Chris Bloore
MP for Redditch · Labour · United Kingdom
“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.”
“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.”
“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 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.”
“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 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.”
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“The TUC estimates that approximately 4 million people in the UK are in insecure work, including those on zero-hours contracts or in forms of precarious self-employment. In my community, insecure work shows up in very real ways: the delivery driver working regular hours who is told that they are self-employed, with no sick pay or job security; the worker who wants to speak up about unsafe practices, but fears that they have no protection if they do; and the families trying to make ends meet without the certainty of stable hours or fair conditions. In sectors such as distribution and logistics, which are so important to the economy, the problem is particularly acute. The TUC has also highlighted that up to one in eight workers are now in some form of insecure work.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough (Justin Madders) on securing this debate. I refer to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests regarding my union support and membership of the trade union group of Labour MPs. In my constituency, I hear from postal workers, delivery drivers, care workers and many others who feel that the current system simply does not reflect the reality of the work they do. At the heart of the debate is a simple question: does our system of employment status match the modern day labour market? At the moment the answer is clearly no. We have a three-tier system that is overly complex, often unclear and too easily exploited. This is not a marginal issue.”
“I thank the Minister for the contents of his statement and for the diligence of his work with Sir Brian Langstaff and the victims to ensure that the inquiry’s recommendations have been delivered. Noting the incredible damage that has been done to many of our constituents’ lives as they try to return to normality, may I ask the Minister to outline further how we will ensure that the community’s voice will continue to be heard, bearing in mind that the challenges caused by this injustice will not suddenly stop, even if those people are awarded compensation?”
“Would she be prepared to meet me and young people who have been through that experience to discuss how we can improve the system, so that they can integrate back into normal life as quickly and as efficiently as possible?”
“I thank my hon. Friend for giving way. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Mansfield (Steve Yemm) on securing this important debate; he has been a champion on this issue since he came to this place. The Minister mentioned patient experience. One issue that has been brought to my attention in my surgeries is that, after the often intensive clinical process of a young person going through a cancer diagnosis, getting treatment and getting through the other side, the period after the all-clear is an intense time of social isolation. Significant mental health support is required to get them back and integrated into school, college or work.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Western. I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this debate. He makes a really pertinent point about the issue of transport. One of the most frustrating elements for me, apart from the initial announcement of a closure of a bank on my high street or in the villages that I represent, often occurs when they tell people the location of their nearest alternative branch. I do not know whether the people running the banks understand the local transport system, but it can often take three and a half hours on public transport to even get to those branches. Does the hon. Member agree that it would be helpful if, when banks made these decisions, they consulted the public transport available to those losing their branch?”
“I am sure the Leader of the House will remember with regret that he was unable to join me and Gareth Gates in switching on the Christmas lights in Redditch last year. It will not surprise him that Redditch has launched its own town of culture bid, especially given that it is the home of Royal Enfield and Bordesley Abbey and the birthplace of John Bonham from Led Zeppelin and Grammy-award winner Harry Styles. I know the Leader of the House has to stay neutral in this process, but if he cannot join me for a gluten-free toastie at the Boathouse café on Arrow Valley lake, will he join me in wishing Redditch all the best in its bid?”
“I reiterate the thanks to the Foreign Secretary for reconfirming that Britain will make independent foreign policy decisions in the interests of our own people. Many of my constituents are still stuck in countries in the middle east and the surrounding areas because of the closure of airspace, and some are still struggling to gain visa extensions to stay in those countries where they are on holiday. What work is the Foreign Secretary doing with airlines to ensure that those people can get flights back? For many of them, it has been several weeks.”
“How can young people and businesses in my constituency of Redditch take part in this scheme, which will finally start addressing the tragedy of NEETs in our constituencies?”
“I am always happy to be last on an announcement such as this. The businesses and young people in my constituency strongly welcome what the Secretary of State has announced today. As I listened to those on the Opposition Front Bench, I was reminded of the statement by Senator Moynihan of New York: “you are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts”. Sadly, the Opposition have failed to mention that for over a decade, the UK has fallen behind other OECD countries when it comes to reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training. That is because of structural failings in both education and public health, which the previous Government did nothing to solve.”
“My constituent Bethany is 27. She has spent time in various residential care units and with at-home support provided by Worcestershire county council. During that time, she has experienced unexplained injuries and neglect, resulting in health problems and weight loss. Her family have submitted various complaints about that poor treatment, but the council will not provide a final response to their complaints and has not replied to my office’s multiple requests for that to happen. In fact, the council is still trying to reclaim fees from the family while the complaint remains unresolved. Will the Leader of the House advise me on how best to escalate that distressing case when the county council refuses to engage?”
