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On a visit to City Road Primary School • Combined £1.2 billion funding in schools and hospitals part of Labour’s promise to deliver public infrastructure improvements through its Plan for Change   • Classrooms and school facilities at City Road Primary School upgraded to be safe and warm   • MP backs investment to give local children the ‘best start in life’   Pupils in North Edgbaston are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools across the country thanks to the Labour government. Children in City Road Primary School will benefit from a share of a £470 million allocation (£35.4 million for the West Midlands) through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).  The investment is for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.    The funding is part of Labour’s mission to fix the dire state of public services inherited from the Conservatives and deliver investment and reform through the Plan for Change, supporting children to get the best start in life.    It is part of a record £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year – £300m more than the previous year – as Labour forges on with delivering for the public by investing in our children, their futures and the future of this country.   MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston, Preet Kaur Gill, said:   “Students at City Road Primary School will benefit hugely from these vital upgrades, which will create a safe environment where they can achieve and thrive. I know just how important this investment from our Labour government is – I regularly visit the school, hold my monthly advice surgeries there, and I even attended the school as a child.   “Parents across my constituency of Birmingham, Edgbaston will remember the terror of the RAAC crisis, the fear that children were no longer safe in their own school because of years of Tory neglect.    “With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and safer schools, Labour is setting children up for the best start.”    Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:    “The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn't good enough.   “Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.   “This investment is about more than just buildings - it's about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.”    Labour’s investment will deliver energy efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not just fit for lessons, but for the future. Creating a welcoming and supportive school environment for generations of children so they can achieve and thrive as they progress through their education.   A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone, as Labour seeks to fix the foundations of our school estate.    Rejuvenating schools by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient but fit for all pupils needs.   This will provide high-tech facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.   Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.   ENDS Notes to editors   • DfE newsdesk available on 020 7783 8300   • In some cases there is more than one funded project at an individual school. • Case study from Langley Park Primary School in the North East available via Department for Education.   • Maintained schools and schools in larger academy trusts receive capital funding via the local council or via their trust, rather than via the Condition Improvement Fund, so not all schools are eligible for support from the CIF. Find out more on eligibility here

Great British Railways Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander with South Western Rail On Sunday, South Western Railway became the first railway to be brought back into public ownership.   Great British Railways won’t just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.  Starting with South Western Railway, each rail operator will have to meet rigorous, bespoke performance standards on things like punctuality, cancellation and passenger experience, so we can rebuild a world class public service.  Later this year, we’ll bring forward legislation to set up Great British Railways, integrating the management of track and train to ensure operations run more seamlessly, bring accountability and reliability back into the railways and, in turn, helping to reduce delays and cancellations. This will get more people using our trains to travel to work, education and for leisure – boosting both the national and regional economies as part of the government’s Plan for Change. Read more here .  Housebuilding With Midland Heart If you promise to build homes, you must deliver them – it's as simple as that. Right now, over 165,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, and a whole generation is locked out of owning a home. Large housing sites with over 2,000 homes can take at least 14 years to develop – we need to get Britain building.   For the first time, housebuilders will have to commit to timeframes before granting planning permission and not leave half-finished sites gathering dust. While most developers want to get on and build, those who consistently fail to build out and those who secure planning permissions simply to trade land for profit could also face a ‘Delayed Homes Penalty’, paid directly to local planning authorities. Read more here .  SMEs With Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Edgbaston Stadium Local housebuilders must be the bedrock of our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and end the housing crisis we’ve inherited.  Our government is taking urgent action to make the system simpler, fairer and more cost effective, so smaller housebuilders can play a crucial role in our plan to build 1.5 million homes.  Our proposed planning reforms include:  Minor developments of up to nine homes will benefit from streamlined planning rules   A new ‘medium development’ category for sites between 10 and 49 homes with simpler rules and fewer costs  Modernisation of planning committees  Read more here .   Training and Skills With students from Lordswood Boys School When we invest in skills for young people, we invest in a shared, stronger economic future. Our government has announced that young people will benefit from 120,000 new training opportunities, backed by a record-breaking £3bn apprenticeship budget. This investment will open opportunities for young people to succeed in careers the country vitally needs to prosper. More routes into skilled work means more people building affordable homes, more care for NHS patients and more digital experts to push our economy forward. I regularly visit schools and universities and hear directly from young people who tell me they want access to good quality jobs. These landmark reforms backed by investment will ensure we break down the barriers to opportunity and ensure every young person gets the best start in life. Read more here .   Crime On a walkabout with police in North Edgbaston Police forces are to be given stronger powers to seize and destroy vehicles within 48 hours to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Currently, police must wait 14 days before being able to dispose of a vehicle, making it easier for offenders to reclaim their vehicles and with a limited deterrent to repeat offending.  Communities in Quinton and Bartley Green have become all too familiar with street racers and off-road bikers blighting our roads and public parks. I’m glad that this government is taking action to stamp out antisocial behaviour. Read more here .  Pensions   With elderly residents in the constituency Millions of workers will retire with bigger pension pots thanks to the Government’s plans to double the number of UK pension megafunds by 2030, unlocking billions to invest in Britain’s future. Reforms set to be introduced through the Pension Schemes Bill will mean all multi-employer Defined Contribution pension schemes and Local Government Pension Scheme pools operate at megafund level, managing at least £25 billion in assets by 2030. Evidence from Australia and Canada shows that this size allows pension funds to invest in big infrastructure projects and private businesses, boosting the economy while potentially driving higher returns for savers. Read more here .  Reservoirs At Edgbaston Reservoir On Thursday, our Labour Government stepped in to build new reservoirs for the first time in 30 years to unlock economic growth. The Environment Secretary Steve Reed has seized control of the planning process to build two much-needed reservoirs, delivering on this government’s commitment to fast-track the delivery of nine new reservoirs and supporting its plans to get Britain building with 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament.   Without these projects, national water supplies will remain under threat and new homes simply cannot be built. These new reservoirs will supply three waters of a million homes and unlock the building of tens of thousands more as part of the Plan for Change. Read more here .  Condition Improvement Fund With students at City Road Primary It's great news that pupils in North Edgbaston are set to benefit from essential maintenance fixes being rolled out in schools by our Labour government. Children in City Road Primary School will benefit from a share of a £470 million allocation (£35.4 million for the West Midlands) through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).  The investment is for projects in education and healthcare settings, set to fix crumbling roofs and remove dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in England’s classrooms and undoing years of dangerous Conservative neglect.  Students at City Road Primary School will benefit hugely from these vital upgrades, which will create a safe environment where they can achieve and thrive. I know just how important this investment from our Labour government is – I regularly visit the school, hold my monthly advice surgeries there, and I even attended the school as a child.    Parents across my constituency of Birmingham, Edgbaston will remember the terror of the RAAC crisis, the fear that children were no longer safe in their own school because of years of Tory neglect.     With free breakfast clubs, cheaper uniform costs and safer schools, Labour is setting children up for the best start. Read more here . Energy Thousands of people are set to get payouts over being forced into fitting prepayment energy meters. Some customers could receive payouts of up to £1,000 each, and some could see debts written off. This follows a review by the energy regulator, Ofgem, of the way suppliers switched often vulnerable customers to paying upfront, without their agreement, after they fell behind with their bills. Read more here . Liverpool Parade I was heartbroken by the incident at the Liverpool victory parade on Monday. My brother was in attendance and narrowly missed being caught up in it. My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to everyone affected. I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift response to this shocking incident.   Local News NHS Outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital The NHS has warned that supplies of O negative blood in the West Midlands are critically low. The health service is urging people with O negative blood to book an appointment and donate today.  Read more here .  Vaisakhi Celebrations At WMP's Vaisakhi Celebration It was great to be at Tally Ho Centre for West Midlands Police’s Vaisakhi celebration in my constituency. I’d like to thank Craig Guildford, Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, and the Sikh Police Association for organising the event.  