Sureena Brackenridge MP: speeches

Speeches

• 8 Jun 2026 · Topical Questions · Hansard source

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  T8. Following investment in police operations targeting predatory behaviour in Wolverhampton’s night-time economy, including the deployment of specially trained undercover officers, alongside the welcome support given by the Late Night Safe Haven and Night Guardians, what further action will the Government take to strengthen prevention so that women and girls feel safe in night-time and other high-risk settings?

• 8 Jun 2026 · Digital Safety: Children · Hansard source

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  Tech giants have had the digital level controls capability to stop children taking, sharing or viewing naked images on their devices, but have failed to do so. I have very little confidence that they will suddenly have an epiphany and do the right thing without the necessary pressure, enforcement and consequences. How will the Minister ensure they comply, and if, or when, they fail, legislate with urgency?

• 2 Jun 2026 · Community Pharmacies · Hansard source

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  I extend my sincere gratitude and congratulations; 75 years working in a pharmacy is incredible. At the other end of the scale from Sadie, my very first Saturday job was in pharmacies in Wednesfield and Willenhall in my constituency. I also extend my thanks to the pharmacies, dispensers, frontline shop staff and delivery drivers whose dedication underpins that support. Community pharmacies are among the most accessible and trusted parts of our NHS.

• 2 Jun 2026 · Community Pharmacies · Hansard source

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  I agree. The absence of a community pharmacy leaves a vacuum on the high street that is felt by residents. I am sure that Members across this Chamber will appreciate that factor as well. Some 1.6 million people walk through a pharmacy door in England every day; they are embedded in our communities. That is why I welcome the Government’s recent £340 million funding agreement for the sector and the expansion of Pharmacy First. It builds on a service that has already delivered more than 3.3 million consultations in the past year alone. Crucially, from autumn 2026, pharmacists with independent prescribing qualifications will be able to assess patients and prescribe medicines directly on the NHS. It is a significant step forward to deliver faster care right on our high street. However, if we are serious about shifting care into the community, improving prevention and delivering on the ambitions of the NHS 10-year health plan, we must be honest about the challenges that the sector has faced. From 2010 to 2015, community pharmacy funding broadly kept pace with demand, but from 2016 onwards it was cut and then largely held flat in cash terms through 2023 as costs and workload increased. That resulted in a sustained real-terms decline of around 20% to 25%. Since 2024, funding has begun to rise again, but primarily to stabilise the sector after years of underinvestment, with a significant gap still existing between funding and actual costs. Across England we have lost nearly 1,500 pharmacies since 2017—that is 15% of the entire network. Those national pressures are felt acutely in my constituency of Wolverhampton North East, where, since 2020, we have seen a net loss of six pharmacies. Yet, despite those challenges, my local pharmacies continue to step up. Through Pharmacy First alone, they have delivered more than 23,500 consultations. That points to the scale of the opportunities ahead. Community pharmacies are central to the future of primary care. It is thought that they could release up to 51 million primary care appointments by doing more on prevention and helping patients to manage long-term conditions. Independent prescribing is a vital part of that vision. At present, many pharmacies derive over 90% of their income from NHS funding while facing rising staff costs and increasing business pressures. The sector has also lost more than 3,000 full-time equivalent pharmacists in recent years. I therefore ask the Minister: what steps will the Government take to provide long-term sustainable funding and a road map for community pharmacies, and how will they address the workforce shortages and challenges? In Wolverhampton North East, pharmacies have stepped up time and again for local people. Now I stand with my pharmacies to ensure that they can continue to serve my constituents for many years to come.

• 2 Jun 2026 · Community Pharmacies · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Jardine. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead (Rachel Gilmour) for securing this important debate on the future of community pharmacies. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of community pharmacies across the country, especially in Wolverhampton and Willenhall. They are true anchors of support for my communities, providing not only specialist healthcare services but a friendly, familiar face for so many residents.

