Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the transfer of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s Investment Reserve to its Welsh scheme members.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is engaging with HM Treasury with a view to agreeing a way forward on the transfer of the reserve to members.
The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme members.
As at 30 October 2024, there were 3,650 members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Wales. Any transfer of the reserve would be used to enhance member benefits.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2025 to Question 76666 on British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, if it remains his policy to reach an outcome on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s investment reserve that can be implemented this year.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s aim remains to reach an outcome that can be implemented this year.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what formal representation (a) Welsh Ministers and (b) Transport for Wales will have in the governance structure of Great British Railways.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There will be a statutory requirement for Welsh Ministers and the Secretary of State to agree a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The contents of this MoU have been outlined in Written Ministerial Statements by the Secretary of State for Transport in the UK Parliament and Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, in the Senedd, accompanying the Railways Bill. These statements reinforce our commitment to collaborative governance, outlining shared ministerial intentions across areas such as track and train integration, cross-border service oversight, and the establishment of a dedicated GBR Wales and Borders Business Unit.
The final MoU will be published in due course as committed to within the Bill.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of returning the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Investment Reserve to members on the Welsh economy.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As at 30 October 2024, there were 3,650 members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Wales. Any transfer of the reserve would be used to enhance member benefits.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether (a) he and (b) the Chief Secretary to the Treasury have held recent meetings with representatives of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on the future of the Investment Reserve.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I met the Trustees on 12 November 2025 to discuss the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme and the proposed transfer of the reserve.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to ensure that the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme’s Investment Reserve is returned to members before the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is aiming to reach agreement on an outcome that can be implemented later this year which will benefit scheme members.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to her announcement on 23 September 2024 of a health partnership between Wales and England, what progress has been made in establishing that partnership; and when she expects it to become operational.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
Both the UK and Welsh Governments know how important it is to strengthen our NHS and bring down waiting lists. That is why our two governments are working together in the spirit of genuine collaboration and partnership to do everything possible to cut waiting lists, collaborate and learn from each other.
That partnership begins with how the NHS is funded. At the Spending Review, we announced a record £22.4 billion per year on average for the Welsh Government between 2026-27 and 2028-29, to invest in public services and drive down waiting lists. This is the largest budget settlement in the history of devolution. This builds on what was announced at Autumn Budget which provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding was invested by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26. The record settlement we provided to the Welsh Government has helped to reduce NHS waiting lists and I was pleased to see that in the most recent health statistics that the over two years waiting lists are more than three quarters (87.6%) lower than the peak in March 2022.
Our governments are learning from each other by sharing best practice on health. The UK Government has learned from the Welsh Government’s reform to dentistry and GP practices, as the UK Government has shared its approach to rolling out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs – an approach the Welsh Government is also taking.
A good example of our two Governments working together on health is the Interministerial Group (IMG) for Health and Social Care, which met on 25 September, chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC). The IMG brought together Ministers from DHSC and the Devolved Governments to discuss shared priorities across health in the UK, including innovation and elective recovery. There are also regular meetings between officials in UK Government and the Devolved Governments on a range health and social care matters.
Our two Governments are working together on ‘Exercise PEGASUS’ – a national exercise on the United Kingdom’s preparedness for a pandemic. This was the first of its kind in nearly a decade and the biggest in UK history.
There are long-standing arrangements for cancer care, renal services and mental health support that cross the border seamlessly. Furthermore, NHS England is working with NHS Wales to improve digital interoperability, especially through the shared care record and technical collaboration on the fast healthcare interoperability resources which allows systems from different manufacturers to exchange messages and data, regardless of the setting that care is delivered in.
In October, the chief information officers across governments agreed to begin working together on digital architecture and standards. This is intended to improve how the NHS across the border can share systems, standards and communicate more effectively. This partnership aims to improve the sharing of digital records in the short term and eventually to achieve a single patient record.
Around 30,000 people who live in England have a GP in Wales, and vice versa. That is why NHS Wales and NHS England have a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment for patients living on the Wales England border. This supports better patient outcomes and avoids fragmentation of care for those people living either side of the border. Further detail on the statement is in the link below.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings of (a) officials and (b) ministers have taken place to progress the health partnership between Wales and England announced on 23 September 2024 by the Secretary of State.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
Both the UK and Welsh Governments know how important it is to strengthen our NHS and bring down waiting lists. That is why our two governments are working together in the spirit of genuine collaboration and partnership to do everything possible to cut waiting lists, collaborate and learn from each other.
