Draft Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2026
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(4 days, 16 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
I beg to move,
That the Committee has considered the draft Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2026.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. The draft order was laid before the House on 2 February. It will make changes to UK legislation that are necessary as a consequence of the Senedd’s Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022. The order must be enforced by 1 April to coincide with the Welsh Government’s commencement plan for the Act.
The 2022 Act created a new statutory framework for publicly funded tertiary education and research in Wales. It established the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research—recently named Medr—which is responsible for funding and overseeing the tertiary education sector in Wales. The sector encompasses higher education, further education and training, apprenticeships, sixth forms and adult community learning. I will refer to that body as either the Commission or by its name, Medr.
The Act provides the Commission with new powers to fund tertiary education in Wales and repeals corresponding functions that were previously in place. The order ensures that several pieces of UK legislation are kept up to date by making amendments that account for the new system introduced by the Senedd’s 2022 Act. The order mainly removes references to the powers that are now being repealed and replaces them with references to the equivalent powers in the 2022 Act. That ensures that the legislation being amended will continue to operate in largely the same way as it does now, but with the Commission integrated into the legislative framework.
Article 2 of the order amends the Value Added Tax Act 1994 to ensure that education and vocational training provision funded through powers in the 2022 Act will be an exempt supply for the purpose of value added tax. The Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 includes provision for the tax treatment of income derived from shares in research institution spin-out companies. Article 3 ensures that the definition of “research institution” in that Act includes any university or other educational institution receiving funding under powers in the 2022 Act.
Article 4 amends the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 to enable Welsh Ministers to exercise functions in the 2022 Act jointly with other public authorities, including the Office for Students and UK Research and Innovation. Article 5 amends the Charities Act 2011 (Principal Regulators of Exempt Charities) Regulations 2013 to designate the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research as the principal regulator for specific charities in Wales. That reflects the fact that the Commission—or Medr—will now be responsible for regulating further education and training in Wales under the 2022 Act, whereas previously Welsh Ministers were. The order also ensures that existing restrictions on principal charity regulators relating to the onward sharing of His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs information are applied to the Commission.
Article 6 amends the Seafarers’ Wages Regulations 2024 to ensure that the apprenticeship rate for seafarers can apply to those carrying out apprenticeships funded by the Commission under powers in the 2022 Act.
The amendments to UK legislation in the draft order fall outside the legislative competence of the Senedd as they relate to reserved matters such as tax, charities and employment. Taken together, those amendments ensure that existing legislation will continue to operate as intended by taking account of the changes made by the 2022 Act.
I welcome the implementation of the Senedd’s Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act and the positive impact that Medr is already having in Wales. The draft order will make the consequential amendments necessary to keep UK legislation up to date, and it will help ensure that the 2022 Act can take effect as intended.
Anna McMorrin
I thank the shadow Minister for her valuable contribution to the debate this afternoon and members of the Committee for being here. This order provides for several consequential amendments to UK legislation necessary before the next phase of the 2022 Act comes into force in April.
The shadow Minister made several points in her speech. I am very pleased that Wales managed to withstand 14 years of austerity from a Tory Government. More than that, the Welsh Government invested in building more 21st-century schools than anywhere else in the UK. Medr is shaping a tertiary education system in which everyone can acquire the skills and knowledge they need for a changing economy and society. The Welsh Government reflected and consulted on that—they consulted widely with tertiary education providers—and they are taking it forward. Medr was established last August and is looking at tangible improvements to raise standards across the board. That is why the 2022 Act is in place. Importantly, it will ensure that education, skills and apprenticeships are available for everyone, no matter what their background.
I offer my thanks for the constructive manner in which the UK and the Welsh Governments have worked in preparing this order, and in which the shadow Minister made her points. I commend the order to the Committee.
Question put and agreed to.
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(2 weeks, 3 days ago)
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Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
Family farms play a crucial role in our economy, our landscape, and our language of Wales, and I have regular discussions with Ministers in Westminster and in the Welsh Government about how we can ensure ongoing support. I also regularly speak to farmers and farming unions, continuing to build a true partnership, and listen and respond to their needs.
Dr Spencer
International conflict and instability risk putting up food and fuel prices, and threaten our domestic food resilience. Instead of reviews and platitudes, we need action to protect our farmers and our UK food resilience. Will the Minister take action and scrap the damaging family farm tax?
