Chris Bloore MP: speeches 2026

Speeches

• 10 Sept 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Despite being asked to pay more by Severn Trent, residents in Redditch and Wychbold continuously face water outages, as crumbling infrastructure takes days to repair. Despite being on the priority list, many vulnerable residents, including new mums, have been left without bottled water. The benefits of privatisation are seemingly non-existent for my residents in Redditch and Wychbold. Does the Leader of the House share their frustrations, and their sympathy towards a change in ownership model?

• 10 Sept 2026 · Air Traffic Control Disruption · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement, and for all the work that he is doing to get this situation resolved. Unfortunately, the cancellations impacted some of my Redditch residents yesterday. Will he assure me that he is reminding airlines that they have a continued duty of care to people, and have to get them home as quickly as possible, particularly those who have been stranded far from home?

• 9 Sept 2026 · Jaguar Land Rover: Redundancies · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement. I represent Redditch, which has a proud automotive history and is home to thousands of the 100,000-plus jobs that are part of the supply chain that supports JLR, and we are all deeply concerned about the statement from JLR. This Government did everything they could with the £1.5 billion loan—not bail-out—to support JLR, so will the Minister assure me that, if worse is to come, the Government will not falter in any way in giving support to protect these jobs? If the jobs are lost further down the road, they will never come back, as other areas in Birmingham can attest. Will the Minister assure me that this Labour Government will make sure that, whatever the headwinds facing JLR and the pressures from China, we will not lose this crucial industry in our country?

• 8 Sept 2026 · World Suicide Prevention Day · Hansard source

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  I join other hon. Members in congratulating my hon. Friend on securing the debate and on her lifetime of support for this cause. She makes such a valid point about changing the narrative and the stigma around suicide. This Government have made an incredible announcement of £343 million for walk-in mental health services. We are asking people to talk about how they are feeling and about how bad their mental health is, but they need those walk-in centres so that they can get treatment at the point that they feel suicidal. Will my hon. Friend join me in calling on my local integrated care board to ensure that Redditch, which has the highest rate of poor mental health in Worcestershire, gets the mental health walk-in centre that it so deserves?

• 3 Sept 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  With Redditch suffering the worst mental health illness rates in Worcestershire, and with child referrals doubling over the last five years, I am sure that the Leader of the House will join me in welcoming the Government’s intention to spend £343 million on opening 100 community walk-in mental health centres and 59 emergency mental health centres in our hospitals. Would the Leader of the House add his weight to my campaign to ensure that our local integrated care board ensures that the money goes where it is needed most, which means a centre in Redditch?

• 3 Sept 2026 · Redditch Police and Fire Station · Hansard source

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  I am presenting a petition concerning the West Mercia police and crime commissioner’s decision to spend £20 million of taxpayers’ money on a new police and fire station that, despite that significant investment, has neither a permanent front-counter service nor holding cells. I would like to thank the thousands of residents who have signed this petition, both on paper and online. Their support demonstrates the strength of feeling in our community and sends a clear message that a town the size of Redditch deserves a fit-for-purpose police station. The petition states: The petition of residents of the constituency of Redditch, Declares that the lack of a publicly accessible front desk at Redditch Police and Fire Station prevents members of the community from accessing a vital public service. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to review the provision of a publicly accessible front desk at Redditch Police and Fire Station to ensure adequate and accessible policing is available to the people of Redditch. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003229]

• 16 Jul 2026 · British Steel · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mr Reynolds) on securing this urgent question, and the Minister on his answer and on the Government’s bold action. Redditch manufacturers rely on British Steel, and to be frank, want more and different grades of it to expand their own production. I fully support the measure taken today—or, rather, last night—but can the Minister explain to us what engagement is happening on the ground to reassure workers?

• 16 Jul 2026 · Midlands Rail Hub · Hansard source

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  6. What progress she has made on the midlands rail hub.

• 16 Jul 2026 · Midlands Rail Hub · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Rail bottlenecks choke regional trade and hold back Redditch businesses. Delivering the midlands rail hub is fundamentally both pro-business and pro-worker. Will the Secretary of State update me on when she expects critical engineering upgrades to start to ensure that Redditch is fully connected to regional growth?