Bins Update Speaking to BBC WM about the bin strike The Council has been granted an inter im injunction to ensure that the picketing and protesting behaviou r outside of the Council’s three depots by striking bin workers is in accordance with legal provisions. The Council has been negotiating with Unite since the start of this strike around the behaviours at its depots, and whilst everyone has a right to protest, the council has a public health duty to uphold and clearing waste is central to this. I'm calling for Unite to come back around the table to bring an end to this industrial dispute. The Council has been fair and transparent with it's job evaluation process. Fundamentally, the waste service in our city needs to be transformed into one that the citizens of Birmingham deserve. Wyndham Road My objection letter to the council I'm glad that the application to turn 2 Wyndham Road into a giant 7-bedroom HMO have been refused by the council. I objected to this application twice on behalf of North Edgbaston residents. You can read my latest objection above. Investment Zones With Mayor Richard Parker Our Mayor Richard Parker is delivering three investment zones across the West Midlands, creating thousands of jobs in our region.  The three zones include the Coventry-Warwick Gigapark, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor. These zones blend a mix of capital investment, tax incentives, and business support programmes linked to innovation-led growth clusters. This will deliver countless jobs, growth and opportunities across our region. Read more here .  Severn Trent Severn Trent are hosting hundreds of jobs, local employers and free training and support on Thursday 5th June from 10am to 2pm, at Birmingham City Football Club.  Joining Severn Trent on the day are over 30 employers with live jobs and opportunities, including Barclays, EE, the Royal Navy, Warwickshire Police and the Department of Work and Pensions. Book your ticket here . Patchwork Party Conference Programme  Applications for the 2025 Patchwork Party Conference Programme are now open! This is a great opportunity for aspiring young change makers to attend one of the three major party conferences for the first time.   Applications close Monday 2nd June at 9am. Find out more and apply here .  Community Pride Last week, the Co-operative Party released a ground-breaking new report with Hope Not Hate on how pride in our communities can restore trust in our politics and hope in our country. I told the Co-operative Party what makes me proud about our community in Birmingham, Edgbaston. This is what I said: "Birmingham, Edgbaston is more than just my constituency - it's my home. I grew up here, among a diverse and vibrant community that has always stood together through challenges and change. This community has shaped my values, and it's why I'm so passionate about giving back and fighting for the people who make this place so special." You can read the report here . Labour Achievements Here’s nine things Labour’s Plan for Change delivered last week: Negotiated a new deal with the EU that is good for bills, good for jobs, and good for borders. This follows the crucial international trade deals we’ve signed with the US and India in the past 2 weeks alone Net migration almost halved in the past year – Labour is taking back control of our borders Landmark sentencing review reforms will put public protection and cutting crime at the heart of the justice system and ensure the public is never put at risk again from prisons running out of space or police being unable to make arrests Energy price cap down by £129 from July. We are delivering secure, homegrown energy to bring bills down for good, putting more money back in your pocket Nearly 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK returned since the election — 12% more than under the Tories 145% surge in criminal investigations into water companies to clean up the complete mess the Tories left Youth Trailblazer scheme launched in Liverpool as part of £45 million scheme to help young people get the skills, education, and jobs they require to achieve their ambitions £4 million of new humanitarian aid for Gaza, as well as new sanctions against settler movements in the West Bank New knife surrender scheme to get ninja swords and other dangerous weapons off our streets Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

UK-EU Summit Keir Starmer at the UK-EU Summit On Monday, the Prime Minister hosted a EU-UK Summit at Lancaster House, where he confirmed a new partnership with the European Union which will deliver on his mission to grow the economy, backs British jobs and puts more money in people’s pockets. This deal is made in our national interest, and is good for jobs, bills and borders.  Extensive negotiations over the last six months have led to the third major deal struck by the Government in as many weeks, following the US and India.  It's fantastic news that the UK will develop a controlled youth experience scheme with the EU, which would provide young Brits with access to work, travel and study in 27 countries. As someone who worked abroad as a social worker when they were a new graduate, I know first-hand what a life-changing experience it can be to travel and experience new cultures, not least on your future job prospects. As the youngest city in Europe, this deal represents a massive boost for Birmingham.  The set-up of a new youth experience scheme would mirror existing youth schemes the UK has with 13 non-European countries. As with these established schemes, it would be visa-based, time-limited and subject to a cap on numbers. This would not enable long-term settlement, making it a far cry from freedom of movement.  In addition, the deal the UK Government has agreed will make it easier for UK citizens to go on holiday by confirming the introduction of EU e-gates, allowing for more time spent on holiday and less time in queues.   The UK-EU deal will boost trade with our closest neighbours and biggest trading partner, adding nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040. The deal saves jobs in steel and energy; makes trade easier for farmers and fishers; and encourages investment in jobs across food and drink, defence, and in the North Sea.    The agreement will make it easier for food and drink to be exported by reducing the restrictions that placed burdens on businesses and led to lengthy lorry queues at the border. Some routine checks on animal and plant products will be removed completely, allowing goods to flow freely again, and bringing down food prices and increasing choice on supermarket shelves.    After the 21% drop in exports and 7% drop in imports seen since Brexit, the UK will also be able to sell various products, such as burgers and sausages, back into the EU again, supporting these vital British industries.    For businesses in the West Midlands, b y cutting red tape, our government has opened the door to businesses in various sectors to invest more in the UK economy and create more jobs in our region.  Our deal with the EU will strengthen our defence and security. We have concluded the Security and Defence Partnership between the UK and the EU, which covers cooperation on Ukraine, cyber, the defence industry, crisis management and more. UK defence firms are also set to participate in the proposed £150 bn EU Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund, supporting thousands of British jobs and boosting growth.  The Federation of Small Businesses, the CBI, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Food and Drink Federation, UK Hospitality, Salmon Scotland, the British Meat Processors Association and Morrisons supermarket have all expressed their support for the deal.  You can read more about the agreement  here .    Israel-Gaza Joint Statement from UK, Canada and France The UK Government has been clear that that the Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law.   On Tuesday, the Prime Minister signed a joint statement with the leaders of France and Canada threatening Israel with concrete actions, calling on it to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter the territory.  We are now entering a dark new phase in this conflict. Netanyahu’s government talk of driving Gazans from their home and permitting them a fraction of aid that they need. Minister Smotrich has spoken of Israeli forces ‘cleansing’ Gaza, of ‘destroying what’s left' and of resident Palestinians being ‘relocated to third countries.’ This is dangerous extremism.   Israel suffered a heinous attack on 7th October. The Government have always backed Israel’s right to defend itself, condemned Hamas and their abhorrent treatment of the hostages. But Israel’s plan is morally unjustifiable, wholly disproportionate and utterly counterproductive and it is not the way to bring the hostages home.  This government opposes any attempt to expand settlements in the West Bank. The Prime Minister has been clear that Israel must halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.   I will continue to work with the Government to push for an immediate ceasefire, an end to illegal settlements in the West Bank and a two-state solution for a lasting peace .   You can read the Prime Minister's Joint Statement with the leaders or Canada and France here . Diego Garcia Deal Prime Minister Keir Starmer securing the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia Diego Garcia is fundamental to British national security. It is a critical asset. It supports counter-terrorism, monitors hostile states, and enables the rapid deployment of US and British forces across the world, making it our most important contribution to the UK-US security relationship. This includes supporting counter terrorism operations against high value Islamic State targets in recent years. It is a launchpad to defeat terrorists, protect global trade routes and monitor nuclear threats. The British people are safer today because of this deal.  The new deal guarantees 99 years of secure access and full operational freedom, and the right to extend by a further 40 years by agreement. That includes control of installations, the electromagnetic spectrum, communications, berthing, logistics, and land use— protected by a legally binding treaty. Our allies back the deal. The United States supports it. President Trump called it a “very long-term, powerful lease.” Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and India also back it because they understand the base’s value to global security. Without the deal we have signed today, we would face provisional measures which would make the base inoperable. Even if we chose to ignore such a judgement, our land, sea and air operations would be compromised. Even if we didn’t comply, allies and international organisations would —undermining operations and weakening our national security. The consequences would be severe. We may be unable to safely berth nuclear submarines, patrol the surrounding waters, or prevent China or other nations from setting up installations or conducting joint military exercises near the base.  You can read more here .  Immigration At a morning briefing with West Midlands Police Labour is taking back control of our borders. This week, the ONS stated that UK net migration almost halved in 2024, falling to 431,000.   Our government has already returned nearly 30,000 people since the election who have no right to be here.   Last week, we published our Immigration White Paper, the first step in taking back control:   It raises the skill level, so we ensure only the brightest and best can come to the UK.   It establishes new workforce strategies, so key sectors using the visa system have to train people at home.   It tackles student and graduate visa abuse, supporting genuine study whilst fixing loopholes that drive up numbers claiming asylum.   It raises English language requirements to support integration.   And it reforms settlement and citizenship, to reward contribution more than time served.  You can read more about our plans here .  Youth Guarantee With dentistry students in Birmingham Thousands of young people are set to benefit from our new youth guarantee, which will provide people with targeted support into work.  