Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press release entitled UK-Morocco Joint Communiqué: Strategic Dialogue 2025, published on 1 June 2025, whether he has issued guidance to (a) UK Export Finance and (b) UK businesses on investments in Western Sahara.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the UK-Morocco Joint Communique: Enhanced Strategic Partnership, published on 1 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to encourage UK businesses to invest in Western Sahara.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-Morocco Enhanced Strategic Partnership, signed on 1 June 2025, on levels of trade with Morocco in the next ten years.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to encourage trade with Morocco.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the comments of 1 June 2025 of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara on UK-Morocco trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the comments of 1 June 2025 of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara on UK trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of furthering the Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Morocco on agricultural trade.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Following the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Morocco, both Kingdoms signed several Memoranda of Understanding to drive cross-sectoral partnerships. The Department for Business and Trade and the UK’s Trade Envoy will be working with Morocco to deepen ties, including developing partnerships to support Morocco’s infrastructure programme — ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup — and advancing an Agriculture Review. Bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024. These partnerships will boost trade and investment over the next decade. UK Export Finance offers £5bn finance and can support projects in Western Sahara, subject to meeting UKEF’s due diligence requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to implement improvements to the West of England rail line in the context of the cancellation of the A303 Stonehenge road improvement scheme.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has no plans for enhancements to the West of England line at this time. Government investment priorities for rail enhancements in England and Wales will be set out following the conclusion of the Spending Review next month.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Great British Rail plans to take to help improve (a) travel times, (b) punctuality and (c) passenger experience on the West of England line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Services operated by South Western Railway, which operates the West of England line, will transfer into public ownership when their contract expires on 25 May 2025. Under public ownership, passenger services will be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.
Bringing train operations into public ownership is the first step in the Government’s plans for wider rail reform. The Railways Bill will be introduced later this session, which will enable the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR). GBR will have the tools and operational independence it needs to plan and run the rail system on a long-term basis to deliver for passengers and freight customers.
Through these reforms we will deliver better quality services for passengers and freight customers, resulting in fewer delays and a timetable that better serves their needs.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to implement the ruling on For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025 in the armed forces.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
16 April 2025 saw the Supreme Court ruling that sex is to be understood as biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Updated Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) guidance will be available in due course, and we’ll consider how this affects our policies when the detail is shared.
Our priority is to ensure that all our people in Defence have the support and facilities they need.
The Government remains committed to dignity and respect for all, and this has been reaffirmed by the Supreme Court.