Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

This is a shocking case, and the Government are committed to tackling these issues. In November, we took the first steps to ban rogue employers from sponsoring overseas workers. The immigration White Paper sets out the next steps, including ending overseas recruitment for adult social care. I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets a ministerial response on this case.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

Oswestry livestock market in my constituency serves not only North Shropshire, but Mid Wales, and its operations are under threat because of the hard border introduced as a result of the bluetongue protection zone. I echo the call of my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Marie Goldman) for a statement on how we can effectively manage this concerning situation. May I also ask the Leader of the House to consider whether 40 minutes for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs questions is sufficient, given that a fifth of the country live in rural areas, and there is very little time under the current allocation for those of us who represent those areas to question Ministers?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank the hon. Member for mentioning that matter, which was raised earlier. I am sorry to hear of the impact on the Oswestry livestock market. As I said earlier, Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are working closely with devolved Ministers to try to resolve this issue. Obviously, people want to hear an update via a statement from Ministers, so I will look into that. She also mentioned the length of DEFRA questions, a matter that is raised with me and others regularly. We look at how many people apply to ask questions, especially on Thursday mornings, so if colleagues want that question time to be longer, they need to get more people to take part in the lottery to ask questions.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 5th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

Park homes, and particularly the site owners’ commission on sales, are regularly raised with me at business questions. I am sure a debate would be very popular were my hon. Friend to apply for one. This Government will set out actions on this in due course, and I encourage him to speak to the relevant Minister, which I am happy to facilitate.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

This week the Government announced an enormous investment in transport projects in metropolitan areas, but nothing for rural areas. Given that almost a fifth of the population live in rural and coastal areas, and that many of them, like North Shropshire, have very poor public transport, can we have a debate in Government time to consider how we might invest in really good public transport projects, such as the Oswestry to Gobowen railway line, to unleash growth in rural areas?

[Lucy Powell]

I reassure the hon. Lady that the big announcement on the £15 billion transport infrastructure projects for metro mayoral areas was just a start, and that there is more to come. I am sure she will recognise that this Government are absolutely committed to rural transport. That is why we have the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill going through Parliament, and it is why we have capped bus fares at £3, which is particularly relevant to rural communities where fares have gone through the roof in recent years. I can assure the hon. Lady that there is more to come.

Government Announcements

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Monday 2nd June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I was on the Opposition Benches for many years—many more years than the right hon. Gentleman has been—and I recognise that it is a challenge to properly scrutinise big reviews that are laid before the House not long before a statement is made. It is the same with Budgets. I will ensure that today is not the only opportunity, but the first of many, to question the Government about their strategic defence review, which will last for many years to come. I know the Secretary of State will also want to ensure that as further questions emerge today, next week and in months to come, Members of this House have ample opportunity to put those questions to him.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

Integrated care boards had their budgets cut by 50% via a phone call from the interim head of NHS England to ICB leaders, and that announcement was only made formal in response to a written question that I put to the Secretary of State. Half of NHS targets were cut without a statement in the Chamber, and although there was a statement in the Chamber on the abolition of NHS England, it has been carrying on at pace without so much as a White Paper, a Bill or any opportunity for effective parliamentary scrutiny. Will the Leader of the House give us an opportunity to look at and scrutinise this fundamental reorganisation of the NHS, which is so far going under the radar?

[Lucy Powell]

Issues relating to decisions about ICBs and NHS reorganisation are regularly raised with me at business questions. The hon. Lady is right to say that there was a statement in the House on NHS England, and I can reveal to her—this will probably not be a surprise—that getting rid of NHS England will require primary legislation. There will be ample time to consider those issues through the passage of that legislation, but I hear what she says.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 22nd May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is aware that I cannot comment on individual cases, but I will ensure that a Minister gives him a reply on his case. In this House, we regularly discuss issues relating to immigration and visas, and I will ensure that there is ample opportunity to do so in future.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

I chair the all-party parliamentary group on digital communities. At our meeting on Tuesday, we heard from industry executives that the shared rural network has been rolled out well ahead of schedule. However, I am afraid that my constituents have noticed no discernible difference to their mobile signal on the ground. May we have a debate in Government time to discuss what a decent mobile signal looks like for rural areas and how on earth we will deliver it?

[Lucy Powell]

Mobile blackspots are a real challenge for many of our constituents, so I thank the hon. Lady for raising these issues. I will ensure that she receives a full response, but I know that any time anyone applies for a debate on such issues, it is very well subscribed.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 8th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

We totally condemn the exploitation of international care workers by rogue employers in the sector. We are taking robust action, including by revoking sponsor licences where that is deemed to be the case. I will ensure that my hon. Friend gets an update on his case.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

I was concerned to read reports in the newspaper earlier this week that train stations will not be allowed to have step-free access if they have fewer than 1,000 passengers a day or are within 30 miles of a station with step-free access. People in rural areas will not be able to use the train if there is no alternative public transport and they cannot access a car. Will the Leader of the House commit to a debate in Government time so that we can talk about the importance of people in rural areas being able to access public transport and, in particular, stations such as Whitchurch in my constituency, where there is no step-free access to the southbound platform?