The £45 million scheme, launching in Liverpool, will match young people to job or training opportunities and will provide all-important foundations for the national roll-our of the programme, ensuring all 18 to 21 year olds in England can access help to find work – breaking down the barriers to opportunity. You can read more here .  Teacher Pay Boost At the new breakfast club at World's End Infant and Nursery School Teachers in England are set to benefit from a 4% pay award from September this year.   The pay boost builds on the work already underway to deliver on the government’s commitment as part of its Plan for Change to drive high and rising standards for every child, in every school. This includes a stronger accountability system through reforms to Ofsted inspection, new regional improvement teams to tackle poorly performing schools, and a new, rich and broad curriculum so pupils are set up for life, work and the future.   Like the rest of the public sector, schools will need to play their part in getting maximum value from every pound of public money. Schools will be expected to find the first 1% of the pay award through improved productivity and smarter spending with the government providing significant additional investment of £615 million.  You can read more here .  Knife Crime Speaking in a debate about knife crime in the West Midlands I’m glad that more dangerous weapons will be removed from our streets through a new government surrender scheme in partnership with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime.  The Home Office is funding 37 new surrender bins across the West Midlands, London and Greater Manchester – the three highest areas of knife crime in England and Wales.  As well as this, throughout July, knife crime activist and member of the government’s coalition, Faron Paul, will drive across the West Midlands, London and Greater Manchester in a purpose-built and fully secure van, encouraging young people to hand over dangerous and illegal weapons safely. Read more here .  I have been raising the issue of knife crime in Birmingham in Parliament and in the media for years. You can read my speech on tackling knife crime here.   Research and Development Hearing about innovative research and development projects in the West Midlands BioNTech is investing £1 billion in the UK – bringing new jobs, cutting-edge research, and big breakthroughs in cancer treatment and AI. This is a real boost for science, health, and our economy. Read more here .  The Government is also setting 10-year budgets for R&D funding – giving researchers and businesses the long-term stability they need to deliver breakthroughs and drive growth. Read more here .  Sewage A message from Steve Reed, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs This Government inherited a broken system where water companies got away with pumping record levels of sewage into our waterways.  We are cleaning up the Tories’ mess. A record 81 criminal investigations into water companies have been launched in England since the election, as part of the Government’s crackdown on sewage dumping. This is the largest criminal action against water companies in history.   But this is just the beginning, with the Environmental Agency on track to deliver 10,000 inspections next year using tougher powers gained through Labour’s Water (Special Measures) Act. Read more here .  Sentencing With West Midlands Police The last government left our prisons at the point of collapse.  We are building prisons in the largest expansion since the Victorians. We have opened 2,400 new places already, and are funding £4.7 billion over the next three years to keep us on track for 14,000 places by 2031. The last Government added less than 500 places in 14 years in power.   But we cannot just build our way out, so today we have announced we are reforming sentencing.   Release will be earned, for most offenders. There will be new minimums, ranging from 1/3 to half of a sentence, depending on severity of offence. This earned approach has cut crime and the prison population in Texas.  Some will be excluded, with no change for the most dangerous offenders (those serving "extended" determinate sentences). Life sentences will also not be affected.   There will be a huge uplift in probation funding and tagging. £700 million more for probation, a 45% annual increase. And enough to fund tens of thousands more tagged offenders.  Tougher community punishment will follow reforms to short and suspended sentences.  We will look at expanding the use of ‘medicines which manage problematic sexual arousal’ on sex offenders.     We are also introducing new measures to support victims, including:   Better identifying domestic abusers at sentencing  Tagging and monitoring more offenders  Redesigning exclusion zones, which currently restrict the movement of victims more than offenders  You can read more here . Energy Bills Ofgem have announced that the energy price cap will fall by 7% from July. The fall in energy bills is welcome news, and will mean working people can keep more money in their pocket. This Labour government is supporting families and our plan for cheap, home-grown energy will bring down bills in the long term. Last week, the Great British Energy Act became law. This will lead to the creation of the first publicly-owned energy company in over 70 years - a domestic clean power champion, owned by the British people, for the British people. Read more here .  Local News ASB in Council Properties With West Midlands Police I am really concerned by the rise in council tenants contacting me to report antisocial behaviour. In the city, we’re getting around 5,000 cases of antisocial behaviour every single year. We need to think, how on earth did we get into this situation? The council does have an effective policy to deal with antisocial behaviour in council properties, but we need to ensure it is complying with it. The council only has around 100 housing officers, who have a range of responsibilities, with antisocial behaviour being just one of them. We need to look at how the council is coping with this rise in demand. I spoke to BBC West Midlands, read more here .  Road Safety, Shenley Fields At the Road Safety Premiere at Shenley Fields It was a pleasure to attend the Shenley Fields Daycare & Nursery School Road Safety Video Premiere. The children have formed a Rights Respecting Steering Group and made a brilliant video explaining how to stay safe on our roads. You can watch their video here .   I want to assure you that I take reckless driving very seriously, which is why since I was re-elected in July, I have been working with both the police and City Council to call for improved safety measures across the constituency.   I am pleased that Birmingham City Council has responded to my calls and declared a road safety emergency. It has also established a multi-agency taskforce, Gold Command, which has begun to take action to address some of the issues around dangerous driving including changing the city road speed limits from 40mph to 30mph and increasing the number of police patrols in dangerous driving hotspots.   I’m glad to announce that a deal has now been reached by West Midlands Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Mayor to install more speed cameras. I am currently working with the council regarding the rollout of speed cameras across our constituency. I will update you when I have more information about this scheme that I have been working on.  Birmingham City Council is also currently looking at the possibility of introducing more 20mph speed limits across our city. You can read more here .  Coffee Morning At my coffee morning in Bartley Green Last Saturday, it was brilliant to meet so many constituents at my coffee morning in Bartley Green. Thank you to everyone who came and raised the issues that matter to them.  I will be hosting more coffee mornings in the coming weeks and months, where I hope to meet more of you and listen to your concerns.  University and Hospital Parking Measures   Outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital Recent expansions at the University of Birmingham and facilities on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site mean that more people are now travelling to this area, creating additional pressure on parking in local streets.  The council has launched a consultation into their proposals for parking measures. You can read the full proposals and have your say here .  Buses With Prime Minister Keir Starmer The Labour Government has brought forward the Bus Services (no.2) Bill, which includes a range of measures to support local leaders to deliver better buses, end the postcode lottery of bus services and reverse the Conservatives’ ideological ban on publicly owned bus companies.   As your local MP, I want to hear how we can improve our bus network in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency. You can complete the survey to help shape public transport in our area here .  National Express West Midlands have announced that from Sunday 1st June, there will be changes to timetables, services and routes across the West Midlands. You can read the full list of changes here .  Here are some of the changes that will affect people travelling around the constituency.  Timetable changes on 11A Birmingham Outer Circle (Anticlockwise); 11C Birmingham Outer Circle (Clockwise); 23 Birmingham - Bartley Green; 24 Birmingham - Woodgate Valley North  X21 Birmingham - Bartley Green: Timetable revised due to introduction of X20 service; X22 Birmingham - Bartley Green: Timetable revised due to introduction of X20 service.    New route:  X20 Birmingham - Bromsgrove: New service introduced to replace the 20 & 20A between Birmingham, Q.E. Hospital, Northfield, Longbridge, Rednal, Catshill and Bromsgrove. Buses will run up to every 30 minutes between Birmingham and Rednal and up to every 60 minutes between Birmingham and Bromsgrove.   Routes withdrawn:  20 Q.E. Hospital - Bromsgrove: Replaced with new X20 service between Birmingham and Bromsgrove; 20A QE Hospital - Cofton Hackett: Replaced with new X20 service between Birmingham and Bromsgrove. Cofton Hackett will no longer be served.   Route changes on: 48 West Bromwich - Q.E. Hospital: The service will be extended to Northfield to cover the revised 76 route. Buses will now serve University Station instead of the Hospital Interchange; 76 Solihull - Northfield: Service will run between Solihull and QE Hospital. Revised 48 route will cover QE Hospital to Northfield. There will also be timetable changes across the week.  Government Consultations The Government has various consultations now open, which I would recommend you to feed into. Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Planning for new energy infrastructure: 2025 revisions to National Policy Statements , closing 29th May.  Department for Health and Social Care: Call for Evidence, Men's Health Strategy , closing 14th July.  HMRC and Treasury: Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy  (Sugar Tax), closing 21st July 2025.  Labour Achievements Here’s seven things Labour’s Plan for Change delivered last week: 📈 Thanks to our Labour Government, we now have the fastest growing economy in the G7 ❌ New plan to end years of uncontrolled migration and take back control of our borders ⚡ GB Energy legislation passes through Parliament backed by £8.3 billion to bring energy security and good green jobs 👮 Announced plans to add 14,000 new prison places by 2031 to fix the Tory prisons crisis – including four new prisons 👩‍🔧 Committed £625 million to train 60,000 young engineers, brickies, electricians, and carpenters, prioritising British workers ⚽ 10,000 teachers will be upskilled to deliver high quality inclusive physical education to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities benefitting over 240,000 pupils 👨‍💼 Thousands of government jobs to be relocated outside of London to boost local economies as part of our Places for Growth programme 🔆 £730 million for energy upgrades for schools, hospitals, and businesses to cut emissions and lower bills 🏫 Almost 1 million more young people will get access to school mental health support this year Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Immigration White Paper Keir Starmer launching the Immigration White Paper On Monday, we published our Immigration White Paper to take back control of our borders. We inherited an immigration system totally out of control. After promising to cut it, the Tories let net migration quadruple to almost a million – with lower-skilled migration and visa abuse replacing the high-skilled migration the public was promised post-Brexit.  