Anna McMorrin
This Labour Government are committed to supporting farms right across the country. I was with the new president of NFU Cymru, Abi Reader, just a few weeks ago in Wenvoe, hearing how family farms, including hers, will be protected. We will not apologise for being a listening Government, or for striking a fair balance between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances, which the Conservative party wrecked when it was in government.
Ruth Jones (Newport West and Islwyn) (Lab)
As you will be aware, Mr Speaker, the Welsh Affairs Committee recently published its report on farming in Wales. We welcome the Government’s reforms to inheritance tax, but call for further work on the impacts of the change on Welsh family farms to protect our culture, language and amazing farm produce. Does the Minister agree that the Chancellor’s changes to the threshold for agricultural property relief and business property relief show that this Labour Government are listening to Welsh farmers and our rural communities?
Anna McMorrin
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: we are a listening Government, and we have listened to farmers right across the country and made the necessary changes to protect them and fix our public finances, which were completely damaged and wrecked by the Conservative party. I commend her for her dedication and commitment to Wales as Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee, and I look forward to continuing our work together.
Simon Hoare (North Dorset) (Con)
Will the Minister, in listening mode, listen to Welsh sheep farmers who are desperately concerned about being able to access Australian and New Zealand sheep shearers this year, as this is now an animal welfare issue? What conversations has she had with her right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to ensure that those Commonwealth citizens can come in—they never overstay, and are here only for the shearing season—and ensure that sheep farming in Wales, and across the United Kingdom, can be supported and continue to flourish?
Anna McMorrin
The hon. Gentleman is making an important point. I am regularly out listening to farmers and speaking to farming unions, and I am proud that this Government are making the important trade deals that will make a big difference to farmers and businesses across our rural communities. That is possible only because this Labour Government have achieved economic stability, and have repaired our reputation on the world stage after, I am afraid, the Conservative party made a mess of it. I will continue to take his points back to colleagues across Government, and to have those negotiations and discussions with them.
Henry Tufnell (Mid and South Pembrokeshire) (Lab)
How is the Minister working with the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff on the upcoming sanitary and phytosanitary negotiations, to ensure that Pembrokeshire farmers in my constituency gain maximum benefit from our realignment with the European Union?
Anna McMorrin
My hon. Friend is a great advocate for farms in his constituency, and growing up in Pembrokeshire, I know that family farms are the backbone of our local community, as they are across Wales. That is why we are negotiating an agreement with the EU, our closest partner and biggest market. Working with the Welsh Government, we are ensuring that we are slashing red tape and cutting costs for businesses, and that remains a priority and central to this agreement.
Harriet Cross (Gordon and Buchan) (Con)
More than 38,000 people are employed on Welsh farms, the food and farming sector is worth £9 billion to the Welsh economy, and 90% of land is given over to farming, yet in 2025 alone, more than 400 farming businesses closed in Wales. Given the importance of farming to Wales, when did the Wales Office last make representations to the Cabinet about Welsh farmers, and what actions, not meetings, has the Minister personally taken to support farming in Wales?
Anna McMorrin
This Labour Government have presided over the largest devolution settlement since records began—a settlement that has been used to provide £337 million of support to farmers right across Wales. I wonder whether the hon. Lady remembers that not only did the Welsh Conservatives votes against that support, but they introduced a motion to scrap the Welsh Government’s sustainable farming scheme. I thought that the Welsh Conservative slogan was “farming needs a friend”, but that does not sound very friendly to me.
Lorraine Beavers (Blackpool North and Fleetwood) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
Too many children are held back by the scourge of poverty, wilfully created by the Conservative party. Our new child poverty strategy will lift more than half a million children out of poverty by 2030 across the UK, delivering the largest expected reduction since records began. Removing the two-child limit will benefit thousands of children in Wales.
Lorraine Beavers
Our UK Labour Government’s decision to scrap the wicked Conservative two-child cap will benefit 1,700 children in my constituency, and 69,000 children in Wales. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that the Conservative and Reform desire to reintroduce the cap is unjustifiably cruel and will drag children back into poverty?
