Wendy Morton MP: written questions 2025
1301 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Great British Railways: MarketingDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 100870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total budget is for the development and rollout of branding for Great British Rail; and what the cost has been to date.
Answer: The Department is working to develop a rollout plan for the GBR branding, with a focus on maximising opportunities to ensure value for money, such as repainting trains when they are due to be repainted by their leasing companies and changing station signa...
Answered 6 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of how planning reforms will affect public consultation and community engagement in planning decisions in the West Midlands.
Answer: Local planning authorities are required to undertake a formal period of public consultation, prior to deciding a planning application. The proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that the government is currently consulting on wil...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPlanning Permission: AppealsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98790More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to review the performance and efficiency of the planning appeals process under forthcoming reforms.
Answer: The Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits the Agency to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets, including those on relating to planning appeals, by 2027. The Inspectorate regularly publishes updates on its performance.
Answered 19 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Network RailDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timeline is for the full transition of responsibilities from Network Rail to Great British Railways as set out in the Railways Bill.
Answer: Network Rail and its functions will become a foundational part of Great British Railways (GBR) as it is stood up, which we are aiming to be around 12 months after the Railways Bill receives Royal Assent. The detailed GBR design process is underway, consid...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: West MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98788More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rail freight capacity through the West Midlands corridor.
Answer: The West Midlands Combined Authority have commissioned economists to conduct an independent prioritisation exercise called the ‘Rosewell Review’ which will produce a portfolio-level prospectus setting out major investment opportunities that will support d...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: West MidlandsDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98787More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Railways Bill on service reliability of rail routes (a) connecting Birmingham and Walsall and (b) the rest of the West Midlands.
Answer: The Railways Bill includes the introduction of Great British Railways (GBR) which will be a new public company responsible for providing the single point of leadership our railways sorely need, squarely accountable to its passengers for the service it del...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPlanning: West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98483More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's planning reform proposals on the continued protection of green spaces and environmentally sensitive sites
Answer: Green spaces and environmentally sensitive sites continue to receive protection in national planning policy. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that open space should not be built on unless there is clear evidence it is no longer required;...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBrownfield Sites: West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98482More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support is available to West Midlands local authorities to bring forward brownfield sites under the proposed changes to the planning system.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 91369 on 27 November 2025.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98481More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that planning reforms support the timely delivery of local infrastructure in areas experiencing housing growth in the West Midlands.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Plans: West MidlandsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98480More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of planning reform proposals on the timescales for the adoption of local plans by local authorities in the West Midland
Answer: Local planning authorities are responsible for publishing the intended timeframes for the production and adoption of their local plans. The government is determined to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible in order to achieve our ambition o...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face-to-face assessments for benefit claimants have taken place since 1 January 2024.
Answer: While this information is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this data in a future statistical release.
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98478More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the financial impact of future welfare spending on the economy.
Answer: We inherited from the previous administration a welfare system that forced too many people out of work and on to long-term benefits, while leaving millions of children in poverty. We have begun to address that through reforms to universal credit, increase...
Answered 18 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWorkplace PensionsTreasuryTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98477More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential impact of the salary sacrifice pension scheme changes announced in the Autumn Budget 2025 on the value of occupational
Answer: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to pensions salary sacrifice. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) set out in their November 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook that t...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98476More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of youth unemployment in the West Midlands.
Answer: The information requested is published and available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp Guidance for users can be found at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.aspThe estimated unemployment levels can be found by selecting “Query data” on the NO...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordUnemployment: West MidlandsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98475More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of unemployment in the West Midlands.
Answer: The information requested is published and available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp Guidance for users can be found at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.aspThe estimated unemployment levels can be found by selecting “Query data” on the NO...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98473More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Criminal Court Reform, published on 2 December 2025, HCWS1123, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing the option for defendant
Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tack...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordJuriesMinistry of JusticeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98472More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Criminal Court Reform, published on 2 December 2025, HCWS1123, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanding judge-only trials to a wider class
Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard and too many victims waiting years for justice. One of the first priorities of this Government has been to tack...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: BiometricsHome OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98469More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, published on 4 December 2025,
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring the use of facial recognition and similar biometric technologies by law enforcement remains proportionate to the seriousness of the harm being addressed. The consultation launched on 4 December seeks vi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: BiometricsHome OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98468More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, published on 4 December 2025,
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring the use of facial recognition and similar biometric technologies by law enforcement remains proportionate to the seriousness of the harm being addressed. The consultation launched on 4 December seeks vi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: BiometricsHome OfficeTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98467More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Consultation on a new legal framework for law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, published on 4 December 2025,
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring the use of facial recognition and similar biometric technologies by law enforcement remains proportionate to the seriousness of the harm being addressed. The consultation launched on 4 December seeks vi...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and AutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Mental Health Conditions, Autism and ADHD Prevalence and Support, published on 4 December 2025, HCWS1132, what criteria will be used to appoint memb
Answer: The Chair and vice-chairs of the independent review into the prevalence of and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism will appoint an Advisory Working Group which involves a multidisciplinary grou...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and AutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Mental Health Conditions, Autism and ADHD Prevalence and Support, published on 4 December 2025, HCWS1132, what assessment his Department has made of
Answer: The Department has not made an assessment. We have commissioned an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. The review will look to understand the similaritie...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and AutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Mental Health Conditions, Autism and ADHD Prevalence and Support, published on 4 December 2025, HCWS1132, what assessment he has made of regional va
Answer: The Department has not made an assessment. We have commissioned an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. The review will look to understand the similaritie...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Review into Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and AutismDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 9 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 98463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Written Statement entitled Mental Health Conditions, Autism and ADHD Prevalence and Support, published on 4 December 2025, HCWS1132, what assessment his Department has made of
Answer: The Department has not made an assessment. We have commissioned an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. The review will look to understand the similaritie...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPrivate Rented Housing: TaxationTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97131More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of raising taxes on property income on the private rented sector, including supply and rent levels.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility does not expect that the reform to property income tax will have a significant impact on rental prices.
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
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