In our manifesto, we promised to get net migration down and to introduce a proper points-based system that controls our borders, and stops migration being used as an alternative to skills and training at home. That is exactly what this White Paper delivers.  Our White Paper is the first step in taking back control:  It raises the skill level, so we ensure only the brightest and best can come to the UK.  It establishes new workforce strategies, so key sectors using the visa system have to train people at home.  It tackles student and graduate visa abuse, supporting genuine study whilst fixing loopholes that drive up numbers claiming asylum.  It raises English language requirements to support integration.  And it reforms settlement and citizenship, to reward contribution more than time served.  Immigration is important to Britain, but it needs to be controlled and managed so the system is fair. Whilst Reform and the Tories shout from the sidelines, this Labour government is delivering for working people. You can read more about our plans here . Borders White Cliffs of Dover This week, Parliament debated Labour's Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. This landmark legislation will see criminal gangs face counterterror-style tactics for the first time, transforming the ability of law enforcement to detect, prevent and prosecute people smugglers. You can read more about our Bill here .  Home Office   At a morning briefing with West Midlands Police Here’s some other things that the Home Office has announced this week: 👮‍♂️ 3,000 more neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs will be on the streets over the next year – with increased patrols in town centres starting this July. Read more here .     🤦🏻‍♂ The Shadow Home Secretary was caught admitting that the Tories had no plan for how to handle asylum seekers post-Brexit. Read more here .      💷 £20 million has been announced for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, honour-based abuse and stalking – including £5.3 million to support children affected by domestic abuse. Read more here .      🌍 The Defending Democracy Taskforce completed its review into the growing threat of transnational repression. Training on hostile state threats is now being rolled out to all UK police forces. Read more here .     ⚖ Six spies with links to Russia who targeted journalists, a Government official, and a military location have been sentenced to a combined total of 50 years in prison. Read more here .  Economy   With Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves Under this Labour Government, we have the fastest growing economy in the G7.  In the first three months of the year, the UK economy has grown faster than the US, Canada, France, Italy and Germany, with GDP rising by 0.7%.  We still have more to do. I understand that the cost of living is still very real for many families, but the numbers do show that the economy is beginning to turn a corner. Read more here .  Childcare At World's End Infant and Nursery School's breakfast club Children growing up in Birmingham and across our country deserve the best start in life, nothing less.   From this week, all eligible working parents with infants who will be 9 months old before 1st September can apply to access up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare, boosting parents’ work choices and children’s life chances. Parents who access the 30 hours of childcare will save £7,500 a year per child.  With savings from Labour’s free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cap, this rises to up to £8,000 for working parents who also have school-aged children, every year. You can read more here .  Civil Service Reform   Out and about in Birmingham Thousands of civil service jobs will be relocated to 13 towns and cities across the country, including to Birmingham.  This is part of the Government’s plan to move decision-making closer to communities all across the UK. By relocating thousands of civil service roles, we will not only save taxpayers money, we will make this government one that better reflects the country it serves. Read more here .  Appointments Outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital This Government is working to get our NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.  As part of that, we are slashing waiting times, meaning patients are being seen faster for scans including endoscopies, ultrasounds and MRIs. The latest data shows 44,000 fewer people waited more than six weeks for diagnostic tests compared to last year. It means some patients being referred for suspected illnesses including heart conditions, spinal cord injuries and various cancers could be diagnosed faster, helping save lives. Read more here .  Nurses Preet Kaur Gill with nurses at Birmingham women's hospital This week, the government announced that we are legally protecting the job title ‘Nurse’ to keep patients safe and to show nurses the respect they deserve. This will see rogue beauticians calling themselves a nurse to sell non-surgical procedures like Botox, dermal fillers and laser work fined thousands of pounds. Read more here .  Childbirth With Health Secretary Wes Streeting Childbirth should be one of the most life-affirming moments. It should begin with trust, dignity and care – not fear of being let down by the very system meant to protect you.  That’s why this week, our Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced an NHS scheme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth will be rolled out nationally. The scheme will help maternity staff respond more effectively in labour emergencies, including when a baby’s head becomes lodged deep during a caesarean birth. The new Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth programme will provide staff with the tools and right training to identify, intervene and manage obstetric emergencies. Read more here .  Great British Energy Act Solar panels The Great British Energy Bill has been passed by Parliament. This is the first publicly-owned energy company in over 70 years - a domestic clean power champion, owned by the British people, for the British people. Great British Energy will now be set up and start delivering benefits for the whole of the UK. This includes driving clean energy deployment, boosting energy independence, creating jobs, and ensuring UK taxpayers, billpayers and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy. Read more here .  Clean Power Outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital It’s brilliant news that Queen Elizabeth Hospital and University of Birmingham will benefit from cheaper energy through a clean power upgrade.   More than £14 million has been awarded to the Acute Building at Queen Elizabeth Hospital to pay for a heat pump. The Acute Building delivers a range of outpatient, diagnostic and day surgery services.   £1.96 million has also been granted to install a heat pump at the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Biomedical Research.  This forms part of an £84 million package for the region, for measures including heat pumps, solar panels, and energy efficiency, helping to make Britain energy secure as part of the Plan for Change.   This funding will deliver the benefits the benefits of clean power to communities across my constituency of Birmingham, Edgbaston and the wider West Midlands, through cheaper bills and more money for our public services.  Labour is delivering the clean power system that will ensure families, businesses and the services we rely on have energy security and lower bills for good. Read more here .  Prisons  Speaking to a West Midlands Police officer Our Labour government inherited prisons on the brink of collapse. After 14 years of Conservative governments, only 500 prison places were created.  This government will end the cycle of crisis and bring order and control back to our prisons. We have already committed £2.3 billion to prison expansion and have delivered 2,400 new places.  We plan to add 14,000 new prison places by 2031 and deliver four new prisons. You can read more here .  Mental Health With schoolchildren in my constituency Labour is delivering on our pledge to get more mental health support for children in our schools.   Expanding mental health support for young people is one of the single biggest steps we can take to improve children’s life chances, make sure all pupils are getting the very most out of school and deliver excellence for every child. Breaking the vicious cycle of poor mental health, low attendance and bad behaviour among children and young people is one of the most urgent challenges of facing our schools.  Under government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by the end of the decade, with six in ten pupils having access to a mental health support team by March 2026. You can read more here .  Violence Against Women and Girls  UoB's report launch in Parliament It was great to host the University of Birmingham in Parliament for their report launch on violence against women and girls. The research presented will help policymakers to better understand the nature of violence against women and girls and the efficacy of different methods to improve women’s safety. You can read their report here .  Business  Meeting with Sebastien Gubel It was great to meet with Sebastien Gubel from the CGM, Morocco's leading business group, in Parliament. The CGEM represents 90,000 businesses who are keen to strengthen the growing trade partnership between Morocco and the UK.  Local News Affordable Homes With Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker Everyone deserves a warm, safe and affordable home but too many families are having to wait too long, forced to live in expensive and often poor quality rented or temporary accommodation.   I welcome news that hundreds more families are set to benefit over the next 12 months from new homes that are safe, decent and affordable as the region is handed more powers and funding from central government.  More than 1,700 new homes are expected to be funded from the region’s new £389m Integrated Settlement, which has been granted by the Government to our Mayor Richard Parker.   Hagley Road Fire The death of a resident in a Hagley Road supported accommodation hostel last Friday is a horrific tragedy. I visited the site and am working with local services. We need to now understand what happened and why, and ensure other residents there and nearby are safe and protected. I spoke to Birmingham Live, read more here . Street Surgery Meeting constituents in Edgbaston This week, I visited Wellington Road in Edgbaston to speak to constituents about the issues that matter most to them.  I am out talking to residents all year, not just at election time.  Coffee Morning   If you are a constituent and would like to chat about the issues that matter to you, please do come along to my coffee morning tomorrow!  You can join me at St Michael and All Angels church on the corner of Romsley Road and Field Lane, next to Bartley Green Social Club, B32 3PS, on Saturday 17th May between 10 and 11am.  