Anna McMorrin
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. It has and always will be children who pay the price for cruel policies, like those introduced under the Tories. I am proud that, as a Labour Government rooted in the values of fairness, we have scrapped the two-child limit, benefiting 69,000 children in Wales, and giving children their future back and hope for a better life. It is a surprise to no one that the Conservatives and Reform would reintroduce the cap and yet again plunge more children into poverty at a single stroke. Remember, their decision was never about work or saving money—
Alex Easton (North Down) (Ind)
Does the Minister accept that if the Government were serious about reducing child poverty in Wales, and across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, they would prioritise public spending on measures that directly reduce child poverty, in particular investment in social housing and childcare?
Anna McMorrin
This Government are completely serious about reducing child poverty. I am proud that we are a Government who are putting children first. Remember, the decision the Tories took was not about the policy; it was simply about politics. We are putting children first.
Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
We know that the cost of living is the No. 1 issue for people across the country and that is why we remain wholly committed to tackling it. As a result of our actions, interest rates have already been cut six times since the election, energy bills will be cheaper this spring and families getting a new mortgage are almost £1,400 a year better off than they were under the Tories.
Jen Craft
Wages and inward investment are up, economic inactivity is down and interest rates have been cut six times. Labour’s plan to lower the cost of living is clearly working, but we know that more must be done to put more money in people’s pockets. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps she is taking to lower the cost of living?
Anna McMorrin
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the most important things to this Labour Government is putting more money in the pockets of people across Wales and England. So far, we have increased the national minimum and living wages, giving a pay rise to 160,000 Welsh workers; we have announced the first ever permanent real-terms increase to universal credit, benefiting 320 households in Wales; and we have increased the state pension. A lot has been done and there is still a lot more to do—that is Labour delivering in government.
Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)
Families and businesses are feeling hard-pressed more than ever, and events around the world are making food security more important than ever. Does the Minister recognise the seriousness of the Government’s anti-farming agenda, particularly the family farm tax?
Anna McMorrin
I listened to what the hon. Member said, but I do not recognise what she says. This Government are listening to farmers and acting to ensure that they feel better off, which includes streamlining and reducing the burden on businesses and cutting costs.
Ben Lake (Ceredigion Preseli) (PC)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
The Secretary of State and I are working closely with Cabinet Office colleagues to ensure that Welsh farmers benefit from reduced costs and bureaucracy when exporting their produce to the EU.
Ben Lake
Dr Amanda Gibson and her team of scientists at Aberystwyth University are leading research into how the BCG vaccine might be used to help control tuberculosis in cattle. I know the Minister will agree that this is essential work, but can she help ensure that their research is also considered as part of the UK’s negotiations with the EU, so that we do not have to make a choice between animal health and exports?
Anna McMorrin
I was at Aberystwyth University just a few weeks ago. Scientists there are doing some excellent work, and it is fantastic that they are leading the way on a vaccine for TB in cattle. I know how devastating the impact of TB can be on farms and cattle. We have begun negotiations with the EU on an SPS agreement. The hon. Gentleman would not expect me to comment on those negotiations, but I will raise his question and these issues with the relevant colleagues.
Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab)
Our recent trade deals with the EU, UK, India and South Korea will reduce bureaucracy while giving significant benefits to our constituents in accessing these markets. Can the Minister outline what other agreements we will benefit from in the near future?
Anna McMorrin
Our trade strategy is prioritising deals that deliver real impact for businesses right across Wales and the rest of the country. That is possible only because this Labour Government have achieved economic stability and repaired our reputation on the world stage after the Tories made a complete mockery of it.
Mr Speaker
Order. Before I come to Prime Minister’s questions, and in the light of recent exchanges in the Chamber, I remind Members of the need for good temper and moderation in the language they use. As the Speaker, I am not responsible for the specific questions asked by individual Members or the answers given by Ministers. I encourage all Members to engage in respectful debate, as our constituents would expect.
Wales
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(3 months ago)
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Nick Smith
Can the Minister say more about how the Government are reflecting the experiences of victims when tackling grooming gangs in Wales?
Anna McMorrin
Absolutely, and I thank my hon. Friend for raising this critical matter. We are putting victims’ voices at the heart of the inquiry, because their voices must be heard, and we are accepting Baroness Casey’s recommendations in full, including the introduction of mandatory reporting, the creation of a new child protection authority and the ending of the three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
[Official Report, 3 December 2025; Vol. 776, c. 977.]