“It puts the life chances of my residents at risk, and means that my friends have to move to nearby conurbations, instead of being able to raise families and live in the constituencies that they want to. I agree with many of the things that the hon. Member said, but I also think that we need to be brave as politicians moving forward.”
“We have to push things forward for our young people. They have had the same promises—that we will build those affordable houses; that we will make those developments connected to their communities—for 20 years. I say this as someone who has opposed and supported developments in my constituency: I take the hon. Member’s point that we will never meet the needs on our waiting lists unless we build affordable homes, but we have to actually start putting spades in the ground at some stage. As representatives in this Parliament, we cannot continue seeing the low numbers of houses being built in communities like mine in Redditch for another decade.”
“Although it is a pleasure to be called, Sir Desmond, I did not intend to give a speech. But I was planning to intervene, so I will quickly say that I recognise the points made by the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted (Victoria Collins). I come from the generation that has really struggled to buy a home in the community that they are from. Many of my colleagues and friends who have done incredibly well in their lives—they have achieved—are still living with their mums and dads. That is something that cannot continue. While I recognise the hon. Member’s concerns about development with transport not following, the situation that we have now is simply not sustainable. We have to be brave, both as politicians and local representatives, to ensure that we do not make the perfect the enemy of the good.”
“The Minister knows that the Renters’ Rights Act will be transformative, especially for my constituents, but will he reassure me that the Government recognise the urgent need to improve safety and standards in the private rented sector, and will he act to drive down rates of non-decency?”
“Redditch was a town built on unionised workers, needle making, aerospace and engineering, and that heritage matters. Too many boys now leaving schools in my area leave without a clear vocational route into decent jobs. Does my hon. Friend believe that the industrial and skills strategies should be place based, with apprenticeships funding, employer-college partnerships and union involvement, so that education in towns such as Redditch can lead directly to rewarding jobs?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. She will know that too many parcel couriers in my constituency and across the country are on bogus self-employment contracts and worse terms and conditions, with no holiday pay or sick leave. That is driving down standards across the sector and, of course, robbing the public purse of national insurance contributions. I welcome her commitment to announcing the consultation on single worker status. Can she guarantee that both employer and employee representations will be included in the consultation?”
“6. What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of powers to intervene where local authorities are not meeting statutory SEND duties.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. She knows that Worcestershire county council has repeatedly failed children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. Many parents report persistent failures to meet statutory duties and experiences of being dismissed or gaslit, causing prolonged distress to families already under extreme pressure. Can the Minister assure me and families in Redditch that, as part of the schools White Paper, she will be looking at how we can properly hold local authorities to account, and where there is failure, drive swift improvement?”
“Worcestershire county council has repeatedly failed children and families with special educational needs and disabilities. Many parents report persistent failures to meet statutory duties and experiences of being dismissed or gaslit, causing prolonged distress to families already under extreme pressure. Against that background, will the Leader of the House permit a debate in Government time on the effectiveness of the powers available to intervene where local authorities are failing to meet their statutory SEND duties?”
“I pay tribute to the Chair and his Committee for their report, and I am grateful to the staff at HMP Hewell on the edge of my constituency for all the work they are doing to support prisoners. I would be interested to know what metrics he will use to measure progress on meeting his report’s recommendations by the end of this Parliament. What should we be asking him in 12 or 24 months’ time to see if the Government have truly met the recommendations in this report?”
“To honour that legacy, we must renew it with long-term investment, integrated planning and the political will to see that through. That is not nostalgia; it is hard-headed realism about what works and what my constituents deserve.”
“Redditch teaches us that new towns worked when they combined five key things: a clear social purpose, long-term institutions, integrated employment, infra- structure built up front, and community cohesion by design. Redditch achieved all those things between the 1960s and 1980s. We lost momentum when that comprehensive approach was abandoned. The lesson is not that new towns failed; it is that when we stopped thinking long term, stopped planning for jobs and stopped backing places with sustained investment, we broke that model. As we debate new towns, we must ask: are we prepared to commit to the same level of ambition that created Redditch, or will we settle for piecemeal fixes to the decline that has already set in? My constituents are proud of Redditch’s new town heritage, but pride alone will not secure its future.”