That partnership begins with how the NHS is funded. At the Spending Review, we announced a record £22.4 billion per year on average for the Welsh Government between 2026-27 and 2028-29, to invest in public services and drive down waiting lists. This is the largest budget settlement in the history of devolution. This builds on what was announced at Autumn Budget which provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding was invested by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26. The record settlement we provided to the Welsh Government has helped to reduce NHS waiting lists and I was pleased to see that in the most recent health statistics that the over two years waiting lists are more than three quarters (87.6%) lower than the peak in March 2022.
Our governments are learning from each other by sharing best practice on health. The UK Government has learned from the Welsh Government’s reform to dentistry and GP practices, as the UK Government has shared its approach to rolling out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs – an approach the Welsh Government is also taking.
A good example of our two Governments working together on health is the Interministerial Group (IMG) for Health and Social Care, which met on 25 September, chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC). The IMG brought together Ministers from DHSC and the Devolved Governments to discuss shared priorities across health in the UK, including innovation and elective recovery. There are also regular meetings between officials in UK Government and the Devolved Governments on a range health and social care matters.
Our two Governments are working together on ‘Exercise PEGASUS’ – a national exercise on the United Kingdom’s preparedness for a pandemic. This was the first of its kind in nearly a decade and the biggest in UK history.
There are long-standing arrangements for cancer care, renal services and mental health support that cross the border seamlessly. Furthermore, NHS England is working with NHS Wales to improve digital interoperability, especially through the shared care record and technical collaboration on the fast healthcare interoperability resources which allows systems from different manufacturers to exchange messages and data, regardless of the setting that care is delivered in.
In October, the chief information officers across governments agreed to begin working together on digital architecture and standards. This is intended to improve how the NHS across the border can share systems, standards and communicate more effectively. This partnership aims to improve the sharing of digital records in the short term and eventually to achieve a single patient record.
Around 30,000 people who live in England have a GP in Wales, and vice versa. That is why NHS Wales and NHS England have a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment for patients living on the Wales England border. This supports better patient outcomes and avoids fragmentation of care for those people living either side of the border. Further detail on the statement is in the link below.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what (a) milestones and (b) deliverables were agreed for the health partnership with England announced on the 23 September 2024.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
Both the UK and Welsh Governments know how important it is to strengthen our NHS and bring down waiting lists. That is why our two governments are working together in the spirit of genuine collaboration and partnership to do everything possible to cut waiting lists, collaborate and learn from each other.
That partnership begins with how the NHS is funded. At the Spending Review, we announced a record £22.4 billion per year on average for the Welsh Government between 2026-27 and 2028-29, to invest in public services and drive down waiting lists. This is the largest budget settlement in the history of devolution. This builds on what was announced at Autumn Budget which provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding was invested by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26. The record settlement we provided to the Welsh Government has helped to reduce NHS waiting lists and I was pleased to see that in the most recent health statistics that the over two years waiting lists are more than three quarters (87.6%) lower than the peak in March 2022.
Our governments are learning from each other by sharing best practice on health. The UK Government has learned from the Welsh Government’s reform to dentistry and GP practices, as the UK Government has shared its approach to rolling out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs – an approach the Welsh Government is also taking.
A good example of our two Governments working together on health is the Interministerial Group (IMG) for Health and Social Care, which met on 25 September, chaired by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC). The IMG brought together Ministers from DHSC and the Devolved Governments to discuss shared priorities across health in the UK, including innovation and elective recovery. There are also regular meetings between officials in UK Government and the Devolved Governments on a range health and social care matters.
Our two Governments are working together on ‘Exercise PEGASUS’ – a national exercise on the United Kingdom’s preparedness for a pandemic. This was the first of its kind in nearly a decade and the biggest in UK history.
There are long-standing arrangements for cancer care, renal services and mental health support that cross the border seamlessly. Furthermore, NHS England is working with NHS Wales to improve digital interoperability, especially through the shared care record and technical collaboration on the fast healthcare interoperability resources which allows systems from different manufacturers to exchange messages and data, regardless of the setting that care is delivered in.
In October, the chief information officers across governments agreed to begin working together on digital architecture and standards. This is intended to improve how the NHS across the border can share systems, standards and communicate more effectively. This partnership aims to improve the sharing of digital records in the short term and eventually to achieve a single patient record.
Around 30,000 people who live in England have a GP in Wales, and vice versa. That is why NHS Wales and NHS England have a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment for patients living on the Wales England border. This supports better patient outcomes and avoids fragmentation of care for those people living either side of the border. Further detail on the statement is in the link below.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding her Department plans to provide through the National Wealth Fund for steel projects; and how businesses can access that funding.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This Government has a vision for a strong, resilient, productive steel industry in the UK that is primed for long-term success, driving growth in communities. The NWF will commit at least £5.8 billion over this Parliament to priority sub-sectors, which includes green steel. Businesses seeking the NWF’s finance or support from should contact them directly via their website:
https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/contact-us