Written correction submitted by the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, the hon. Member for Cardiff North (Anna McMorrin):
Anna McMorrin
Absolutely, and I thank my hon. Friend for raising this critical matter. We are putting victims’ voices at the heart of the inquiry, because their voices must be heard, and we are accepting Baroness Casey’s recommendations in full, plus the introduction of mandatory reporting, and the creation of a new child protection authority. Earlier this year, we announced the ending of the three-year statute of limitations for relevant personal injury claims.
Wales
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(4 months ago)
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Chris Evans (Caerphilly) (Lab/Co-op)
… I am delighted that Caerphilly is so popular today. It seems that so many people who have either only visited several times, or not visited at all and have only read about it in the press, have become experts about my constituency.
I am also pleased that the Minister has raised the plight of Ukrainians who came to Wales to seek sanctuary, running from war, because if there was one downside to the by-election, it was the talk of asylum seekers being bad people—that they are all illegal and that they do not contribute anything. Those who said such things should see the exhibition that was on at Caerphilly council and see what asylum seekers have contributed. What message does the Minister have for those Ukrainians who are still seeking asylum in Wales?
Anna McMorrin
We offer sanctuary for those who desperately need it, and we are proud of that, but we inherited contracts and a broken system from the Conservatives. Hotel use has nearly halved since the last election, and we have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here, ensuring that those who do need to be here have the welcome and support that they need. It is not job done, but work in progress. We can compare that with the 14 years of the Tory Government.
[Official Report, 29 October 2025; Vol. 774, c. 298.]
Written correction submitted by the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, the hon. Member for Cardiff North (Anna McMorrin):
Anna McMorrin
We offer sanctuary for those who desperately need it, and we are proud of that, but we inherited contracts and a broken system from the Conservatives. Hotel use has halved since its peak in the summer of 2023, and we have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here, ensuring that those who do need to be here have the welcome and support that they need. It is not job done, but work in progress. We can compare that with the 14 years of the Tory Government.
Mims Davies (East Grinstead and Uckfield) (Con)
After wantonly scrapping the Rwanda scheme, the Labour Government are now overseeing record-breaking figures of illegal immigrants. It is reported that the scandal is now engulfing north Wales, where more than 200 illegal immigrants have tried to gain entry to the country on ferries from Dublin to Holyhead. Meanwhile, there is talk about Penally military camp in south-west Wales, which was previously condemned by the Welsh Labour Government. It appears that their policy, along with Reform’s, is from boats to barracks, as is happening in Scotland and Sussex, yet Plaid says that there is no such thing as illegal immigration. Does the Minister agree that her Government and Plaid have no idea about and no interest in how to make our borders safe?
Anna McMorrin
I fear that the Conservatives forget about the chaos that they created. We inherited a broken system after 14 years of chaos, and contracts that we have to honour, but in the past year we have halved the use of hotels. We have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here. It is not job done, as I say, but it is a work in progress. We can compare that work in just one year with 14 years of chaos under the hon. Lady’s Government.
[Official Report, 29 October 2025; Vol. 774, c. 299.]
Written correction submitted by the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, the hon. Member for Cardiff North:
Anna McMorrin
I fear that the Conservatives forget about the chaos that they created. We inherited a broken system after 14 years of chaos, and contracts that we have to honour, but the use of hotels has halved since its peak in the summer of 2023. We have removed 30,000 people who have no right to be here. It is not job done, as I say, but it is a work in progress. We can compare that work in just one year with 14 years of chaos under the hon. Lady’s Government.
Flooding: Monmouthshire
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(4 months ago)
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
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Mims Davies (East Grinstead and Uckfield) (Con)
(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if she will make a statement on the recent severe flooding impacting Monmouthshire and what support will be made available for those affected.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Anna McMorrin)
My first thoughts, and those of the Secretary of State, are with all the people and businesses affected by the flooding over the weekend. The impact in Monmouthshire has been devastating for local residents and traders and I know that hon. Members across the House will be thinking of them as they recover from this dreadful storm.
I am answering this urgent question because the Secretary of State is in Monmouthshire to thank first responders and to meet the community and thank them for their efforts. She is there with my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes), who has been supporting her local community since the flooding across the weekend. I also pay tribute to the emergency responders, the local residents who have rallied together, and the mayor of Monmouth, Jackie Atkin, who has raised a substantial sum for the community.
