Wendy Morton MP: written questions 2026
595 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Iron and Steel: Import DutiesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5944More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing tariff-free steel import quotas and increasing safeguard tariffs from 1 July 2026 on the competitiveness and costs of businesses in the (
Answer: The Government has carefully designed this measure to minimise downstream impacts while addressing the existential threat to UK steelmaking. Current production levels are being considered in our work to set quota sizes, and imports will continue to flow t...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBanking HubsTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5943More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government has made of the adequacy of the current criteria used by LINK to determine eligibility for banking hubs; whether the independent review of access to banking services will consider the
Answer: LINK, the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network, is responsible for assessing a community’s access to cash needs. When asked to carry out a cash access assessment, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including those unique to each l...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5942More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of (a) the minimum, (b) the expected and (c) the maximum savings arising from reducing the design speed of HS2 from 360 km/h to 320 km/h; how those savings have been calculated; and w
Answer: As recently set out in the Secretary of State’s statement to the House, she accepted the recommendation to bring HS2 into line with proven leading European high-speed operating standards, including operating HS2 at up to 320 kilometres per hour (kph),supp...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: IranTreasuryTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5941More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of (a) the total cost to the Exchequer and (b) the potential impact on inflation and household disposable income of the measures announced in her statement of 21 May 2026 on the Government
Answer: The Chancellor set out a package of measures on 21 May to support families and businesses. This covered:A package to support motorists including through changes to fuel duty, a 12-month Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) holiday for the majority of HGVs and tax-f...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5940More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has agreements, memoranda of understanding, or governance frameworks setting out the role of regional transport authorities in decisions relating to rail service levels, fleet allocation,
Answer: There are no generic agreements, memoranda of understanding, or governance frameworks covering the subject set out in the question, although individual rail devolution agreements that existed prior to public ownership (such as with West Midlands Rail Exec...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRolling Stock: LeasingDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5939More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of rolling stock continuing to be leased from private rolling stock companies following the transfer of train operators into public ow
Answer: The Department is considering these issues as part of the development of the Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy, to be published later this year. It will set out how we will secure rolling stock that supports consistent, reliable services for passe...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Trains: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether formal risk assessments undertaken ahead of the transfer of West Midlands Trains into public ownership identified risks relating to service frequency, fleet availability, or passenger performance; how f
Answer: A formal risk review process was undertaken on a four-weekly basis ahead of the transfer of West Midlands Trains into public ownership, but these reviews related to the safe, secure and legal delivery of the transfer, rather than risks relating to service...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Trains: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 5937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the total cost of transferring West Midlands Trains into public ownership, including legal, consultancy, procurement, and transition management costs; what estimate she
Answer: Since the start of the pandemic, the net costs of operating franchised passenger services have been borne by taxpayers, not by private train operators. The transfer of West Midlands Trains’ services into public ownership is expected to reduce the Governme...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Rail Franchise: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department has conducted any modelling, forecasting, or scenario analysis regarding the impact of public ownership on punctuality, cancellation rates, fare levels, or passenger capacity on West Midl
Answer: A review of the impact of public ownership on West Midlands Trains’ (WMT) performance and capacity has not been undertaken. It only transferred in February 2026, and rail performance indicators are not sufficiently meaningful over short time periods, not ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Trains: Rolling StockDepartment for TransportTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3267More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has held discussions with the West Midlands Combined Authority, the Mayor of the West Midlands, or the West Midlands Rail Executive regarding safeguards to ensure that rolling stock curre
Answer: No discussions have been held with the authorities listed regarding any safeguards relating to rolling stock currently allocated to West Midlands routes as there are no plans to change such allocations. Any potential consultation or consent mechanisms for...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWest Midlands Trains: Rolling StockDepartment for TransportTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3266More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Department has undertaken any assessment of the potential impact on regional rail capacity and service resilience of the future reallocation of rolling stock currently operating on West Midlands Rai
Answer: Great British Railways (GBR) offers us the opportunity to go further with optimising train services and driving up utilisation. Through GBR’s directing mind function, services and timetables will be developed in a coherent fashion that drives up network p...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordVacanciesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3265More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the decline in job vacancies to the lowest level in five years; which regions and sectors have experienced the largest falls in vacancies over the last 12 months; and whet
