Weekly Update - 17 January 2026 |
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This Week the Government Announced... |
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First ever guidance on children’s screen time |
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This week the Government announced the development of the first-ever guidance on screen use for under-five and is asking residents to share their views on how to navigate the use of screens with their youngest children.
The guidance, due to be published in April, will be produced by the Children’s Commissioner and provide parents with practical, non-judgemental support on balancing screens with play, speaking and reading.
New government research has found that screen use is near-universal in early childhood, with 98% of two-year-olds watching screens daily. The research also found that children with the highest screen use could say significantly fewer words than those with the lowest screen use. Read more here: Preet Kaur Gill MP calls for parents’ views to shape first-ever screen time guidance for under-fives |
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Universities welcome Government's AI for Science Strategy |
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Universities across the UK have issued a joint statement welcoming the Department of Science and Technology's AI for Science Strategy. In the statement the Universities stated that AI is already accelerating breakthroughs in areas such as new medical treatments and sustainable energy technologies. They acknowledged that the UK’s strong scientific ecosystem is well placed to benefit from this shift. However, they also said that global competition is intensifying, making coordinated national action essential to ensure the UK strengthens its position as AI reshapes scientific discovery. Read the full statement here: AI for Science Strategy: UK universities' joint statement - GOV.UK |
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Too many parents have had to make the heart-wrenching choice between spending time at home for the first weeks of their child’s life and going back to work so they don’t lose their job. Changes made by this Government, set out in measures laid before Parliament as part of the Employment Rights Act, will mean that from April: 1.5 million parents get the right to unpaid parental leave from day one 32,000 more dads can access paternity leave immediately
This is the change people can look forward to this spring as Britain turns the corner. Read more here: New parental leave changes putting ‘dignity back at heart of work’ | The Independent |
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Record-breaking offshore windfarm auction |
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The Government has delivered the biggest offshore wind farm auction in UK history, enough clean power to supply over 12 million homes.
In a world that feels more unstable by the day, this is about taking back control of our energy, cutting our reliance on volatile gas markets, and bringing bills down for good.
This Government secured record levels of offshore wind across every part of the UK, unlocking £22bn of private investment and around 6,000 good, skilled jobs from the North Sea to the Welsh coast.
And because we're backing British clean energy properly, the power we’ve secured is far cheaper than new gas meaning lower costs for families as well as serious climate action. This comes alongside budget measures cutting an average £150 off energy bills from April. |
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The first-ever UK Town of Culture competition invites towns of all sizes to come together to showcase their cultural strengths and their contribution to our national life. It aims to shine a spotlight on the unique contributions towns make to our national story. By engaging towns nationwide, we are supporting communities to take pride in their local identity and to celebrate it. The competition is now open for applications: towns of all sizes, from Torquay to Thurso and Brecon to Ballycastle, can make the case for why they should be the UK’s first Town of Culture. Successful bids will deliver a cultural programme for local people, enabling communities to invest in their area, create lasting pride, and provide opportunities to engage with the arts. For guidance on how to get involved visit here. |
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Biggest transformation to rail travel in the North of England in a generation |
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This week the Government announced the biggest transformation to rail travel in the North of England in a generation. 🚈 We’re reversing years of underinvestment by the Tories with plans for faster and more frequent train services across the North 🏙️ We’ll improve links between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York - as well as connections to Newcastle and Hull 💷 We’ll spend up to £45 billion as part of our growth plan for the North, unlocking massive opportunities Read more about the plans here: Northern Powerhouse Rail to drive biggest travel upgrade in the North in a generation - GOV.UK |
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Military Armed Forces Bill |
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This week the Government announced its Armed Forces Bill - a clear message to Armed Forces community that this Labour Government is on your side. With 17,771 former military personnel in Birmingham, I'm pleased this legislation is working for our dedicated Armed Forces. The new Defence Housing service means: 🏠Over 40,000 military homes fixed 🔨Getting Britain building on surplus Defence land 📈 Backing our forces and driving economic growth This Government is delivering for Defence, delivering for Britain.
Read more here: Major boost to pool of skilled former military personnel called upon in crises as UK strengthen preparedness - GOV.UK |
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Children and young people with SEND to thrive at their local nursery, school or college as this Government unveils the most ambitious and comprehensive SEND training offer ever seen by the English schools system.