As the House will be aware, flooding is a devolved matter; however, the Prime Minister spoke to the First Minister over the weekend and offered the UK Government’s support for the Welsh Government’s response. My ministerial colleague who is here with me today, my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy), has also been in touch with the Deputy First Minister. The Environment Agency has offered support locally, including any mutual aid that may be requested by Natural Resources Wales, which operates in the area. We see the number of these events increasing, which demonstrates why our climate response on flooding is so important.
Today the Floodmobile response sponsored by Flood Re is in Monmouth, a mobile demonstration unit which showcases dozens of property flood resilience measures and techniques that can help keep homes and other buildings safer during a flood. That is reaching out to the community. I also bring hon. Members’ attention to what we are doing to support people to access insurance through our partnership with Flood Re, a joint initiative between the Government and the insurance industry to ensure that households at the highest risk of flooding can access affordable insurance.
In the financial year ’24-’25 alone, Flood Re provided cover for over 345,000 household policies. Government officials have met Monmouthshire county council over the weekend to discuss emergency funding; the Deputy First Minister was also there over the weekend to meet first responders and the community, and opportunities are being made available through the emergency financial assistance scheme. The Welsh Government have been working very closely with the council and all the emergency services, and have committed over £370 million to reduce risks to communities across Wales. The Welsh Government are doing everything they can at this very difficult time for the community and for businesses in Monmouthshire.
Mims Davies
This weekend, tragic and heart-wrenching floods affected families and their loved ones, resulting in evacuation from their properties in Monmouth after the River Monnow burst its banks. That, in turn, has blighted businesses with devastating consequences. This horrific experience also hit hard nearby areas, including Abergavenny and Skenfrith village. There are desperate families and business owners across Monmouthshire who have lost their homes and their livelihoods. They have literally lost everything, with Christmas looming—a key time also for hospitality.
I thank the emergency services and all the volunteers, including many local councillors and Peter Fox, Member of the Senedd. They have done fantastic work around the clock to assist, safeguard and do what they can to help and support those impacted. It is now vital that, without any delay, the necessary support reaches every single person who has been affected by these devastating floods, and that their longer term needs are also met. Local people report that they do not have any clarity, answers or insight on what to expect, beyond initial rescue and community kindness. They have been told that discussions are ongoing.
The First Minister outlined this week in the Senedd some support and the Prime Minister also offered support to Monmouthshire. Will the Minister provide details on what exactly that means, practically, on the ground in the coming weeks? Will the Minister outline a timeframe for when support will reach the people of Monmouthshire and what precisely it will entail? It is reported that some insurance companies will not pay, as they meet only storm damage, not flood damage. Locals want urgent resources, not endless form-filling for the Senedd. They need urgent help now and for it to be fast-tracked, they say, via the council. Finally, does the Minister agree that time is of the essence in answering those vital questions, to ensure that the anxieties of residents and businesses do not worsen?
Anna McMorrin
The hon. Lady is absolutely right that time is of the essence. My heart goes out to all those impacted by the storm over the weekend. It must be absolutely dreadful for those people to see their business or home flooded after all the hard work they have put in all their lives; I cannot image the trauma and the difficulty they are going through.
As I said, the First Minister spoke to the Prime Minister: the Prime Minister reached out over the weekend to look at how support can be offered following the flooding. The First Minister has also been looking at how funding can be provided in the least bureaucratic way possible to those impacted. We are a few days after the event and the nature of the support will become clear as the clean-up continues. As the days go on, we will work with emergency services and those impacted. The Welsh Government have emergency financial assistance schemes for just these very scenarios. They have kicked in and are being used. Proposals for support are being prepared. Local government financial officials are there on the ground. The Secretary of State is there on the ground today. We are doing all we can, working hand in hand with the Welsh Government, the council and the mayors, to make sure that those impacted get the support they need as quickly as possible.
Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab)
My constituency neighbour and very diligent representative, my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes), is as we speak in Abergavenny and will join the Secretary of State in Monmouth shortly, meeting and listening to those affected by the devastating floods which hit Monmouth, Abergavenny, Skenfrith and the villages. She has asked me to say a very big heartfelt thank you to the emergency services, all the authorities and all those who have helped for the incredible community effort and many kindnesses shown over the past few days, which have included offers of beds, homes, donations and more. Hundreds and hundreds of businesses and homes will be affected and it will take many months to clear up. I know that my hon. Friend is liaising with the Prime Minister, Departments and the Welsh Government—this is a devolved issue and there will be many asks—but may I ask on her behalf that we continue to offer support in the many ways that will be needed in the period? I am also mindful of other areas impacted by flooding, including my own.