• 1 Jun 2026 · Health Bill · Hansard source

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  Given the lack of time remaining in this debate, I will focus my remarks on the long-overdue move to a much-welcomed single patient record. Many Members will have had constituents get in touch with casework, raising blunders and delays that stem from fragmented patient records. When they have been in severe pain or at their most vulnerable, patients have been asked to repeat the same medical history again and again to different clinicians, whether in hospital or in the GP setting. It is frustrating, and in some cases distressing, especially if the patient is elderly or with neurological conditions such as dementia. A single patient record will ensure that clinicians have the right information at the right time, including on allergies, medications and previous diagnoses, so that they are better placed to make the right decision quickly. Today, we have heard of surgeons who have had to cancel operations because patient histories were incomplete or did not arrive quickly enough. There is consensus that a single patient record will make a significant difference in A&E, for paramedics at the roadside and even in routine care, where small details can have significant consequences. I must, however, also make clear the concerns of many of my residents in Wolverhampton North East. Bringing together such large volumes of highly sensitive personal data into a single system will inevitably raise questions about cyber-security and data protection. We know that patient data in the UK would be extremely lucrative to some, and many will be acutely aware of international interest in getting hold of our data-rich NHS in order to profiteer. As such, can the Minister set out in more detail the safeguards that will be built into the system from the very start to guard against cyber-attacks and unauthorised access? How will this be controlled, and what oversight will exist to ensure that public confidence is maintained if threats evolve?

• 21 May 2026 · Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill · Hansard source

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  I represent a constituency built around steel and manufacturing that is now home to Tata Steel’s processing and distribution centre, the largest in the UK. In Wolverhampton and Willenhall, steel is our history and our identity. With the actions taken by this Government, I sincerely believe it will continue to be our future, too. The Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill marks a serious and necessary step towards safeguarding the long-term future of the UK steel industry. It gives the Government the power to bring steel companies, including British Steel, into public ownership where it is in the public interest to do so. This is safeguarding Britain’s steel capability and capacity, which is firmly in the national interest, protecting jobs and our communities. That matters profoundly to places like mine. I am calling for British procurement as well, so that British-made steel is used to build our railways, infrastructure and wind turbines, so that national renewal runs through communities such as Wolverhampton North East, through the skills of our workers, the strength of our industries and a future based on good, secure jobs and apprenticeships. I also sincerely believe that this decisive action would not have been taken under the previous Conservative Government. Since 2010, we have seen a litany of missed chances and, in my opinion, moral failures. That is why it is welcome that the Bill reflects the seriousness with which we should treat domestic steel production and the communities that depend on it. That certainty is being recognised by the industry. As UK Steel has said, it provides a vital reassurance for workers, customers and supply chains at a critical moment, recognising steel as a strategic national asset that is essential to economic growth, national security and resilience. I also support the Government’s ambition to boost domestic production from 30% to 50%. However, I would ask the Minister to look at tariffs on imported steel, using evidence based on specific codes, and to engage with downstream firms that are concerned about the measures. In Wolverhampton and Willenhall, and across the Black Country, we understand what steel represents. We understand the value of secure, well-paid, skilled work. For our workers, our apprentices and our supply chains, and for the long-term strength of the United Kingdom, I support the Bill and commend it to the House.

• 21 May 2026 · Middle East: Economic Response · Hansard source

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  Parents, grandparents and carers will know that keeping children busy during the summer can feel like an expensive endurance event. Will the Chancellor assess the economic and social value of the great British summer package of savings, particularly its impact on opening up access to museums, cinemas, libraries, sports facilities, theatres, theme parks and attractions? It will build children’s cultural capital and life experiences, while also supporting local economies in Wolverhampton and Willenhall, and across the country.

