To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Royal Mail delivery delays on NHS service delivery, including in Stourbridge constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Royal Mail delivery delays on NHS service delivery, including in Stourbridge constituency.

Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the future: it is coming home. I echo my hon. Friend’s sentiments on Jude Bellingham. Not only is he making Stourbridge proud, but he is a source of pride for the whole nation.

In Great British Railways we are seeing the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation. We will work with all partners, such as local authorities and local businesses, to drive investment, support economic growth and deliver a better service for her constituents.

Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the future: it is coming home. I echo my hon. Friend’s sentiments on Jude Bellingham. Not only is he making Stourbridge proud, but he is a source of pride for the whole nation.

In Great British Railways we are seeing the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation. We will work with all partners, such as local authorities and local businesses, to drive investment, support economic growth and deliver a better service for her constituents.

Q14

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Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab):

Stourbridge is famous for many things: the glass industry, Jude Bellingham—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”]—Robert Plant and, most importantly, the Stourbridge shuttle, the UK’s shortest railway line at just 0.8 miles, or 1.3 km for those who prefer metric. It links Stourbridge Junction with Stourbridge Town. Despite its small size, it achieves an impressive 99.6% reliability compared with the west midlands average of 64.4%. One of my highlights as an MP was unveiling a shuttle car named after local legend George, the Stourbridge station cat, whose global social media following made him a beloved fixture at the junction. Today marks the start of “Shuttle Shorts”, a short film festival celebrating the journey. The shuttle shows how community railway can improve local mobility. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that Pre Metro’s ambition to introduce a VLR—very light rail—service between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill is a valuable opportunity for Great British Railways and that local businesses should be supported to do this?

Q14

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Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab):

Stourbridge is famous for many things: the glass industry, Jude Bellingham—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”]—Robert Plant and, most importantly, the Stourbridge shuttle, the UK’s shortest railway line at just 0.8 miles, or 1.3 km for those who prefer metric. It links Stourbridge Junction with Stourbridge Town. Despite its small size, it achieves an impressive 99.6% reliability compared with the west midlands average of 64.4%. One of my highlights as an MP was unveiling a shuttle car named after local legend George, the Stourbridge station cat, whose global social media following made him a beloved fixture at the junction. Today marks the start of “Shuttle Shorts”, a short film festival celebrating the journey. The shuttle shows how community railway can improve local mobility. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that Pre Metro’s ambition to introduce a VLR—very light rail—service between Stourbridge and Brierley Hill is a valuable opportunity for Great British Railways and that local businesses should be supported to do this?

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) economic; and (b) social impact on 1950s-born women...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) economic; and (b) social impact on 1950s-born women...

Due to my role in planning, I cannot comment on specific plans, but national park policy empowers local communities by making it clear that they can designate areas of importance as local green space through their local plans. Such designations ensure that these important assets are provided with protection, reflecting their importance.

Due to my role in planning, I cannot comment on specific plans, but national park policy empowers local communities by making it clear that they can designate areas of importance as local green space through their local plans. Such designations ensure that these important assets are provided with protection, reflecting their importance.

Corbett meadow is a beautiful meadow in my constituency that is at risk of development, but in the local plan it has been designated as local green space. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that, when the final plan comes out, that should be respected?

Corbett meadow is a beautiful meadow in my constituency that is at risk of development, but in the local plan it has been designated as local green space. Does my right hon. Friend agree with me that, when the final plan comes out, that should be respected?

I cannot comment on matters in that specific plan, but I congratulate my hon. Friend on that work, as our wildflower meadows are so precious. There are only 3% left, and we need to get them protected and communities looking after them as much as possible.

I cannot comment on matters in that specific plan, but I congratulate my hon. Friend on that work, as our wildflower meadows are so precious. There are only 3% left, and we need to get them protected and communities looking after them as much as possible.

Corbett meadow is a historic piece of land in my constituency and in the draft local plan it has been afforded the same protections as green-belt land. Does my hon. Friend agree that the recommendations should be carried forward into the final plan, not just because the land is our green lungs but for mental health and wellbeing?

Corbett meadow is a historic piece of land in my constituency and in the draft local plan it has been afforded the same protections as green-belt land. Does my hon. Friend agree that the recommendations should be carried forward into the final plan, not just because the land is our green lungs but for mental health and wellbeing?