Anna McMorrin
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. My hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes) has been so diligent. I was on the phone with her over the weekend, and I know that she has been speaking to the Welsh Government. I was also on the phone to the Deputy First Minister over the weekend, and I have been in contact with Natural Resources Wales and local community groups. My hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire has been out there in her wellies, helping with the clean-up. I know that she feels this as deeply as those who have been impacted. The support we will be there, and we will continue to work together. Although flooding is a devolved matter, it reaches right across the country. Wherever we can help, we will. We are working together to ensure that we resolve this at pace and help the people who need it.
David Chadwick (Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe) (LD)
The recent floods in Monmouthshire have been devastating for local communities, and our thoughts are with everyone affected as they try to return to some sense of normality. I would also like to pay tribute to the emergency services and everyone who has worked tirelessly to keep residents safe throughout these events.
Last year, we saw attempts by multiple fire and rescue authorities in Wales to close small fire stations, which often house the equipment needed to respond to major floods like the ones we have just seen. Two of the proposed closures are in my constituency in Knighton and Crickhowell. Crickhowell is just a stone’s throw away from Monmouthshire, and the services that are based there often go over the border to help out. Will the Minister clarify what engagements the Government have had with fire services in Wales on potential closures? Does she agree that it is vital that we keep small stations open to protect residents in rural Wales from devastating events such as the ones we have just seen?
Anna McMorrin
I also pay huge tribute to the first responders and emergency units and the fire and rescue service, who did an outstanding job over the weekend and will continue to do so—and right across Wales, too. It is important that we protect those who put themselves in danger and support people in need. I am happy to write to the hon. Member about the details of the closures.
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Lab)
Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney neighbours Monmouthshire. Last winter, we experienced coal tip slipping because of heavy rain. People experiencing flooding deserve all our support. Can the Minister please tell us more about the support available to residents who are claiming insurance or emergency financial help in order to get through this really difficult time?
Anna McMorrin
My hon. Friend has been a strong advocate in this area, and I thank him for that. The UK Government have pledged £143 million in this Parliament for coal tip safety. This is a big issue that needs to be continually monitored. Coal tips were being monitored over the weekend throughout Storm Claudia and they will continue to be monitored. The Government take this issue very seriously and are investing in coal tip safety.
Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)
May I appeal to the Minister to help us in one way? Although this is a devolved matter, it is possible in the internet age very easily to make charitable donations, so could she investigate whether there is a reliable local charity to which people across the country can make donations? Could she perhaps circulate the details of that after this urgent question?
Anna McMorrin
I thank the right hon. Member for his suggestion, which I will absolutely take away. There has been a lot of money raised locally; I mentioned the local mayor, who has raised significant funds. That is fantastic, but I know that a lot of people will want to help, so I will certainly take away that suggestion.
Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab)
I also pay tribute to all those affected and the emergency responders—and to my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes) for the tireless effort she has put in since the flooding. I am grateful to the Minister for what she has said and for what the Prime Minister said earlier about the conversations and constant interaction between the UK Government, the Welsh Government and the First Minister. Collaboration between our Governments when there are civil emergencies such as this is integral, so will she assure me that that collaboration continues and that the people of Monmouthshire will have everything they need from us? Will she also push the Welsh Government to do everything they can to ensure that those affected get through this crisis?
Anna McMorrin
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important point. Collaboration is key. In situations like this, where speed is of the essence, it is important that we work together quickly and seamlessly. I know that my hon. Friend the Minister for Water and Flooding has been in touch with the Deputy First Minister and my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouthshire (Catherine Fookes). We will all continue to work together to resolve this and make sure that those impacted get support and help as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Ben Lake (Ceredigion Preseli) (PC)
I also associate myself with the Minister’s comments. My thoughts are very much with the people of Monmouthshire as they try to get their lives back on track. She rightly mentioned the increasing frequency of severe weather events. Further to the very wise words of the hon. Member for Cardiff West (Mr Barros-Curtis), in addition to collaboration between the two Governments, in light of the increasing frequency of severe weather events, I wonder whether it is time for us to consider a central resilience fund to provide the additional emergency support that is sadly becoming far too routine?
