Back to School, Back to Parliament

As families across the Chichester constituency prepare for the first day of a new school term, I have been preparing for my own return to Parliament! I don’t think I can blame my trousers being tight, however, on a growth spurt; it is more likely to be the result of sampling many delights in pubs and restaurants across the constituency over the summer recess!

Jess at a Q&A with Fishbourne Parish Council

This time last year, I was still trying to find my feet, learning my way around this cavernous Parliamentary estate and making use of the various tools available to me to represent the constituents of Chichester. This year feels entirely different, Parliament is now familiar and I am refreshed and ready to continue tackling the issues that matter most.

It’s been a pleasure to have had additional time to speak to so many of you over the summer, whether at Parish Q&As, my pop-up advice surgeries, or the many village fetes and festivals we’ve all enjoyed! My regular advice surgeries run throughout the year, and residents can email my parliamentary office if they’d like to bring an issue to my attention.

Unlike schools, our return to Parliament does not mark the beginning of a new term. In fact, this Parliamentary session is rumoured to last almost two years, with the next King’s Speech not expected until spring 2026. The reasoning is that the Government wishes to push through as much of its election agenda as possible. But frankly, given the mess it has already made of steering bills through Parliament in an orderly manner, it wouldn’t surprise me if the date for the next King’s Speech slips even further back.

Before the end of this session, I’m hoping to hear a renewed focus on social care from the Government, which so far has kicked the can into the long grass, promising more commissions and investigations but offering no real solutions. I also desperately want to hear more about what the Government will do to address poor water quality. The announcement to scrap OFWAT, the water regulator, was welcome, but the details of what will replace it are due to be set out in a White Paper this autumn. I sincerely hope it will contain measures that put customers first, ensuring an end to the sewage scandal and the practice of raising water bills to bail out company executives who have failed to invest in the infrastructure needed.

On a more positive note, I was very pleased to hear about West Sussex County Council’s improvements in its provision of Adult Social Care, as recognised by the Care Quality Commission. Social care services are struggling across the country, and issues relating to Adult Care regularly reach my inbox, so it was heartening to hear of WSCC’s progress. There is still plenty of room for improvement, but I hope the current trajectory continues, since their improvement plan was enacted in spring 2023.