Flytipping If you've spotted fly-tipping, report it here . With the new government crack down, fly-tippers' vehicles will be seized and crushed. Government WhatsApp You can keep up to what the Government is doing by following their channel on Whatsapp, here . PMQs If you are a constituent of mine and would like tickets to attend Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, please do get in touch with my office at preet.gill.mp@parliament.uk.   Labour Achievements Here’s seven things Labour’s Plan for Change delivered last week: 🚗 Secured an historic trade deal with the US to save thousands of British jobs in the steel and car industries 📈 Delivered a trade deal with India which will provide a £4.8 billion annual boost for the economy 🎖️ Announced VALOUR, a new UK-wide veteran support system to give veterans easier access to care and support ❤️‍🩹 1,000 GP surgeries will benefit from new funding to modernise their practices and deliver over 8 million more appointments this year 🌎 Largest package of sanctions yet announced against Putin ⚖️ New measures to force offenders to attend their sentencing hearing – or face tougher penalties 💷 Interest rates have been cut four times since Labour was elected, protecting your mortgages Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Waste criminals, fly-tippers and cowboy waste operators to have vehicles seized and crushed   New technology such as drones and mobile CCTV will be used to identify fly-tip vehicles   Waste cowboys face up to five years in prison under new legislation     A new crackdown on cowboy waste operators will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas, the Government has announced.     Councils will work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.     Ministers have launched a rapid review to slash red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles. Councils currently have to bear the significant cost of seizing and storing vehicles but under new plans fly-tippers will cover this cost, saving councils and taxpayers money.     In addition, waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally. Any criminals caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will now face up to five years in prison under new legislation.     Preet Kaur Gill, Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Edgbaston said:      “I want to make Birmingham one of the best places to grow up and grow old in, but fly-tipping is a major problem and has been ignored for too long by people who just don’t care.     “Residents around here are sick of our streets being plagued by discarded rubbish and waste and it is a disgrace that the Conservatives have done nothing to tackle it. It’s gone unpunished for far too long.     “That’s why I’m standing up for change and welcoming the Labour Government’s flytipping crack down that will punish waste cowboys, tackle the scourge of waste crime, and tell those who disrespect our area where to go.”    These measures support the Government’s Plan for Change and will help deliver its key mission of Safer Streets for the public, restoring communities’ faith in efforts to combat anti-social behaviour.     Waste crime is trashing communities across the country. Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount since 2018/19. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.     The Environment Agency will also carry out identity and criminal record checks on operators in the sector so there is nowhere to hide for rogue firms.     It will be handed more resources as they will now be able to fund the cost of policing the industry through permits, boosting their powers and cutting costs for taxpayers. The reforms will also give them more power to revoke permits, issue enforcement notices and hefty fines.      Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:      “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long.     “That ends today. The Government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.     “Under the Plan for Change, this Government will seize and crush fly-tippers' vans to clean up Britain’s streets.”    ENDS

Preet Kaur Gill MP at World's End Primary School • New data finds half a million children already benefitting from 15 hours extended childcare offer as Labour opens applications for tens of thousands more from today   • Eligible working parents to double their savings, reaching up to £7,500 per child thanks to Labour’s Plan for Change to put money back in people’s pockets   • Families on lower incomes see biggest benefits as new survey shows offer boosting work choices   Working parents in Birmingham, Edgbaston will soon see cash back in their pockets the Labour government opens applications for 30 hours of funded childcare from September.   From today (12 May), all eligible working parents of children who will be 9 months old before 1 September can apply to access up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, saving them up to £7,500 a year per child.   With savings from Labour’s free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cap, this rises to up to £8,000 for working parents who also have school-aged children, every year.   This latest milestone follows the successful rollout of 15 funded hours for children from 9 months last September, with 499,592 children already benefitting from access to more affordable and high-quality early years education and childcare. Despite the pledge without a plan inherited from the Conservatives posing significant delivery challenges, Labour is committed to increasing access to childcare that gives every child the best start in life. That’s why through its Plan for Change, the Labour government has already taken urgent action through hundreds of new school-based nurseries and a £2 billion extra investment compared to last year to support the brilliant existing providers deliver the 35,000 additional staff and 70,000 places required to meet demand for September.   Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston, said:  “I hear from families across my constituency that childcare is too often inaccessible and unaffordable. I encourage families to come forward and take up the support being offered by Labour, as we seek to boost work choices for parents and life chances for children.   “With government-funded childcare, free breakfast clubs and cheaper uniform costs, Labour is putting thousands of pounds back in parents’ pockets.   “Children growing up in Birmingham deserve nothing less than the best start in life, that’s what our Plan for Change will deliver.”  A new government survey of parents who took up the childcare entitlements last September has found that Labour’s rollout is breaking down barriers to opportunity and playing a key role in supporting British business and kick-starting economic growth.   Lower-income families are seeing the biggest impact, with one in five of those earning £20,000 – £40,000 having increased their working hours thanks to the 15 hours brought in last year.   Looking ahead to this September, of the 2,723 respondents who are planning to increase their childcare hours, over half (1,425) are intending to up their work hours too - good news for families, and good news for employers.   Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:   “Labour has a clear Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity across this country, which starts by ensuring our children start school ready to learn.   “Early years is my number one priority, and making sure families are able to benefit from this rollout is a promise made, and promise kept. But this is just the beginning.   “Through the hard work of the sector, supported by our record investment, landmark school-based nursery rollout and focus on vital early learning support, we will deliver an early years system that gives every child the best start in life.”   The success of the rollout so far is testament to the work and commitment of nurseries, preschools and childminders, alongside local authorities, with 6123 of 6337 respondents who applied for government-funded hours last Autumn going on to secure a place.  ENDS

- Labour announces 8 million new GP appointments this year, delivered through Labour’s Plan for Change   - Lordswood House Medical Centre, Bartley Green Medical Practice, Quinborne Medical Centre, and Ridgacre House Medical Centre in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency to benefit from £102 million funding boost  - Currently GPs have capacity to take on more patients but can’t because of outdated buildings limiting working spaces   - Over 1000 GP surgeries across the country, including in Birmingham are to be supported to modernise. This is the biggest public investment in GP facilities for five years  Preet Kaur Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston has today welcomed the Labour government’s announcement that patients will benefit from over 8.3 million more GP appointments each year as over a thousand doctor’s surgeries receive a bricks and mortar upgrade to modernise practices.   In Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency, four surgeries are set to benefit from the £102 million funding boost from the government - Lordswood House Medical Centre, Bartley Green Medical Practice, Quinborne Medical Centre and Ridgacre House Medical Centre.  Preet Kaur Gill MP said that residents in Birmingham, Edgbaston would soon feel the impact of an announcement that will ‘help deliver on Labour’s promise to fix the front door of the NHS’ and would be ‘music to the ears of patients who are too often stuck in the 8am scramble for a GP appointment’. She has written to the four surgeries and will be meeting with them to ensure that this investment is delivered locally. Backed by the Labour government’s major cash injection of over £102 million, over 1000 GP surgeries will receive vital funding to create additional space to see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care, following years of neglect.   Right now, many GP surgeries could be seeing more patients, but don’t have enough room or the right facilities to accommodate them. From creating new consultation and treatment rooms to making better use of existing space, these quick fixes will help patients across the country, including in Birmingham, Edgbaston, be seen faster.   This represents the biggest investment in GP facilities in five years and is only possible because of the difficult but necessary choices made by the government in the Budget to invest £26 billion into the NHS. And it is another measure helping the Labour government shift care out of hospital and into the community, as part of its Plan for Change.   Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston said:   “Residents in Birmingham, Edgbaston tell me their frustration after enduring the dreaded ‘8am scramble’ and the difficulty that they have in getting a GP appointment. I promised Labour would help bring back the family doctor – with 1,500 new GPs recruited already, I’m delighted that our Labour Government is starting to deliver on that promise.   “But that was just the start. We said we would fix the front door of the NHS – today we’re fixing the front, the sides, the back and all the rooms in between with the biggest investment GP facilities have seen for years. A Labour government delivering on our promises for Birmingham, Edgbaston.  “I urge constituents to get in touch with me if they are struggling to get a GP appointment.”  Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:   “It will be a long road, but this government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future.   “These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.   “It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.”  ENDS   Notes to editors: Projects will be delivered during the 2025-26 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin in summer 2025.  Preet Kaur Gill MP has written to the four surgeries that will benefit from this wave of funding. See letters attached.