Acting on the feedback from parents shared through the national conversation on SEND, the Government is making sure that children in every classroom across UK will benefit from brilliant teachers trained in supporting a wide range of needs. Backed by £200 million, new courses available to all teaching staff will deepen knowledge of how to adapt their teaching to meet a wide range of needs in classrooms across the country, including visual impairments and speech and language needs. Read more here: DfE announces £200m SEND training offer for 'all teachers' |
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Visit to Practice Plus Hospital |
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It was wonderful this week to meet with hard-working staff and patients at Practice Plus Hospital. We are fortunate in Edgbaston to have a choice of excellent medical services, including Practice Plus. I spoke with a local veteran currently undergoing a knee replacement - it was valuable to listen to him to reflect on how these services have supported our military veterans get the treatment they deserve. |
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University Hospitals Birmingham waiting list fallen by 30,096 since election |
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This week the latest figures have shown that University Hospitals Birmingham's waiting lists have fallen by 30,096 since the general election in 2026.
For too long, patients were promised change in the NHS but saw little of it. This Government has started to turn that around. This data shows that not only did waiting lists fall by over 86,000 across England in the month of November – but that we saw the second biggest drop in waits in 15 years. Waiting lists are now down by more than 312,000 since the election, despite record numbers of people coming forward for treatment. Ambulances are arriving quicker. GP satisfaction is up. And A&E waits are down too. This has only been achieved with our record investment alongside real modernisation of the NHS, and the hard work of staff right across the country. |
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Letter to Head of Transport at Birmingham City Council |
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Have your say on Pride in Place funding for Woodgate Bartley Green |
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Calling on Woodgate and Bartley Green residents - I want to hear how you think the £20 million Pride in Place investment should be spent. After years of campaigning I've secured £20 million for Woodgate and Bartley Green as part of the Pride in Place programme. Woodgate and Bartley Green have long faced challenges with limited opportunities for young people, pressure on community facilities, and a lack of support for growth. This investment aims to reverse years of underfunding by restoring services, creating opportunities, and rebuilding pride in local neighbourhoods. I'm asking residents to share their thoughts on how the money should be used. It could be for more youth services, a community hub, improved outdoor spaces or more support for skills and employment. All ideas are welcome and will inform the plans for how the funding will be spent with the goal to benefit as many residents as possible. Please complete the survey here. |
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Cheaper Mortgages for Birmingham Edgbaston |
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Families are securing cheaper mortgages across Birmingham Edgbaston as costs fall by over £1,600 a year since the election Families in Birmingham Edgbaston are more than £1,660 better off a year when taking out a typical mortgage since the 2024 general election, according to new analysis. A household taking out a new, representative mortgage on a £258,000 home, the median house price in Birmingham Edgbaston, in December 2025 would pay £1,660 less a year than if they had taken out the same mortgage in June 2024, at the time of the General Election. Read more here: Families securing cheaper mortgages across Birmingham Edgbaston as costs fall by over £1000 annually since the election |
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Here’s seven things the Government has delivered in England last week: 🍎 Introduced legislation to abolish the Two Child Limit to lift almost half a million children out of poverty and boost their life chances 🩺 Menopause and prostate problems will be among the priorities for the NHS’s revolutionary new online hospital when it launches next year 🚗 Shared bold new Road Safety Strategy will save thousands of lives 📱 Powers came into force to seize phones from illegal migrants and new criminal offences will enable police to arrest people smugglers earlier 🐑 New plans to support smaller farms and secure a thriving future for the sector 💻 The Government’s £210 million Cyber Action Plan will make online public services safer and more resilient, so people can do everything from pay taxes to access healthcare online with confidence As always, if you have an issue you'd like to discuss, please contact my office at 0121 392 8426 or [email protected], or through my website. |
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Preet Kaur Gill MP Member of Parliament for Birmingham Edgbaston, covering Bartley Green, Edgbaston, Harborne, North Edgbaston and Quinton Promoted by David Evans on behalf of the Labour Party, 20 Rushworth Street, London SE1 0SS |
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Follow Preet Kaur Gill MP | |
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