I congratulate my hon. Friend on what she is doing to champion takeaways in Stourbridge. I am not sure it would be environmentally friendly for me to order a takeaway from Stourbridge to Westminster, but I thank her very much for her initiative. I look forward to visiting the hospitality sector in her constituency as soon as possible.

I congratulate my hon. Friend on what she is doing to champion takeaways in Stourbridge. I am not sure it would be environmentally friendly for me to order a takeaway from Stourbridge to Westminster, but I thank her very much for her initiative. I look forward to visiting the hospitality sector in her constituency as soon as possible.

Although hospitality has had to close its doors, in true black country spirit many of my venues have been entrepreneurial and now offer a great takeaway service. To celebrate that entrepreneurial spirit, today I am launching a “favourite takeaway” competition in my constituency. Will the Prime Minister join me in launching that competition, and will he also join me in a takeaway from the winning entrant when he is next in wonderful Stourbridge? He will receive a very warm welcome, and I would be happy to throw in a trip on the country’s finest shuttle, which I hope to see soon, called the “Stourbridge Dasher.”

Although hospitality has had to close its doors, in true black country spirit many of my venues have been entrepreneurial and now offer a great takeaway service. To celebrate that entrepreneurial spirit, today I am launching a “favourite takeaway” competition in my constituency. Will the Prime Minister join me in launching that competition, and will he also join me in a takeaway from the winning entrant when he is next in wonderful Stourbridge? He will receive a very warm welcome, and I would be happy to throw in a trip on the country’s finest shuttle, which I hope to see soon, called the “Stourbridge Dasher.”

The Clockfields estate in my constituency has long suffered from poorly maintained roads, owing to a complicated legal situation. Will my right hon. Friend join me in encouraging all parties involved to work harder and faster to bring a conclusion to this matter, which has caused my constituents to live with such poor road surfaces for so many years?

The Clockfields estate in my constituency has long suffered from poorly maintained roads, owing to a complicated legal situation. Will my right hon. Friend join me in encouraging all parties involved to work harder and faster to bring a conclusion to this matter, which has caused my constituents to live with such poor road surfaces for so many years?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. I am not sure whether this is one of those situations where the road has not yet been adopted and that is part of the problem.

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. I am not sure whether this is one of those situations where the road has not yet been adopted and that is part of the problem.

My hon. Friend is nodding her head. I have had a similar constituency experience of that, where roads for estates built 15 years ago still have not been adopted. I do think that it is an issue, and I undertake to work on this complex legal issue with my right hon. Friend the Housing Secretary, because it is a joint transport and housing problem, and I have seen how much difficulty it can create for all of our constituents.

My hon. Friend is nodding her head. I have had a similar constituency experience of that, where roads for estates built 15 years ago still have not been adopted. I do think that it is an issue, and I undertake to work on this complex legal issue with my right hon. Friend the Housing Secretary, because it is a joint transport and housing problem, and I have seen how much difficulty it can create for all of our constituents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people who claimed jobseeker's allowance (JSA) at some point during the year were subject to a JSA sanction in that year in (a) Stourbridge Jobcentre and (b) Stourbridge constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people who claimed jobseeker's allowance (JSA) at some point during the year were subject to a JSA sanction in that year in (a) Stourbridge Jobcentre and (b) Stourbridge constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils in each primary school in Stourbridge constituency met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013-14 academic year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of pupils in each primary school in Stourbridge constituency met the required standard of phonic decoding in the 2013-14 academic year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses have opened in Stourbridge constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses have opened in Stourbridge constituency in each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils at each of the secondary schools in the Stourbridge constituency achieved A*-C grades in English Baccalaureate subjects (a) overall and (b) in each individual subject area in the academic year 2012-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils at each of the secondary schools in the Stourbridge constituency achieved A*-C grades in English Baccalaureate subjects (a) overall and (b) in each individual subject area in the academic year 2012-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Attlee on 3 March (Official Report, col. 1173), what changes Network Rail made to the infrastructure in order to improve the ride quality on light railways; and whether the track conformed to European and United Kingdom standards before and...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Attlee on 3 March (Official Report, col. 1173), what changes Network Rail made to the infrastructure in order to improve the ride quality on light railways; and whether the track conformed to European and United Kingdom standards before and...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on reinstating the Stourbridge to Walsall freight rail line; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on reinstating the Stourbridge to Walsall freight rail line; and if he will make a statement.