UK-US Trade Deal   Keir Starmer announcing the UK-US trade deal at Jaguar Land Rover in Solihull The UK and the US have agreed to enhance our trading relationship with the Economic Prosperity Deal.   It is the duty of any government to protect the economy and ensure economic security for working people. That is why we have done this deal with the US – the first country to do so – in our national interest.  Car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% - saving hundreds of millions a year for Jaguar Land Rover alone. This will apply to a quota of 100,000 UK cars, almost the total the UK exported last year.    The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. This follows last month’s intervention from the Prime Minister to take control of British Steel to save thousands of jobs in Scunthorpe.  In a win for both nations, we have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a quota for 13,000 metric tonnes. There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports. We will also remove the tariff on ethanol – which is widely used in our manufacturing sector - coming into the UK from the US, down to zero. Read more here .  JLR West Midlands MPs with Sir Keir Starmer On Wednesday, West Midlands MPs met with Jonathan Reynolds to raise the importance of a trade deal with the US to protect British jobs in the automotive sector. The car industry is vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. Jaguar Land Rover, who have sites in the West Midlands, employs 39,000 people and the US is their biggest export market. The Business and Trade Secretary assured MPs that he was working very hard to secure a deal with the US. It was great to see Keir Starmer at Jaguar Land Rover’s site in Solihull the following day announcing a deal that will secure the future of our automotive sector and protect hundreds of thousands of jobs. Farmers Showing my support for British produce The deal we signed on Thursday with the US will also protect British farmers and uphold our high animal welfare and environmental standards. Steve Reed, our Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has always been clear: no hormone-treated beef, no chlorinated chicken. As promised, these products remain illegal in the UK, and that will not change. Nigel Farage, however, has threatened to sell our farmers down the river by allowing chicken washed in chlorine and reared in appalling conditions to flood the UK market, which threatens to put British producers out of business. What's more, for the first time ever, the Government has secured exclusive access for UK beef farmers to the US market. You can read more here . UK-India Trade Deal   With Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds The UK has secured the biggest deal we have made since leaving the EU and the best deal India has ever agreed, providing businesses with security and confidence to trade with the fastest-growing economy in the G20.  This deal supports the UK’s world-leading high-growth sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy. It will slash tariffs for the UK. Whisky and gin tariffs will be halved from 150% to 75% before reducing to 40% by year ten of the deal, while automotive tariffs will go from over 100% to 10% under a quota.   This will be measured in billions of pounds into our economy and jobs across the whole of the United Kingdom. Our trade deal will raise living standards, put more money in the pockets of British working people, and deepen the unique ties between our two nations. Read more here , and my thread on National Insurance contributions here . Interest Rates Cut With Chancellor Rachel Reeves Under the Tories, interest rates skyrocketed, putting your mortgage up. Today interest rates have been cut for the fourth time in a row since Labour was elected, from 4.5% to 4.25%. For someone on a variable rate mortgage that can mean around £100 a month off mortgage payments. You can read more here .  Data Bill My speech in the House about the Data Bill I recognise the incredible power of data, that’s why I tabled two amendments to the Data (Use and Access) Bill on the need to record ethnicity data for Sikhs and Jews.  Jews and Sikhs have been legally recognised as ethnic groups for over 40 years since the Mandla v Dowell Lee case in 1983. This was reaffirmed in the Equality Act 2010, where they are considered as both religious and ethnic groups.  As protected characteristics, you would expect that public bodies are instructed to routinely collect information on Jews and Sikhs. But they are not. In recent years, Sikhs and Jews have only been recorded in religious data.  If some communities are invisible to public bodies, how can we expect them to be served equally?   GP Surgeries   Outside Jiggins Lane medical centre The Government has announced that patients will benefit from over 8.3 million more GP appointments each year as over a thousand doctor’s surgeries will receive vital upgrades and refurbs.  Lordswood House Medical Centre, Bartley Green Medical Practice, Quinborne Medical Centre, and Ridgacre House Medical Centre in Birmingham, Edgbaston constituency will benefit from the £102 million funding boost.  My constituents tell me their frustration after enduring the dreaded ‘8am scramble’ and the difficulty that they have in getting a GP appointment. I promised Labour would help bring back the family doctor – with 1,500 new GPs recruited already, I’m delighted that our Labour Government is s tarting to deliver on that promise.  I have written to all the surgeries will be meeting with them to ensure that the Government's investment is delivered locally. You can see my letters to the surgeries below. I urge constituents to get in touch with me if they are struggling to get a GP appointment. Read more here .  Justice At a morning briefing with West Midlands Police For too long, cowardly criminals have got away with not facing their victims in court. Our Labour Government is compelling perpetrators to attend their sentence hearings, and be punished for refusing to do so.  This government is going further and giving judges the power to impose a range of prison sanctions on top of additional years on their sentence to ensure heinous criminals who refuse to attend can be appropriately punished.  The powers of the Victims’ Commissioner will also be strengthened, empowering them to play a greater role in individual cases and requiring them to produce an independent report on compliance with the Victims’ Code.  This Bill will deliver long overdue reforms to ensure victims see justice done and are given the vital support they need as they rebuild their lives. Read more here .  VE Day Outside Downing Street with members of the military This week, we celebrated 80 years since VE Day – May 8th 1945, when the war against Nazi Germany ended. We honour the courage of those who served and the lives lost in the fight for freedom. Ahead of VE day, the Government announced that veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new VALOUR system.  The new VALOUR network will deliver easier access to care and support with new regional networks connecting housing, employment and health services in every corner of the UK. Backed by £50m of funding, VALOUR will foster the enterprising spirit of veteran charities, better connect local and national services and ensure veterans’ support is truly data driven.  Read more here .     On VE Day, I remember my grandfather who fought in Burma during WWII. Over 80,000 Sikhs served in the British Indian Army, fighting with courage in Europe, North Africa and Asia. Their legacy of sacrifice and valour must never be forgotten.   India and Pakistan Asking a question on Jammu and Kashmir in the House I know many of my constituents will be concerned about current tensions between India and Pakistan. The UK has close and unique relationships with both countries, and I know some of my constituents will have family in India and Pakistan.   The Foreign Secretary is urging India and Pakistan to show restraint and engage in direct dialogue to find a swift, diplomatic path forward. If this escalates, no one wins. Read more here .  I have spoken to the Minister asking for urgent peace talks via the United Nations Security Council. Melanoma Meeting Melanoma Focus It was great to speak to Melanoma Focus, the UK's leading melanoma charity.  More than five sunburns doubles your risk of melanoma skin cancer. Protect your skin from the sun.  Local News Buses With Prime Minister Keir Starmer This week, plans to bring our buses back into public ownership in the West Midlands have been approved. For too long, our buses have been run for private profits, not public good. Today, that changes. The public have been clear - they want a better bus service under public control. Labour promised to take back control of our buses - and today's decision shows we're delivering on that promise. Tram Plan With Mayor Richard Parker It's great news that an ambitious £1 billion proposal to build a new tram line has been announced to improve connectivity across Birmingham. The Metro line would link east Birmingham to north Solihull, going through the city centre, Digbeth and Bordesley Green and past sites like Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre. It’ll terminate at the HS2 interchange at Arden Cross. It would also serve the new Birmingham City FC Stadium and a sports quarter that’s expected to open by 2030. You can read more here . Coffee Morning Next Saturday, 17th May, I will be doing a coffee morning in Bartley Green at St Michael and All Angels, 96 Romsley Road, Birmingham, B32 3PS, from 10am-11am.   Please do come along if you are a constituent and would like to chat about the issues that matter most to you.  Flytipping Environmental Secretary Steve Reed So many of you write to me about flytipping blighting our constituency, that’s why I welcome the government launching a new crackdown on cowboy waste operators. We will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas by getting councils to work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.  In addition, waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally. Read more here .  PMQs If you are a constituent of mine and would like tickets to attend Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, please do get in touch with my office at preet.gill.mp@parliament.uk.   Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Breakfast Clubs At the opening of the breakfast club at World's End Infant and Nursery School On Monday, I was delighted to attend the opening of the first free government-funded breakfast club at World’s End Infant and Nursery School in Quinton.  The school has wanted to open a free breakfast club, but has never been able to do so before due to a lack of funding. Now, with funding from the Labour government, they are able to offer a healthy start for children and 30 minutes of childcare before the school bell rings.   As well as offering a healthy breakfast of fruit, toast and cereal, the school also put on activities for children attending the breakfast club. Parents will be able to save up to £450 per year if their child attends free breakfast clubs every day. You can read more here .  Uniform Costs With students from St Peter's Catholic Primary School Parents of over 4 million children are now set to benefit from lower school uniform costs, thanks to a new proposed law which will limit the number of branded, typically more expensive, items schools can require to 3 - excluding ties.  