Answer: The independent Office of National Statistics (ONS) publishes vacancies over time by sector which can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/datasets/vacanciesbyindustryvacs02 The ONS official statisti...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: Government AssistanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3264More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the increase in the unemployment rate to 5 per cent in the first quarter of 2026; what estimate his Department has made of the number of additional people expected to beco
Answer: The unemployment rate has fallen 0.2%pts on the quarter to 5.0%. We work closely with employers in sectors such as hospitality and retail to help people move into work, including where vacancy levels have reduced. This is delivered through a consistent em...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3263More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports that lower-paying sectors including hospitality and retail have experienced some of the largest falls in payroll em
Answer: The department monitors labour market trends closely and recognises pressures in sectors such as retail and hospitality.We have introduced permanently lower business‑rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, introduced a £4.3 billi...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordEmploymentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of payroll employment; what discussions his Department has had with businesses on hiring freezes and investment plans; and whether he plans to
Answer: The government is committed to delivering an effective labour market that works for all. The number of payrolled employees remains near record highs, and the UK labour market remaining strong by international standards, with a higher employment rate than ...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to publish (a) targets and (b) measurable outcomes as part of the Mental Health Strategy for England.
Answer: The new Mental Health Strategy for England will aim to transform mental health care into a system that provides timely support that matches people’s needs and circumstances, reduces waiting times for support, and responds earlier before distress escalates...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: SchoolsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3260More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of schools and colleges on delivering the proposed Mental Health Strategy for England; what additional funding and guidance will be provided to e
Answer: The new mental health strategy for England will aim to transform mental health care, including through intervening earlier before distress escalates to diagnosis or crisis, and by supporting children and young people to remain active and engaged in educat...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3259More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of additional mental health professionals required to deliver the proposed Mental Health Strategy for England; how he plans to improve recruitment and retent
Answer: The Government has already made significant progress in strengthening the mental health workforce, including by delivering our commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health staff three years ahead of schedule, which will help to ease pressure on...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England, local authorities and integrated care boards on the implementation of the proposed Mental Health Strategy for England; whether he plans to place a stat
Answer: The new National Priority Programme Director for mental health and learning disability works across the Department and NHS England and is responsible for setting the new strategic direction through the new Mental Health Strategy, in line with ministerial ...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Mental Health Strategy for England on waiting times for mental health services; what steps he is taking to ensure that a shift to
Answer: The new cross-Government mental health strategy for England will aim to transform mental health care into a system that responds earlier, reduces waiting times for support, and intervenes before distress escalates to diagnosis or crisis. This includes a s...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHantavirusDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3256More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current contact tracing arrangements for rare imported infectious diseases in the context of the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak; how many people
Answer: The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, th...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordInfectious Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3255More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the level of public health risks associated with expedition cruise vessels visiting remote UK Overseas Territories; what protocols are in place
Answer: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Overseas Territory governments, keeps the assessment and mitigation of public health risks associated with cruise vessels under continual revi...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHantavirusDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the UK Health Security Agency on operational lessons arising from the public health response to the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak; whether the Government pl
Answer: The Department will review lessons learned following the conclusion of the response as the situation remains ongoing and fluid.The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency, working closely with the W...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordInfectious Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3253More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s high consequence infectious disease isolation capacity in the context of the hantavirus outbreak; what assessment he has made of the suitabil
Answer: The risk to the United Kingdom’s general population remains very low. The UK’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency, working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development O...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMayors: DevolutionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 20 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3252More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals by combined authority mayors for further fiscal devolution powers, including powers over council tax precepts, lo
Answer: The Government recognises that proposals by combined authority mayors for further fiscal devolution - such as powers over council tax precepts, local business taxation and infrastructure levies - could strengthen local control, accountability and incentiv...
Answered 1 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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