I RECENTLY welcomed Defence Minister Luke Pollard back to Rolls-Royce Filton to open the new 3D printing facility for aircraft engine components.
Further welcome news is that Boeing Defence UK won an £879 million contract to keep key British Army and RAF helicopters mission-ready – supporting around 700 skilled jobs, including locally. This is part of a record £270 billion defence investment over this Parliament.
I believe it’s right that the Prime Minister stood up to pressure – including from President Trump – and kept Britain out of the US war with Iran.
This war has impacted the cost of living, so I fully support our government acting, including cutting energy bills by an average of £117.
There’s more work to do, and I’ll continue to push for this.
We have completed our first legislative session in Parliament since I was elected, where MPs work to deliver the bills set out in the King’s Speech. I’ve helped shape and pass key laws, to lift 1,360 local children out of poverty, boost workplace rights – including paternity and bereavement leave – and help clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.
The Renters’ Rights Act has also come into force, meaning 8,596 renters locally will benefit from greater security, including protection from unfair eviction.
As part of improvements to SEND support, South Gloucestershire Council will receive more than £2 million to launch a new ‘Experts at Hand’ service – giving families faster access to specialists without long waits. I know how difficult this has too often been.
Following my successful campaign for Patchway to have one of the very first Best Start Family Hubs in the country, I was glad to visit the team from Patchway Children’s Centre now running these services.
I was also pleased to see Hambrook junction fully reopen after seven years, now air quality meets legally safe limits, having worked with the council and government to help get the information needed to help this happen.
Last month, my team and I worked on 441 new cases from constituents.
I held my regular advice surgery in Winterbourne, knocked on doors to listen in Filton, and held this month’s ‘Coffee with Claire’ event, on shaping proposals for the potential New Town status for an area from Brabazon to the Bristol and Bath Science Park, as mentioned in my column last month.
Thank you to everyone involved in spring community events. I always enjoy Winterbourne Down Village Carnival, seeing traditions like Maypole dancing passed down the generations, all in support of the fantastic Great Western Air Ambulance Charity.
Do get in touch anytime at claire.hazelgrove.mp@parliament.uk.