Parents are having to pay £442 on average to kit a child out for secondary school, and £343 for primary school, putting unnecessary financial pressure on families. Analysis shows our new laws will wipe over £70 million off the cost of uniform for families across the country. Read more here .  Immigration With West Midlands Police Our government has announced that foreign sex offenders will be excluded from refugee protections.  At present, the Refugee Convention entitles countries to refuse asylum to terrorists, war criminals and individuals convicted of a ‘particularly serious crime’ who present a danger to the community – defined in the UK as an offence carrying a sentence of 12 months or more.  For the first time, any conviction of a crime that qualifies a foreign national for the sex offenders register will lead to them being denied refugee status, toughening our approach to border security through stricter enforcement of the rules. You can read more here .   Prescription Charges On a visit to Eason's pharmacy in Tamworth Millions of patients are getting a cost-of-living boost as the government freezes prescription charges for the first time in 3 years. The decision will keep the cost of a prescription to a tenner, at £9.90 for a single charge. The government will always put working people first, and our moves to freeze prescription charges will put money back into the pockets of millions of patients. Read more here .  Palestinian Statehood Prime Minister Keir Starmer with PA Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa This week, the Prime Minister hosted the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, demonstrating the UK’s steadfast support for the Palestinian Authority. The UK and the PA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, reiterating support for a two-state solution to help secure long-term peace and security in the Middle East.  The UK has also announced new funding to support people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to help reform and empower the Palestinian Authority.  We will not give up on the two-state solution, with Israel and a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace, dignity and security. You can read more here.   Flytipping Speaking to LBC this week about flytipping So many of you write to me about flytipping blighting our constituency, that’s why I welcome the government launching a new crackdown on cowboy waste operators. We will tackle soaring fly-tipping and clean up Britain’s streets, lanes and rural areas by getting councils to work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers so they can be destroyed.  In addition, waste cowboys will now face up to five years in prison for operating illegally. Read more here .  Football Governance Bill Showing my support for the Football Governance Bill This week, I voted for our Football Governance Bill.   With our bill, we will end the scandal of rogue owners, asset-stripping administrators, and football fans left fighting for the future of their clubs. We are putting fans back at the heart of the game - where they belong. You can read more here .  Universal Credit At Quinton Baby Bank Around 1.2 million households struggling with debt will get to keep an average £420 more of their benefits each year, under a change to Universal Credit which came into force this week.  The Fair Repayment Rate places a limit on how much people in debt can have taken off their benefits to pay what they owe. The maximum amount that can be taken from someone’s Universal Credit standard allowance payment to repay debt has been 25% – but from today the Government has reduced it to 15%.  Our plan for change is easing the cost of living and putting more money into the pockets of working people. Read more here .  Jammu and Kashmir Terror Attack Asking a question on Jammu and Kashmir in the House In Parliament, I paid my respects to those who've lost loved ones in the horrific terrorist attack in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir. I asked the Minister what conversations he's been having with India and Pakistan counterparts to address the escalation of hostilities in the UK.   LBC Speaking about our plans for clean energy on LBC This week, I appeared on an LBC panel with Iain Dale, where I spoke about our plans for net zero by 2050, grooming gangs, flytipping, and Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. You can watch the full episode here .  Restore the Music With Restore the Music in Parliament It was lovely to meet with Restore the Music in Parliament.  Restore the Music have invested in Lordswood Boys School, which has enabled them to set up a new music department. Music has a vital place in schools, and is a powerful tool for change because it unlocks potential.  Charge UK   With Charge UK in Parliament It was good to meet with Charge UK, the voice of EV charging, to discuss the challenges and need for infrastructure for electric vehicles.  Football Foundation With Graeme Le Saux I was delighted to show my support for grassroots football alongside former footballer Graeme Le Saux.  Thanks to funding from the Premier League, FA and Department for Culture Media and Sport, the football foundation my old school (Lordswood Girls School) have been able to resurface their pitch, along with hundreds of other sites across the country.  Leamington Spa and Warwick Gurdawara   At Leamington Spa Gurdwara Last Sunday, I visited Leamington Spa and Warwick Gurdwara with local MP Matt Western.   Canadian Elections Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney I’d like to congratulate Mark Carney on his election victory. The UK and Canada are the closest of allies, partners and friends, and I know our relationship will continue to grow.  Local News Driving Tests After my Parliamentary Question, which exposed unacceptable wait times for driving tests in Birmingham, I'm glad the Government is doubling training capacity to deliver 10,000 extra driving tests a month. You can read more here .  Dudley Road At a meeting with Birmingham City Council about Dudley Road I had a productive meeting with Birmingham City Council to discuss proposals for bus infrastructure improvements on Dudley Road in North Edgbaston. I have asked the council to do a consultation on the proposed designs before commencing with a formal consultation. We looked at provisional plans to improve bus reliability, connectivity and access in the area.  PMQs If you are a constituent of mine and would like tickets to attend Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, please do get in touch with my office at preet.gill.mp@parliament.uk.   Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton

Photo: Preet Kaur Gill MP with students at World’s End Infant and Nursery School at the opening of their breakfast club 28/04/25 Children at World’s End Infant and Nursery School in Quinton can now attend a free government-funded breakfast club from today as Labour delivers its manifesto commitment and promise to working families.   This morning, Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham, Edgbaston visited the breakfast club on its opening.  World’s End Infant and Nursery School in Quinton had wanted to open a free breakfast club to students but were unable to do so because of a lack of funding. Now, with funding from the Labour government, they are able to offer a healthy start for kids and 30 minutes of childcare before the school bell rings.   As well as offering a healthy breakfast of fruit, toast and cereal, the school also put on activities for children attending the breakfast club. World’s End Infant and Nursery School is one of 750 schools to open free breakfast clubs across the country.   Parents will be able to save up to £450 per year if their child attends free breakfast clubs every day. This amount rises to a saving of up to £8,000 every year when combining Labour’s free breakfast clubs with further support through the expansion of government-funded childcare and new school uniform cap on branded items.  With the cost of everyday essentials stretching budgets, these clubs will be a lifeline for working families simply trying to get by. When you’re raising a family, every penny counts and that’s why the Labour government is stepping in to ease the pressure and put money back in parent’s pockets.  Preet Kaur Gill MP said:  “It was brilliant to see so many children excited to be back at school this morning, throwing themselves into activities and having a healthy start to the day at their free government-funded breakfast club.   “Worlds End Infant and Nursery School in Quinton has never had a free breakfast club because they couldn’t afford one. Now, with support from our Labour government, they are one of 750 early adopter schools to launch free breakfast clubs this month. This is the difference a Labour government makes.  “We are delivering on our promises and giving every child the best start in life while making sure families get the support they need, wherever they live.”  Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:   “As a parent, I know that the combined pressures of family life and work can often feel impossible to juggle. That is why our manifesto promised to make parents lives easier and put more money in their pockets with free breakfast clubs. Under a year since we came into office, this government is delivering that through our Plan for Change. “The rollout of free breakfast clubs is a truly game-changing moment for families in this country. They mean parents will no longer be hamstrung by rigid school hours and have the breathing space they need to beat the morning rush, attend work meetings and doctors’ appointments, or run errands. And crucially, it means better life chances for children.   “By making these clubs free and universal, we’re doing something that previous governments have never done. We’re going further and faster to deliver the change working families deserve. That’s the change this government was elected to deliver.”  ENDS