Anna McMorrin
The hon. Member rightly points out the important link between climate change and increased flooding, which I mentioned earlier. It is very important to build resilience into communities and housing. I know that there is a fund. We are putting funding in; this Government take very seriously that investment, whether it is in new build, existing build or communities, businesses and infrastructure at risk. We absolutely need to ensure that with changing weather patterns, increased rainfall and further flooding, our communities and people across the country are safe.
Dame Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)
On behalf of residents in flood-prone West Worcestershire who approached Storm Claudia with trepidation, I convey our sympathies to people in Monmouthshire. Experiencing a flood like that is one of the most terrible things that can happen a community. Could I ask the Minister to ask the Minister for Water and Flooding, who is beside her on the Front Bench, to follow up with the Environment Agency on two projects it is working on in West Worcestershire—in Severn Stoke and Tenbury Wells—to improve flood resilience? I would love it if the Minister could give the Environment Agency a nudge to complete that work.
Anna McMorrin
My colleague has heard that loudly and clearly and will get back to the hon. Member.
Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)
There are few around the country better equipped to empathise with the people of Monmouthshire than my people in Tewkesbury in north Gloucestershire. Will the Minister join me in thanking the volunteers of the Severn Area Rescue Association who were called out this weekend, as they so often are? Will she also tell me when her Department will respond to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report into flood resilience in England?
Anna McMorrin
I thank the hon. Member for raising that point and for his words to the people of Monmouthshire. I pay tribute to his communities. It is important that we support communities right across the country, wherever they are. This Government are intent on doing that.
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford) (Con)
Although I am not a Welsh MP, I would like to express my sympathies for what the people of Monmouthshire are going through. In 2014, when I was the Armed Forces Minister in the Ministry of Defence, I spent weeks in Cobra meetings helping to co-ordinate military assistance in response to the severe flooding in the west country, particularly on the Somerset levels. Can I offer a suggestion? We all hope that this will not happen again, and certainly not quickly, but if there are further named storms, has the Minister or the First Minister considered speaking to the Ministry of Defence about military aid to the civil authorities—so-called MACA arrangements? We learned in 2014 that there are some specialist units, such as the Royal Marines or the Royal Engineers, who have capabilities to offer in these circumstances that can really make a difference to local people. Is that something that she and the First Minister might at least be prepared to consider?
Anna McMorrin
Of course, when there are critical or major incidents, such as the flooding in Monmouthshire, we are ready to consider anything. Where we need that support, collaboration is important and that extends to all our Departments. In every way possible, we will ensure that people, businesses and infrastructure are looked after, and that can and would extend to Defence if necessary.
Dr Ellie Chowns (North Herefordshire) (Green)
My heart goes out to the people of Monmouthshire, which is just downriver from my constituency. Terrible damage has also been done in South Herefordshire, with places such as Ewyas Harold very badly affected. We know that these things are happening more frequently and more severely. It is also tragic to see the huge amount of soil that is washed off the land at times like this. Does the Minister recognise the hugely important role that farmers play in managing floodwater and building resilience to these sorts of events? Will she invest more in nature-friendly farming—river-friendly farming—to help prevent these sorts of disasters, which do so much damage to people’s livelihoods?
Anna McMorrin
It is exceptionally important, for those who have a duty to their land, to manage that land safely. These events have a devastating impact and soil is washed away, but there are things that can be done further upstream to prevent flooding. The Welsh Government have put in place projects right across Wales to ensure that happens. Just this morning I was talking to Powys county council about some of those taking place there.
Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)
Flood Re’s report earlier this year highlighted that, in the face of more extreme weather and more frequent flooding, many insurers are increasing excesses and premiums often to eyewatering levels or withdrawing insurance support altogether. What immediate support are the Government putting in place for people who find themselves without insurance?
Anna McMorrin
An emergency financial initiative is available. Welsh Government officials are working with community groups, the local council and us to ensure that they have access to those emergency funds.
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(2 years, 1 month ago)
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Stephen Doughty (Cardiff South and Penarth) (Lab/Co-op)
Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Fay Jones)
That was lively, Mr Speaker.
The UK has a secure and diverse energy system, and Wales continues to play a key role. The UK Government are going further to ensure our energy security by supporting our oil and gas industry, and investing to scale up our renewable energy production, such as floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea.