“The defence and aerospace sector survived, but at a fraction of its former scale. Even core services have faced sustained pressure. The Alexandra hospital has lost services, including paediatric and maternity services, undermining public confidence and reminding us that infrastructure, once built, still requires long-term support. Underpinning all that are social pressures: drugs, crime and child poverty. Over half of Redditch households experience at least one form of deprivation. Neighbourhoods built as modern housing for working families, like Greenlands and Woodrow, are now designated as areas of such concentrated deprivation that they qualify for £20 million of targeted regeneration funding. I welcome that investment, but it should give us pause. This was not the future the planners envisaged.”
“It was not a dormitory suburb, but a place with skilled local employment. For a time, that promise was kept. The landscaping and design principles established by Hugh Wilson, Lewis Womersley and their teams proved durable, but something fundamental changed when the housing corporation was wound up in 1985. Housing targets were met, but the commitment to self-sustaining local economy faded. Cheap imports hollowed out traditional industries. Over time, Redditch increasingly became a commuter town for Birmingham. Between 2007 and 2017, the UK lost 600,000 manufacturing jobs. Redditch, with twice the national average employment in manufacturing, was hit harder than most. Today, manufacturing output has declined even more where employment remains. Skill pathways have narrowed.”
“The chair of the development corporation, Professor Denys Hinton, said at the time that it marked “the completion of an enterprise of which everyone can be proud”. Redditch was not just a new town; it had manufacturing at the heart of its DNA. In the early 20th century, it produced 19% of the world’s needles—not cottage craft, but precision metalworking at scale. Those skills fed into bicycle, motorcycle, spring and defence manufacturing. Royal Enfield, BSA, aerospace components—Redditch had industrial DNA. During the second world war, High Duty Alloys employed 13,000 people, producing aircraft for Rolls-Royce and others. Post war, those same skills flew in Concorde and British defence systems. The development corporation understood that. The new town was deliberately planned around a manufacturing-led economy.”
“The estates that emerged—Church Hill, Matchborough, Winyates, Greenlands and Woodrow—were planned communities where working families could own their own homes and raise children with access to schools, parks and services within walking distance. Arrow Valley country park remains one of the great successes of new town planning: 900 acres of protected green space at the heart of Redditch. Historic sites were preserved, too: the Forge Mill needle museum and Bordesley abbey anchor centuries of history within a modern town. In 1983, Queen Elizabeth II opened the Kingfisher shopping centre and Forge Mill national needle museum. Thousands lined the streets in Milward Square as she unveiled Eduardo Paolozzi’s mosaics celebrating Redditch’s needle-making heritage. They show astronauts and needles side by side, symbolising past and future.”
“MPs in this place later praised the generous landscaping and planting of open areas—amenities far beyond what normal local authority budgets could have delivered. Redditch also pioneered something radical for its time: a new town designed around public transport rather than the private car. Three million trees were planted, roads were banked to reduce noise and pedestrians were separated from fast-moving traffic. Those were not luxuries; they were choices about quality of life. Within two decades, a town of 32,000 had grown into a community of more than 70,000, eventually reaching around 90,000 by the end of the century, with many families escaping overcrowded terraces and slums in Birmingham.”
“It is a story of ambition, achievement and unfinished business that offers powerful lessons about what worked, what was not sustained and what we must do differently today. Redditch was not simply given a population target and left to chance. The Redditch development corporation, led by chief architect Brian Bunch and his team, delivered an innovative masterplan, published in 1967, that was built around bead-like districts along key transport routes. Each neighbourhood was designed to be largely self-contained, with schools, shops, churches and green space, with the preservation of green corridors between communities and a plethora of roundabouts. The aim was to integrate old and new and bring together town and country.”
“Let me begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) on securing this debate and on her tireless advocacy for her community. Sixty-two years ago, Redditch was selected as the west midlands’ second mark two new town after somewhere called Telford—a deliberate policy decision to relieve the post-war housing crisis gripping Birmingham and the wider conurbation. Unlike the first generation of new towns, Redditch was not built on empty land. It had over 800 years of history and an existing population of around 32,000. Planners therefore faced a unique challenge: how to expand a living town, not replace it. That is why Redditch matters so much to this debate.”
“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take action to ensure that Royal Mail provides an adequate postal service in Inkberrow. And the petitioners remain, etc. [P003157]”
“I rise to present a petition about postal delivery services in the village of Inkberrow and to thank the hundreds of constituents who have also shown their support by signing online. A reliable and regular postal service should be a basic expectation, yet my constituents are missing vital healthcare and business communications because of their chaotic service. I have met Royal Mail several times. Despite its assurances, the issue has not been resolved satisfactorily. The strength of feeling behind the petition shows how desperately the community needs a dependable service. The petition states: The petition of residents of the constituency of Redditch in Worcestershire, Declares that the postal delivery service in Inkberrow village requires improvement.”