[Lucy Powell]

The issue of step-free access at stations is always raised with me at business questions. I assure the hon. Member that the Government are committed to the Access for All programme, and the Rail Minister is reviewing what we can do to support it better. I will ensure that the House is updated on that.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 3rd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am sorry to hear about the experience that my hon. Friend’s constituent had. I support her endeavours on the Warwickshire buses; that is why we have the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill progressing through the House of Lords. She is absolutely right to raise issues around accessibility for those with disabilities when it comes to public transport, which includes taxis, and that would make a very good topic for a debate.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

North Shropshire is home to some historic and beautiful market towns, and I recommend a visit over Easter. I have been contacted by some high-street retailers, particularly Niche Patisserie and the Covent Garden Fruit & Veg shop, which are concerned about the double whammy of business rates increasing and NIC hikes happening this week. They are worried about the impact on high streets, which also face the closure of post offices and banks. Can we have a debate in Government time on how we can radically reform business rates to bring our high streets back to life?

[Lucy Powell]

This Government are committed to business rate reform. We have already taken through a piece of legislation beginning that process by creating a new lower level of business rates as well as a higher band for some of those much larger businesses, but we need to go further. We have retained the discount into next year, but I appreciate that these are difficult times for high street business and businesses in our town centres. This Government are committed to ensuring that we protect and support businesses and working people.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 19th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I join my hon. Friend in congratulating St Mary’s Episcopal cathedral on appearing on the Christmas stamps this year. She raises an important issue that many hon. Members across the House raise: the future of churches and our places of worship. The Chair of the Backbench Business Committee is in his place and I am sure that he would welcome an application for such a debate.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

Since being elected, I have been contacted by a number of women who have left their partners or husbands because of domestic abuse, and then had that abuse perpetuated during their dealings with the family court when determining access to their children or the maintenance payments that they receive. Given the obvious concern about the prioritisation of access over child safety, the issues that female constituents have raised with me, and the fact that the family court operates in secrecy, which leaves constituents gagged and bound, unable to do anything about these things, can we have a debate in Government time on how women are treated in family court processes, and how we can do better?

[Lucy Powell]

The hon. Lady raises a story with which many of us will be all too familiar as constituency MPs. She will know that this Government take domestic abuse and domestic violence incredibly seriously. We have a very challenging target of halving violence against women and girls over the next few years. We have an upcoming crime and policing Bill and a victims Bill, and some the measures that she asks about will be included in that legislation.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 25th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank my hon. Friend for taking the time to meet Madi, and I thank the Youth Parliament, which has made that issue its campaign focus for this year. My hon. Friend will know that around 2 million pupils currently have free school meals, but we are also doing much more outside of term time through our holiday activities and food programme—about £200 million is invested in that every year. I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. She will know that the next Education questions are on the 29th.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

At the beginning of the month, I had a meeting with a veteran who came to my advice surgery, who was gay. In what was a genuinely upsetting and moving meeting, he described the profound impact on his life of having lived in fear of being convicted and of the genuinely horrifying, homophobic environment at his work. We have had a statement and an apology in the House, which is welcome, but we have not had a debate in which the voices of LGBT veterans can be heard and their compensation scrutinised, so please may we have that debate in Government time? This is a very important issue.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Lady for raising this matter. I am sure that many Members would want to attend such a debate—she will know how to secure one. Last week, the hon. Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier) raised the issue of those serving in particular parts of our armed forces or our intelligence agencies who were unable to give evidence to that investigation because of the nature of the work they were doing, so there are still some unresolved matters that need an airing, and I encourage the hon. Lady to apply for that debate.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 22nd June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question and the campaign she is running to ensure that her local residents have access to those vital services. I am sure that she could apply for a debate, and I know that she has taken part in many debates touching on this matter. She will also be interested to know that the next Business and Trade questions are on 29 June and, with regard to DVLA services, the next Transport questions are on 13 July.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

Diabetes UK estimates that in 2022 there were 7,000 excess deaths because of diabetes, and there is huge regional variation in the care provided to diabetes patients depending on the effectiveness of their integrated care board. Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is the worst performing ICB in England, with only 25% of patients receiving all eight recommended checks in 2021 and 2022. That is a serious problem—people’s health is at stake—so may we have a debate in Government time on improving preventive care for diabetes patients, which would ultimately save lives and save the NHS money?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I should say that I used to be a director of Diabetes UK, which does fantastic work. As I mentioned in an earlier answer, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is looking into the data. Previously, we had to rely on organisations such as Diabetes UK to collect such data on local services in their area. He is doing that, and I have been in discussion with him about how to make that data available to Members so that we can track the performance of our local health boards. The hon. Lady is absolutely right: if people get the good year of care that they should for diabetes, we will save the NHS a fortune. I thank her for raising that point.

Business of the House

Helen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 2nd March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the issue. He tried to get an urgent question on it. He will know that I have raised the matter on his behalf with the relevant Departments. I would just say to him that it is not unusual—there are reasons for it—for those funding allocations to be published this month and sometimes later. I will again make sure that the Department has heard his concerns, but it is not an unusual situation. Of course, we want to make sure people have information in a timely way to make those decisions.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

My right hon. Friend the Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) has already raised the issue of access to the alternative fuel payment and some of the chaos around its application. It is the second day of meteorological spring. People who are off grid, and people who do not have a direct relationship with their electricity supplier, are still waiting for the portal through which they can apply for a payment to go live. These are some of the most vulnerable people—in some cases, they are in park homes or canal boats—and they have not had any help with their fuel bills for the whole winter. So can we ask for a statement from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on how and when these people can expect some help with their energy bills?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I thank the hon. Lady for that question. Again, I would refer her to the gov.uk website. I will certainly follow up after this meeting and ask someone from the Department to get in touch with her office and her caseworkers to make sure she has the answers.