• 16 Jul 2026 · Local Government Reorganisation · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for his statement and for delivering the option supported by five out of seven councils in Worcestershire, including the Conservative leaders of Wychavon, Bromsgrove and my council, Redditch borough council. I am hopeful that the decision to create North and South Worcestershire unitaries will mean those two distinct communities will now be able to deliver more tailored local services and, in Redditch’s case, actually deliver a fit-for-purpose economic development plan, which we have not had for 20 years. This will not be an easy time for staff in those seven affected councils. Can the Minister assure me that the Government will provide the money and support needed to make this transition a success?

• 16 Jul 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Care Quality Commission guidelines state that to be a fit and proper person to be a care home director, a person has to be honest, trustworthy, reliable and respectable. Through numerous complaints from my constituents, including court cases, the director of Wayside care home—which serves my constituents—has repeatedly failed those tests, including by charging for services for deceased residents. Will the Leader of the House please make available Government time for us to debate why care home directors and owners found to be in breach of the stringent professional standards expected of people in their roles are able to continue in their positions, looking after the most vulnerable people in our society?

• 14 Jul 2026 · UK-Switzerland Enhanced Free Trade Agreement · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the Minister on securing this deal, which is the sixth from his Department—not bad for a Government made up of public sector workers, as derided by those on the Opposition Front Bench. I was interested in what he said in his statement about this being a statement of intent for future co-operation. I hope that he stays in his position under the new Prime Minister. If he does, what sort of future co-operation would he like to see?

• 1 Jul 2026 · Packaging Manufacturers: Extended Producer Responsibility · Hansard source

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  I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing the debate. I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party parliamentary group for packaging in the circular economy. Like her, I have engaged extensively with manufacturers across the supply chain. They support the EPR in principle but raise concerns about its implementation. Businesses need predictability, transparency and confidence. The current plan for annual adjustments to the recyclability assessment and methodology provides concerns about the long-term capital certainty that our factories need in order to reinvest. Does she agree that it would be helpful if the Government would commit to periodic, rather than annual, methodological changes and a comprehensive post-implementation review covering manufacturing, employment investment and material inflation?

• 29 Jun 2026 · Benefits System: Bereaved Families · Hansard source

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  13. What support is available for bereaved families through the benefits system.

• 29 Jun 2026 · Benefits System: Bereaved Families · Hansard source

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  As the Minister probably knows, a petition calling for reform of the bereavement support payment has now passed 100,000 signatures and is backed by Widowed and Young, Gingerbread, and Cruse. Many families in Redditch are among those affected. Before the parliamentary debate on that petition, will the Minister engage with Widows Fight UK to ensure that all families facing this unbearable heartbreak have the support they deserve?

• 18 Jun 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T6. Redditch local history museum tells the story of our new town, our proud industrial heritage and much more. However, the museum was recently evicted from its premises and is now searching for a new home. Can the Secretary of State advise me on how her Department might be able to assist me in helping provide the museum with a new place?

• 18 Jun 2026 · Regional Innovation and Growth · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) has stolen my thunder by speaking about towns, for which I will never forgive her! [ Laughter. ] I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West (Dame Chi Onwurah) for her report. I am going to bang on about towns, because the report’s title perfectly describes the frustrations and the situation in Redditch. We sit at the heart of a precision and research engineering supply chain that contributes millions to the economy, yet we receive a fraction of the research and development funding from Government or from private investment. To support the excellent firms in Redditch, does she agree that we need granular regional tracking to get the metrics in place to support the clusters that exist outside towns and metro areas, so we can grow our towns and get the regional and national growth that the Government so desperately want?

• 18 Jun 2026 · Grooming Gangs: Independent Inquiry · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her response, and for her reassurance that this inquiry will have the powers to go wherever and to whomever it needs to get the answers for families in Redditch and other areas affected by these heinous crimes. When the initial set of inquiries are announced, if the area I represent is not included, but I still want to persist and ensure families get the justice they require, how am I best placed to do that via the Department and the Minister?