“I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. He has given an eloquent appraisal of why Halesowen is such a beacon for culture, and I note that Morgan Rogers, who plays for Aston Villa, was born in Halesowen. Will my hon. Friend join me in saying that this competition is not just about celebrating our past but about celebrating our future and people such as Max Stokes, a constituent of mine in Redditch, who curates the “Villa On Tour” YouTube channel, which has over 80,000 subscribers? People such as Max Stokes provide an outlet for our culture, including our sporting culture, to be seen by people across the world—culture with a Redditch accent and a Redditch voice. Does he agree that this competition should be about celebrating our future as well as our past?”
“It introduces long-term planning, strengthens freight, modernises ticketing systems and ensures that the railway is accountable to the public it serves. Too often, my constituents in Redditch have suffered from cancellations and poor service. On top of the investment in the midlands rail hub and the freezing of fares, the Bill lays the foundations for an integrated railway that works for passengers and the staff who keep the system running every day. It is an important and necessary step towards building a railway worthy of the future of this country.”
“Organisations such as my local railway user group and ASLEF have long campaigned for an integrated national system, and consistently argued that our railways simply work better when the parts work together. The Bill delivers simplicity. Today’s railway involves a bewildering array of actors—there are 17 different organisations with overlapping responsibilities. This structure does not serve passengers, freight customers or the taxpayer. Great British Railways will bring clarity. There will be a single guiding mind, a single organisation responsible for the railway’s performance, and a single body accountable to Parliament and the public. That alone will improve the experience of millions of travellers. The broad implications of the Bill are clear.”
“For too long, passengers have lived with the consequences of a fragmented railway system divided among multiple operators, with split responsibilities, inconsistent priorities and a lack of clear accountability. The result has been a network that too often fails to meet the needs of commuters in Redditch, who just last week faced every service being cancelled on the morning because of poor weather. The Bill brings together track and train—Network Rail and the passenger operators—under one coherent structure. This is the most significant structural reform of our railways in a generation, and it restores the principle that the railway should operate as a single integrated system. Passengers understand this, and those who work on the railway understand it.”
“I must declare an interest: I have been a railway geek since childhood, travelling up and down the country, and I am a member of my local rail user group. I personally kept both Hornby and Bachmann train models alive for several years, and I now torment my son by taking him on the Severn valley railway far more than he would prefer. I also declare my membership of the ASLEF parliamentary group, and I am a regular commuter who did not recognise the railway utopia described by the shadow Minister. Those interests, both personal and formal, only strengthen my belief that the Bill marks an important moment for our railway network and for the people who rely on a fit-for-purpose service.”
“Before I came to this place, I assumed it was a shared fundamental principle that all hon. Members wanted to ensure that today’s children had more than they had. The Conservatives do not want to talk about the 900,000 children they plunged into poverty. I commend the Secretary of State for her strategy that champions the life chances of children in Redditch, rather doing what the Conservatives did: using them as cheap, dehumanising political slogans for their own ends.”
“I thank the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney) for letting me intervene. She must realise that it is macroeconomic conditions, not improving employment rights, that affect a company. What is certain is that when people have zero-hours contracts, they cannot pay their mortgages when downturns and recessions happen, because they cannot get in the money that they need. She talks about the burdens on businesses, but what about the people who cannot even pay their basic bills because of the exploitative contracts they are on?”
“I thank my hon. Friend, who chaired the process diligently, often in receipt of very difficult evidence from those who served and also those involved in the reconciliation process. On our visit to Dublin, it was great to understand how much of an improvement there has been in relations between the UK Government and the Irish Government, because that is the only way we will deliver what the people need us to deliver. On reconciliation, the report lays out a path for what the Government must do to ensure that reconciliation is not lost as part of the process, as part 4 remains the same as it did in the previous Bill. Could the Chair of the Committee give us more detail on what she thinks the Government need to do to ensure reconciliation is delivered at the same time?”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his report. I will not mention his vast experience though, because he is still young to me. Redditch was deeply impacted by the JLR shutdown, with many of our supply chains affected. My right hon. Friend talks in the report about the need for an economic security Minister and about the specific measures needed to upgrade cyber-security across our critical sectors. What powers would my right hon. Friend envisage such a Minister having, and how do Government support businesses to get up to date to meet the challenges mentioned in the report?”