• 21 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising the remarkable work of the Susan Vickers Foundation? Its care-experienced team is changing the lives of care-experienced families, including by providing free rail travel and cinema access, thanks to partnership with London Northwestern Railway, West Midlands Railway and Cineworld. Will he also commend Rethink Mental Illness and all the community groups involved at the Hub at Wolverhampton station, as they mark their first year helping thousands across our city?

• 19 May 2026 · Energy Security · Hansard source

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  I welcome His Majesty’s Gracious Speech, as it puts energy security, economic security and industrial renewal back on track for the people I represent. Wolverhampton and Willenhall have a proud history of industry, innovation and hard work. From our foundries and factories to our engineering and manufacturing expertise, our communities helped to power British and global growth for generations. However, the policies of the past are taking their toll today: policies of turning the UK away from manufacturing, away from council housing and away from public ownership, all of which are being felt today by those in my communities. One of the most pressing issues facing our country today is energy security. Recent energy crises exposed how vulnerable Britain has become. In fact, half the UK’s recessions since the 1970s have been caused by our exposure to fossil fuels. The only way in which to secure true sovereignty for our country is to be in control of our own energy. That is why I strongly welcome the Government’s energy independence Bill, which recognises that Britain must get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster with clean, home-grown power that we control ourselves.

• 19 May 2026 · Energy Security · Hansard source

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  I will not. Sorry. The Bill takes important steps to tackle rising household bills, strengthen protections for vulnerable households, and pave the way for the warm homes plan. It also rightly accelerates Britain’s drive for energy security by speeding up investment in clean power, grid infrastructure and modern energy networks. Wolverhampton is already positioning itself at the forefront of green innovation, with investment in advanced manufacturing, clean technologies and the green innovation corridor. By linking the University of Wolverhampton with the science park and the i54 manufacturing hub, the corridor brings together research, industry and skills. Tata’s Steelpark in Wednesfield is home to the UK’s largest steel processing plants, and generations of local families have dedicated their working lives to steel and manufacturing. I am calling for British-made steel to build the infrastructure of the future, whether it consists of wind turbines, railways or energy networks. Backing steel means creating apprenticeships, expanding technical education and giving young people in Wolverhampton North East the opportunity to build rewarding careers at home.

• 14 May 2026 · Business of the House · Hansard source

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  I was born and raised in Wednesfield by parents and grandparents who came 10,000 miles from Fiji to make Wolverhampton their home. Today, British Fijians serve in our British armed forces, in the NHS, across public services and business, and, of course, on rugby pitches across the UK. Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising Girmit Day, which commemorates the arrival of the first indentured Indian labourers in Fiji in 1879, in honour of communities like the British Fijians, who quietly and proudly help to drive this nation every day?

• 23 Mar 2026 · Rail Connections to London: Rural Towns · Hansard source

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  I wish to place on record my sincere thanks to my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury (Julia Buckley) for her work in championing the Wrexham, Shropshire and midlands railway proposal, a new service that will link north Wales, Shropshire and the midlands, and on to London. For many families in Wolverhampton and Willenhall, north Wales plays a very special part in our stories. We have all enjoyed day trips and summer holidays with the warmth of our Welsh neighbours. Stronger rail links will bring not just better transport connections, but social and economic connections and more choices for families. Just as importantly, the service will strengthen local journeys, linking Walsall and Wolverhampton through the long-awaited new stations that opened last week at Willenhall and Darlaston. WSMR will support economic investment, regeneration and growth. It will improve access to jobs, apprenticeships and education, and better connect local businesses to wider markets, from north Wales all the way through to our capital.

• 23 Mar 2026 · Rail Connections to London: Rural Towns · Hansard source

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  Yes, I have had the pleasure of visiting my hon. Friend’s beautiful constituency, and I am sure that cross-connections will be incredibly important to his constituents. He is a champion for that. The proposal will make the current capacity work better and maximise the investment that has already been made. I urge the Minister to back this proposal. It has cross-party support to deliver the connections that my constituents are ready to use and from which they will certainly benefit.