• 18 Jun 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I seek the guidance of the Leader of the House. David, a constituent of mine, has raised serious concerns about the handling of a deeply distressing paternity case involving a child who was taken out of the country and was later confirmed to be his daughter. Key lines of inquiry were not pursued by West Midlands police, and evidence that was relied upon has been found to be false. Significant delays and errors have been experienced in the proceedings in Latvia, and concerns remain regarding the child’s welfare and contact with the father. How would the Leader of the House suggest I support my constituent and help to reunite this father and daughter as soon as possible?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Abuse of Customer-facing Workers · Hansard source

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  I apologise for the intervention and congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. He has touched on a point that I was talking about with my colleagues from USDAW in Redditch, which is the number of members they have lost from the workforce who are now on benefits or receiving support. They were chased out of the workforce due to their experiences, because we are not protecting people in their places of work, which are often their places of home and community as well.

• 17 Jun 2026 · Steel Tariffs · Hansard source

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  I fully support the need to buy British, but companies such as Springmasters, KM Products and Accurate Laser Cutting Ltd—all of which are based in Redditch—cannot source the grade and size of steel required for their machines entirely from the UK; in fact, most comes from the EU. Will the Minister meet me and representatives of my local businesses to hear their suggestions about how we can protect local businesses but also meet the good intention of this Government to support British steel?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Private Sector Investment: Lancashire · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is giving a passionate articulation of the frustration felt by many of us outside non-metropolitan areas. We feel that frustration greatly in Redditch, where we are south of the West Midlands combined authority border. I find that difficult to explain to my students who want extra funding in education or to those who want transport links that do not get funding because we miss out on every partnership and every strategic housing fund. If we are really going to get the economy moving and growing, that has to happen in our towns—towns like Redditch—that led the industrial revolution many years before we had even heard of metro mayors.

• 17 Jun 2026 · Defence Spending · Hansard source

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  National security is the No. 1 priority of this UK Government, and businesses in Redditch are proud to support our armed forces. Does the Secretary of State agree with my assessment that, at this time of global uncertainty, it is more important than ever that parties across the House champion the value of our Union and our nations standing together against global threats?

• 17 Jun 2026 · Defence Spending · Hansard source

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  5. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on Wales.

• 17 Jun 2026 · Rural Pubs: Fiscal Support · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. I congratulate the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East (Saqib Bhatti) on securing the debate. As someone who used to represent the industry, I understand the challenges that our pubs have faced not just over the past two years, but over a decade of changing attitudes and behaviours that mean many of us do not go to the pub as often as we used to. I am sure that, were it not for our service in this place, many of us would be enjoying a pint or two while watching England this evening, benefiting from the extra licensing hours that the Government have allowed to celebrate the world cup. I will not be as cynical as others—or maybe I will be—by mentioning a variety of pubs in my constituency that residents should visit tonight. Whatever happens tonight, and whether they go to the Golden Cross or the Coach and Horses in Harvington, or the Old Bull or the Bulls Head in Inkberrow, I hope that they spend their money in the local pubs in our villages. In Inkberrow, Feckenham and Hanbury, the local is often the last community asset standing. It is the place where people gather, older residents find connection and the social fabric of our villages is woven. In my constituency, many of them have become temporary post offices. I thank the Minister for his engagement during the business rates process. I was one of the Labour Members who darkened his door with concerns and recommendations for change. It is not lost on me that those changes represented £400 million extra for pubs. I thank him for his honest engagement throughout the process, which all Back Benchers should welcome. I also welcome the 15% business rates discount and the frozen multiplier, which are worth nearly £1,650 for the average pub. However, the sector warns that deeper structural reliefs are needed, and that, without further change, 15,000 jobs could be lost over the next couple of years. That is the reality I hear from licensees across my constituency. I gently suggest some things that the Minister might want to consider for the future. First, the business rates methodology review must reflect the unique trading model of rural wet-led pubs, which is not the same as that of urban pubs. Secondly, we must expand draught relief—and go further where possible. Thirdly, we must strengthen protections for assets of community value, and make it easier for communities to take over vulnerable pubs through co-operative models. For anyone who is not aware, Pub is the Hub does incredible work and deserves more support. Our pubs are not just peripheral amenities; they are institutions. If we allow them to disappear, we lose not just businesses but the hearts of our communities. It is so hard to start a new business right now for a variety of reasons, including, as has been mentioned, changes in people’s behaviours and attitudes towards spending money or enjoying a drink. I fear that, if we lose some of the rural pubs in our communities, we will lose many other businesses that rely on them. I thank the Minister for his co-operation, support and engagement throughout the process, but there is a lot more work to do to keep those businesses in our constituencies safe.