“Gerry Marsden has been collecting for the poppy appeal in Redditch for 40 years. Since becoming the poppy appeal organiser, he has helped to raise over half a million pounds. At the same time, he has readily stepped in to lead the local Royal British Legion, to ensure that our town celebrates and marks the sacrifice made to protect our freedoms. Gerry will hate me doing this, but would the Leader of the House join me in thanking Gerry and all those who support him for his incredible contribution to Redditch and for all those who have served?”
“Today would have been the 100th birthday of my political hero, Bobby Kennedy. One of my favourite quotes of his is: “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were, and ask, ‘Why not?’” I am proud that this House is united in its insistence on changing things for the better, and in supporting men and boys to live healthier, fuller and more meaningful lives. I will finish with a “knock, knock” joke, if that is permissible. Knock, knock!”
“Friends the Members for York Outer and for Cannock Chase, and my dad and grandad, whom I admire and look up to. As a father myself, I want my son to see their examples, and not the false prophets he might see on TikTok, as the true representation of what it is to be a man. Boys need strong, positive role models and reassurance that there is more than one way to be a man. Today is a moment to celebrate the positive contributions made by men and boys, and by the fathers, grandfathers, carers, teachers, mentors and volunteers who shape our communities—men such as Carl Dickens at Wallop boxing club, who supports young men; Pete Martin, who fights knife crime; Gethin Farnes, who supports veterans; and so many more in Redditch. Supporting men and boys strengthens society as a whole. When men feel able to seek help, relationships improve.”
“Friend the Member for York Outer (Mr Charters) for his bravery in speaking openly about his own mental health challenges this week. Far too many men still feel that it is a weakness to demonstrate their humanity by opening up about their struggles. His honesty helps normalise these conversations, and can help save lives. In Westminster Hall today, we have debated the role of carers—carers such as my dad, who is right now sitting next to my mom in her hospital bed. Hundreds of thousands of men like my dad support their families every day, quietly and with dedication. We can see the pressures faced by boys growing up in Britain today, who are navigating a world shaped by online influencers—some positive, but many harmful. It is men such as my hon.”
“They are less likely to seek support early, and too often feel compelled to deal with difficulty silently. The old idea that emotional openness undermines masculinity has lingered for far too long. It has cost lives and prevented countless men from getting the help they need. In that context, I am proud that this Government have launched their men’s health strategy, which sets out a clear 10-year vision for improving the health and wellbeing of men and boys in England. The strategy recognises that reality, and begins the work of addressing it through earlier intervention, better support and a more honest understanding of the specific challenges that men face. I thank the Secretary of State and the ministerial team for their hard work. I am also proud of my hon.”
“He was a kind man—a proud one-nation Tory—who taught me that far more unites us than divides us and that in public life we are not enemies, but simply people with different viewpoints on how best to solve the challenges before us. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my life, and I know I am lucky to have had such a strong male role model in my formative years. I miss him every day. Today’s debate gives us an important opportunity to reflect on the issues affecting men and boys, and on the contributions they make across our society. This is not about pitting one group against another; it is about acknowledging that if we want a fairer and healthier society, we must be honest about where help is needed. The figures on men’s health and wellbeing remain concerning. Men continue to account for the majority of suicides.”
“I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) on securing this debate. He is a man I deeply admire, and the bravery he has shown in retelling the story of what happened to him is extraordinary. I am proud to be his colleague, and this House is unquestionably better for him being here. Cannock Chase holds a special place in my own heart: it is where I spent many hours with my grandad. A former police officer, he would often take me walking across the Chase. He was the first person I ever spoke to about politics as he picked me up from school and fed me every day to support my parents.”
“The Minister is making a compelling case for why the Government are so insistent on making all stations accessible to ensure that everybody has access to public transport. In my home town of Redditch in Worcestershire, the plan for a newly redeveloped station has been cancelled by the local Reform-led council, just when this Government have pledged hundreds of millions of pounds to improve cross-city lines via the midlands rail hub. The plan was to bring the station up to compliant standards for accessibility. Does he share my frustration, and will he urge the county council to think again about the redevelopment plan?”
“As the son of someone suffering from Parkinson’s—both my uncles have Parkinson’s and my grandad sadly died of Parkinson’s complications—I was struck by the fluctuating nature of the condition. Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the best parts of the Parkinson’s passport is that people will not have to go through reassessment, when we know that this degenerative condition will only get worse for many people?”