Speeches by Brackenridge.

“I thank my hon. Friend for securing this important debate. I have seen how supported internship programmes at City of Wolverhampton college and Adult Education Wolverhampton have made a real difference for 16 to 24-year-olds with EHCPs. However, with one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, d…”

“I certainly do support that. The west midlands is no longer the knife-crime capital of the world thanks to the effective work of the police, in partnership with local authorities, the combined authority, our violence reduction units, a lot of dedicated volunteers and our fantastic schools. When it comes to reversing th…”

“I firmly support the Bill—the most substantial of this Parliament so far. It will make streets in Wolverhampton North East and across the country safer, and it is frankly shocking that many of the proposed laws are not already in place. Just a glance on social media will show doorbell footage of where our streets have …”

“I absolutely welcome the forthcoming legislation, because the previous Conservative Government could not say that they were not warned; they were warned again and again, but they ignored the warnings and let down towns and cities across the country. That is why I am working directly with our local neighbourhood police …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison. I also thank my fellow Black Country hon. Friend the Member for Tipton and Wednesbury (Antonia Bance) for bringing this important debate. The people of Wolverhampton North East have had it with the reckless, illegal use of off-road bikes. The problem has been…”

“I absolutely welcome that intervention and support it wholeheartedly. Communities such as ours have felt and seen the decline, and the Government are laser focused on reversing that to unlock talent and opportunities, and to give our residents a better chance to get their futures back. In the past few weeks I have been…”

“My question is around statutory override, particularly with the financial difficulties faced by local authorities, exacerbated by the SEND crisis. This question goes to Councillor Foale, Luke and Phil to start with. According to DfE estimates, 43% of local authorities will have deficits near or above their reserves whe…”

“I have a couple of points to make. Does the right hon. Member acknowledge the important role that universities play in supporting technical advanced education? Does he also agree that, under the stewardship of the last Government, we saw a decimation of specialist careers guidance in schools?”

“Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?”

“Phil, to you, if you could, could you share any consultation that has taken place, if any, between the Department and local authorities regarding the ending of the statutory override and what engagement would local authorities like to see?”

“I start with a fundamental point, which is that education does not always have to happen in a classroom. That is essentially what the Bill is about. Under the last Government, we saw a failure to tackle deep-rooted skills mismatches, a stubbornly high proportion of working-age people lacking essential skills and a seve…”

“I do agree with my hon. Friend, and based on the make-up of our constituencies, we come from a different angle from other Members who have raised important points in the debate. For us it is about jobs, apprenticeships and our local economy, so I back this Bill and I hope that the House will join me in doing so.”

“First, my congratulations go to Pool Hayes primary school in Willenhall for being one of the 750 early adopters. Will the Secretary of State outline how the free universal roll-out of breakfast clubs, alongside capping the number of branded items of uniform and expanding funded childcare, will help families in Wolverha…”

“The Bill is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. Ultimately, for my constituents, it is about jobs, opportunities and a better future for places like Wolverhampton North East. Right now, the Crown Estate is held back by outdated rules that limit its ability to invest. It is forced to sell assets just to raise capit…”

“I absolutely agree. This is an example of how this Government will respond to the changing world that we live in. This Bill is about backing British industry, investing in local communities and making sure that places such as Wolverhampton North East lead the way in the UK’s future success.”

“The steel industry is an important part of Wolverhampton North East’s heritage and must remain a part of our future. Will my hon. Friend outline how the £2.5 billion UK steel strategy and the new steel council will boost competitiveness and secure jobs at Tata’s Steelpark in Wednesfield, which is the UK’s largest proce…”

“In Wolverhampton North East in the past five years, we have lost banks from Wednesfield High Street and all banking facilities in the Scotlands and Three Tuns areas. Can the Leader of the House make time for a debate on banking hubs to keep banking on our high streets?”

“5. What progress his Department has made on developing a steel strategy.”

“Katie and Amanda, you spoke of some shining examples of good practice—particularly Katie—the redesign of the autism referral process that cuts waiting times from three years to 16 weeks, and Amanda, the Portsmouth model ensuring that early years teachers have specialist training to identify neurodiversity at an early s…”

“Yes, absolutely. Moving on, I would like to ask about the current challenges faced by home-to-school transport for children with SEND. What improvements can be made to enhance accessibility, efficiency and overall experience for children and their families?”