• 11 Mar 2026 · Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation · Hansard source

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  I agree with residents across Wolverhampton and Willenhall that Royal Mail’s delivery service is just not good enough, but we stand with our frontline postal workers, who are working incredibly hard and bearing the brunt. I call on the Minister to challenge Royal Mail’s leadership, and to have a look at the two-tier employment model and wider issues that are affecting the recruitment and retention of our hard-working staff.

• 11 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 11 March.

• 11 Mar 2026 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Strengthening Britain’s defence capability and rebuilding our industrial base have never been more important. Will the Government’s £1 billion helicopter investment with Leonardo UK support skilled jobs across the UK, including at Tata Steel in Wednesfield and throughout the supply chains in Wolverhampton North East, where we are immensely proud of our Black Country steel and manufacturing heritage? Will the Prime Minister ask relevant Ministers to meet me to discuss securing more of those good jobs in Wolverhampton and Willenhall?

• 3 Mar 2026 · Spring Forecast · Hansard source

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  Does the Chancellor agree that restoring confidence and hope for families in Wolverhampton and Willenhall is achieved through a stable economy, with borrowing, debt interest and inflation falling faster than expected, moving away from the chaos of spiralling mortgage rates and towards the stability of falling rates?

• 24 Feb 2026 · Ambulance Response Times · Hansard source

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  8. What steps his Department is taking to improve ambulance response times.

• 24 Feb 2026 · Ambulance Response Times · Hansard source

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  I thank the Minister for her update. I welcome the progress made on ambulance response times and handovers. I recently visited Willenhall ambulance hub to thank the incredible staff and to hear about winter pressures, local handover delays and the strain of late finishes on their family life and childcare. What action is being taken to tackle systemic bottlenecks in A&E departments, high bed occupancy and pharmacy delays to protect staff wellbeing and ensure high-quality patient care?

• 23 Feb 2026 · Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving · Hansard source

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  Those who work in education, as I did, will know of the creaking bureaucratic SEND system that, too often, puts specialists behind paperwork rather than directly benefiting children. Will the Secretary of State explain how her SEND reforms will put children’s needs first and give schools access to specialists such as speech and language specialists and education psychologists when needed, and not after some awful adversarial process?

• 10 Feb 2026 · Place-based Employment Support Programmes · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Patrick Hurley) for securing this important debate on place-based employment schemes. Local jobs, local skills and local employment support, rooted in communities, will change individuals’ lives as well as boosting local economies. My residents in Wolverhampton North East will understand that deeply. In previous debates on young people not in education, employment or training, I have said that the challenge cannot be solved by a single national programme or by one-size-fits-all policies from Whitehall. Instead, we need local solutions, rooted in local labour markets and built around developing and building people, skills and aspirations. That is the approach that I am calling for and I welcome the Labour Government to continue to work closely with our Mayor, Richard Parker, and also with local councils. In Wolverhampton, through the Wolves at Work employment hub at the i10, residents are not handed generic advice; instead, time is invested in individuals to support them as needed. More than 1,800 residents have had employment advice and successful job matching, with more than 40% of those supported aged under 25. That is place-based employment support that is rooted in local partnerships and focused on real outcomes. The open door programme does literally that. It opens up opportunities by giving paid work experience to those who might otherwise never get that first chance. Labour’s support for sector-based work academy programmes, a practical route into work, and for the youth guarantee trailblazer, part of the Get Britain Working plan, shows how this Government are focused on tailored, targeted support that will meet local needs. The major funding package for youth employment, benefiting about a million young people, is a sign of Labour’s commitment to tackling the long-term issue of young people not in education, employment or training. Behind every statistic on NEETs is a young person who needs a guided pathway, with support for their specific needs. In Wolverhampton, we know that 2.6% of young people aged 16 to 17 were NEET in 2025. Although I appreciate that is lower than the national average, it is still hundreds of young people who deserve the opportunity to see themselves in a good quality job and a career suited to them. For too long under previous Governments, employment support, skills funding and local growth strategies have operated in silos and we have seen inconsistencies, but this Labour Government are doing things differently. We are aligning skills with jobs, investing in local employment hubs for the long term, and backing councils and mayoral combined authorities to shape programmes that work for their places. How will the Minister address the challenge of scaling up that success, so that where someone grows up no longer determines whether they can get on in life? I call on the Minister to fully back place-based employment schemes to connect people to jobs for hope, ambition and action.