Supreme Court This week, the Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson made a statement in the House of Commons about the Supreme Court ruling in the case of For Women Scotland Ltd Vs The Scottish Ministers. In 2018 Scottish Ministers issued guidance on the definition of a woman in the eyes of the Gender Representation on Public Boards Act. That guidance stated that a woman in the Act bears the same meaning as a woman in the Equality Act 2010 – and included trans women with a Gender Recognition Certificate.  For Women Scotland challenged this guidance, saying that “sex” in the Equality Act means biological sex, so that a trans woman with a Gender Recognition Certificate is a man for the purposes of that Act.  The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, on 16th April the Court ruled that “sex” in the Equality Act means “biological sex”. This means that a person will be considered as their biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act, regardless of whether or not they have a Gender Recognition Certificate.  There’s now a need to ensure that this ruling is clear across a range of settings – from healthcare and prisons, to sport and single sex support groups. The Equality and Human Rights Commission, as Britain’s equalities regulator, is working quickly to issue an updated statutory Code of Practice to reflect this judgement.  I attended the statement in the Commons welcoming the ruling in the judgement. This was an important judgement that brings clarity to the law, making it easier for employers, service providers and others to understand their responsibilities and avoid breaking the law. While the Supreme Court was clear about the importance of biological sex, it also stressed that trans people do retain clear protections in law and should be able to live their lives free from harassment and discrimination. We need a society that treats everyone with respect. I am committed to protecting trans people through a full trans inclusive ban on conversion practice and work to equalise all existing strands of hate crime. You can watch my intervention here:  Breakfast Clubs With students from St Patrick and St Edmunds who have an award-winning breakfast club This week, the first of Labour’s free breakfast clubs opened across the UK. This will make a huge difference for families and their children in Birmingham, Edgbaston.  Our clubs will improve children’s attendance, attainment, readiness to learn, wellbeing and behaviour, and give parents more flexibility to work and more money in their pockets – up to £8,000 a year. Read more here .  Police Accountability With West Midlands Police We have announced new rules that police who fail a vetting check will face automatic dismissal.  In recent years, serious cases which have badly failed all proper policing standards have damaged public trust in the officers who are supposed to protect them, and undermined the majority of brave, committed officers who work tirelessly to keep us safe.  Labour is restoring confidence in policing by making sure only officers of the highest standards are allowed to serve our communities to help keep us safe. Read more here.   EU Prime Minister Keir Starmer with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen The Government has now set out how we are negotiating a new partnership with the EU – with ruthless pragmatism.  The benefits of negotiating a new partnership with the EU are clear – reducing barriers to trade, driving economic growth and keeping us safe in an increasingly dangerous world. Pursuing a new partnership with the EU is about meeting the needs of our times. This is not about ideology or returning to the divisions of the past, but about ruthless pragmatism and what works in the national interest.    Our Labour government is determined to work with our allies in the EU to make the continent safer, more secure and more prosperous. This week, Keir Starmer hosted Ursula von der Leyen at Downing Street to discuss how countries can work together to deliver energy security, as well as the progress made strengthening the UK-EU relationship. We are working with the EU to support Ukraine and to tackle cross-border crime to keep us safer at home. The EU is our largest trading partner, so we are working to reduce barriers to trade across the economy to help drive growth. Read more here .  Business With Chancellor Rachel Reeves Our Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled plans to maintain a level playing field for British businesses. She has announced that British businesses will be supported to trade freely acting on practices that undercut fair trade, such as the dumping of cheap goods in the UK. This will help to support many British businesses that operate on our high streets, such as Sainsbury's and Next, who have been undercut by foreign companies. The government has announced immediate action by the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), the body responsible for defending the UK against certain unfair international trade practices. The Chancellor also announced her intention to review the customs treatment of Low Value Imports, which allows goods valued at £135 or less to be imported without paying customs duty. Read more here .  Water At Edgbaston Reservoir This Labour government is cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas. New powers have come into force meaning that water executives who cover up illegal sewage spills could face up to two years in prison – the toughest ever measures in history. This landmark legislation will also see new powers to ban the payment of unfair bonuses for polluting water bosses. This comes alongside £104 billion of private sector investment to rebuild and upgrade our water system, and an Independent Commission into the water sector – the largest review since privatisation. Read more here .  Great British Energy Bill An amendment has been tabled to the Great British Energy Bill that will enable the company to act to ensure forced labour is not taking place in its business or supply chains. As well as this, Great British Energy will appoint a senior leader with responsibility for ethical supply chains and modern slavery. Read more here .  Mental Health Bill Outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital The Mental Health Bill has been transferred to the House of Commons.  The Mental Health Bill delivers the Government’s manifesto commitment to modernise legislation to give patients with severe mental illness greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout their care and treatment. The Bill also includes measures to improve the care and support of people with a learning disability and autistic people, reducing reliance on hospital-based care. These reforms to the Mental Health Act 1983 are long overdue. Many of the processes in the Act are out of step with a modern mental health system, whilst the Mental Health Act will continue to play its vital role in keeping people safe. I loo k forward to hearing from constituents on the Mental Health Bill. Read more here .  Retirement Savings Boost  With care home residents in the constituency The Government has unveiled reforms to combine small pension pots to make working people better off, which will boost retirement savings for the average worker by around £1000.  There are now 13 million of the small pots, holding £1000 or less. This is a hassle for savers and can stop them getting a good return on their savings if they have to pay multiple flat rate charges. Merging these small pots will also save the pensions industry around £225 million in unnecessary admin costs. Read more here .  Care in the Community With a local pharmacy in the constituency This week in Parliament, we reaffirmed Labour’s plan to rescue NHS dentistry. We’re rolling out 700,000 extra urgent NHS dental appointments and introducing a supervised toothbrushing scheme to prevent tooth decay that will reach up to 600,000 children in the most deprived areas.  We have also recruited over 1,500 GPs as part of our plan to bring back the family doctor and end the 8am scramble. Community pharmacies play a vital role in delivering patient services. This government has brought in a record investment in community pharmacies, including making the morning-after pill available free of charge and more funding for medicine supply. Read more here .  Military Homes  With local housing providers Midland Heart Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.  That’s why our Labour government is providing military families in my constituency, and 2528 families in the West Midlands, with homes fit for heroes. New measures for forces families, include higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, renovation of the worst homes, and a named housing officer for every family. Read more here .  Online Safety Act  With local primary school children New laws published yesterday under the Online Safety Act, coming into force in July, mean that social media and tech companies must implement strong age assurance and protection methods to help shield children from harmful content.  This should be a watershed moment, prioritising children’s safety by law. Read more here .  Women’s Institute At the WI Parliamentary Event I ’d like to thank the Women’s Institute for sharing their report on the hidden experiences of women who are often the designated primary caregivers for their families and yet are left battling access to dental care.  Multiple Sclerosis  At the MS Society Parliamentary Event This week, I attended the MS Society’s Parliamentary Event, where I had the chance to meet and hear from people with multiple sclerosis.  MS is a neurological condition that affects over 150,000 people in the UK and many of my constituents. I want to thank all those that wrote to me asking me to attend this important event. Pope Francis His Holiness Pope Francis I joined millions across the world grieving the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. Pope Francis’ closeness to those suffering and his advocacy for an end to global violence were always a priority. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity. My thoughts are with Catholics across the world. Local News Birmingham Bin Strike Intervening in the Minister's statement on Birmingham's bin strikes In Parliament, I put on record my thanks to everyone involved in the clean-up of Birmingham, including many volunteers. I asked the Minister if he agreed with me that the council must resolve equal pay issues, which is precisely what the deal on offer will do. Thank you to constituents who have been in touch. Driving Tests My Parliamentary Question on driving tests In March, I asked a Parliamentary Question about the wait times for driving tests in my constituency and was shocked to find that Birmingham was one of the worst in the country, with learners waiting 24 weeks for a test. Under the previous Conservative government, waiting times at some test centres in Birmingham quadrupled.    To open up more tests and break down barriers to opportunity, I welcome the news announced by the Government this week. This will mean:   • Those in other DVSA roles who are qualified to examine will be asked to return to the frontline to provide practical driving tests  • Doubling the number of permanent trainers to skill up new driving examiners quickly  • Accelerated consultation to investigate the potential abuse of the driving test booking system and prevent bots from accessing tests  • Reintroduction of overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests  Read more here .  Free Travel Scheme With Mayor Richard Parker It’s great news that five million extra bus journeys have been taken since our Labour Mayor Richard Parker took office, thanks to a landmark free travel scheme to get more people to try the bus.  Among those to have benefitted from free travel are hospital staff, care leavers, apprentices and charities. A free evening travel offer was also used to support the region’s nighttime economy in the run up to Christmas.  Getting more people onto our bus network means we can cut traffic congestion and deliver cleaner air for our region. That’s why Labour is working to make our region’s buses more affordable and work better for local people.  Street Surgery Speaking to residents on York Road It was great to be out talking to residents at my regular street surgery. Today, I visited York Road in North Edgbaston to hear about the issues that matter most to my constituents.  St George’s Day This week, we celebrated St George’s Day – this was a time to come together and celebrate our pride in England’s shared history, inheritance and values.  Best wishes, . . . . Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton