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Cynics sometimes claim that if you're a backbencher you have very little influence over government policy.

Today, in the course of a couple of hours, two of the region's newest backbenchers were able to claim small but important victories.

The first was Julian Huppert, MP for Cambridge and a long-standing supporter of the city's educational establishments.

He had expressed concern about the government's new rules for overseas students coming to Britain. Under the changes they could apply for a six-month visa but if they wanted to stay any longer would have to prove their competency in English.

Language schools had argued that the six-month rule did not allow enough time for students to reach the required standard.

They were worried the restrictions would deter students from coming here to study (some were already apparently choosing Ireland or America instead) and could lead to the closure of some language schools.

But after heavy lobbying from Mr Huppert, Immigration Minister Damian Green has agreed to extend the length of stay under a student visa from six to 11 months.

It's a small but very important change which Mr Huppert claims will safeguard hundreds of jobs and secure the future of language schools across the country.

Meanwhile Harlow MP Robert Halfon has been fighting his own battle to allow the job centre in his constituency hand out food vouchers.

Under current legislation JobCentre Plus staff are not allowed to hand out the vouchers which provide three days' food for people who are in sudden financial difficulty - perhaps because their benefits have been slow to come through.

Now the Employment Minister Chris Grayling has not only given his support to what they're doing in Harlow, he's asked JobCentre Plus to work with a charitable trust on a pilot scheme which could see the initiative introduced nationwide.

Two small victories which will get very little media coverage but which will make life easier for many people.

And they've been brought about thanks to some persistent lobbying by two of our backbenchers.

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