• 26 Jan 2026 · Key Stage 1 Curriculum · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for South Cotswolds (Dr Savage), as well as Ruth and all the campaigners who have turned out in good numbers to bring this important debate on play-based learning to the House. Growing up in today’s world is difficult for children, and it presents unique challenges for our brilliant early years sector. Too many children start school without the fundamental skills that they need. Often, they are not school ready, toilet trained or able to use a knife and fork; they are unable to focus, pay attention or concentrate; and they do not have the speech and language skills or the ability to play and form friendships. Those are fundamental skills. Without them, far too many children struggle to thrive and flourish, and it can scar the rest of their school years. Early years provision should embrace how young children learn best. The move from the play-based early years foundation stage into the far more formal structure of key stage 1 can be abrupt for many. Play-based learning is statutory only up to the end of reception. Once children enter key stage 1, there is no requirement in the national curriculum to continue that approach, despite clear evidence that five, six and seven-year-olds still learn best through exploration, collaboration and carefully planned play alongside direct teaching. This issue matters enormously in communities like mine in Wolverhampton and Willenhall, where schools are working hard to close early attainment gaps and to support children who face disadvantage. While phonics and early attainment results are improving, too many children still arrive at school without the secure foundations they need. If we are to tackle lifelong barriers, we must get the early years of formal schooling right, which is why I welcome the Government’s actions under the leadership of the Secretary of State. Significant steps in the right direction have been taken to better support early years childcare and education, including the roll-out of Best Start hubs and Families First partnerships. But we have to focus better on school readiness, supporting early speech and language development, and further strengthening early years provision. The Government are taking practical steps to ensure that children are equipped with the skills they need. The initiatives to improve phonics, early literacy and teacher training reflect a clear commitment to building solid foundations for all children, but we must recognise the importance of play and holistic development. Play is not just a “nice to have”; it is a foundation of language and literacy development, as the National Literacy Trust has highlighted. High-quality play is especially vital for disadvantaged children, helping to close early language gaps and give every child the tools to thrive. Simply put, play is the rocket fuel of learning. I support children’s health and wellbeing and urge the Government to listen to parents and early years professionals and take meaningful steps to embed play and continuous provision within the key stage 1 statutory framework.

• 21 Jan 2026 · Warm Homes Plan · Hansard source

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  I, too, welcome the warm homes plan, which will lower constituents’ heating bills and provide for the biggest home upgrade in British history. How will the Secretary of State ensure that clean energy is the right choice not only for clean emissions but for cutting bills, while avoiding past Conservative failures on insulation that left tens of thousands of homes with severe damp, mould and structural damage?

• 13 Jan 2026 · Finance (No. 2) Bill · Hansard source

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  My constituents know all too well that there are some gambling companies that thrive on making vast profits from addiction, distress and despair, often delivered straight into people’s homes through online platforms and their mobile phones—quietly but devastatingly tearing families apart. That is why I speak today on clauses 83 to 85 and schedule 13. Remote gaming, including online slots and casino games, is the most addictive and fastest growing part of the gambling industry. Those products are deliberately engineered to keep people playing, spending and losing long after the fun has gone and the harm has begun. In Wolverhampton North East, through my constituency casework, I see the real-world consequences of parents trapped in spiralling debt, children going without the basics and relationships breaking under unbearable strain. The Bill addresses that harm head-on.