Fay Jones
I very much welcome the hon. Gentleman mentioning nuclear. I seem to recall that, when his party was in power, Labour did next to nothing to advance the cause of nuclear energy in this country. It gives me ample opportunity to pay tribute to the work of my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie), who has committed the Government to everything we have done on Wylfa so far. Progress is being made, in stark contrast to the record of his party.
Anna McMorrin
We have had 14 years of successive Tory Governments, who have all had the chance to invest in the transition to net zero. Instead, they have chosen to backslide on climate commitments, and it is working people across my constituency of Cardiff North who are paying the price. With this Government intent on issuing new oil and gas licences, what does the Minister say to families in my constituency who are now paying treble for their energy bills?
Fay Jones
I would point out that it is this Government who stepped in with £96 billion of support to mitigate the impact of those energy bills. I completely disagree with the hon. Lady’s assessment of our record on net zero, and I would point out that, when her party was in power, 7% of our energy supply came from renewable sources.
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(2 years, 5 months ago)
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Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)
The Secretary of State for Wales (David T. C. Davies)
The Government are committed to investing in our police to drive down crime across Wales. That includes an extra 1,127 police officers for Welsh forces under the police uplift programme. Approximately £9 million has been allocated to Welsh forces through the safer streets fund, targeting neighbourhood crime, violence against women and girls, and antisocial behaviour.
Anna McMorrin
Antisocial behaviour has a devastating impact on communities across Wales and in Cardiff North. My constituent, Sarah, suffered a miscarriage due to the stress of repeated antisocial behaviour. She was not entitled to any support, because this Government consider those who suffer from antisocial behaviour to be second-class victims. My amendment to change that in the Victims and Prisoners Bill was rejected by this Government. How can they claim to prevent crime while failing to support victims?
David T. C. Davies
I assure the hon. Lady that victims of antisocial behaviour are as much victims of crime as anyone else. I absolutely stand with victims of antisocial behaviour; it is a matter that we take very seriously indeed. I have not seen the amendment tabled by the hon. Lady, but she must be aware that this Government have brought in longer prison sentences for the most serious crimes, and made it easier for the police to arrest people carrying out crime—matters that the Labour party has voted against.
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(2 years, 9 months ago)
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Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)
The Prime Minister
What we are doing is taxing the windfall profits of energy companies and using that money to help pay around half of a typical household’s energy bill. That support is worth £1,500—it was extended in the Budget by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor—and we all look forward to energy bills coming down, which hopefully will happen very soon.
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(3 years ago)
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David T. C. Davies
Obviously, sport is a devolved matter, but I have had conversations with Nigel Walker and other members of the WRU informally. The UK Government, and I am sure the Welsh Government, were appalled by the allegations. I would be happy to work with the Welsh Government, the WRU or any other body, including the external body that has been set up to look at the issue, to ensure that the allegations are properly dealt with.
Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)
Dydd gŵyl Dewi Sant hapus, Mr Speaker. I am sure that all hon. Members are concerned about the allegations of discrimination and misogyny within the WRU that victims have come forward and said they have faced. What conversations is the Secretary of State having with his colleagues in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport about the matter and the pressure that they can put on the WRU to address these serious allegations?
Oral Answers to Questions
Anna McMorrin Excerpts(3 years, 8 months ago)
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David T. C. Davies
The hon. Lady has not actually contacted me about the issue previously, but it is a reasonable one to raise and I would be happy to see any correspondence from her on it.
Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)
Unsurprisingly, the UK Government have repeatedly broken their promises to fund Wales to the tune of nearly £800 million, and they are blatantly trying to undermine devolution at every opportunity. Can the Minister tell me how that serves the Welsh people when they are struggling with the cost of living crisis? While he is at it, can he tell us why he is still propping up a broken Government who promote an abuser and then lie about it?
David T. C. Davies
That statement is completely incorrect. Prior to Brexit, Wales received around £343 million a year in structural funds and £337 million a year was spent on agriculture. Post Brexit, the sums will be exactly the same. My question is why Opposition Members are still supporting a Government in Wales who have left us with lower education standards; lower standards in healthcare; and more taxes on business, such as a tourism tax and a tax on wine producers. Why do they now want to spend £100 million of taxpayers’ money on extra politicians? Those are the questions to which the people of Wales would like to know the answers.