015. In the meantime, I will remain fully engaged in doing my best to protect the great people that I am proud and privileged to represent in Parliament.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
| Promoted by Paul Foy on behalf of Dave Anderson, both of St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Shibdon Road, Blaydon, NE21 5PT |