Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of HS2 on West Coast Mainline services between London and Glasgow.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
HS2 will deliver faster, more reliable journeys between London and Scotland, while providing additional capacity on the West Coast Main Line to support improved rail services.
The final timetable has not yet been agreed and will be subject to consultation closer to the start of service. However, current assumptions involve maintaining the frequency of services from London to Glasgow and delivering significantly faster end-to-end journeys for passengers.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness and impact of the UK Parliament Education and Engagement service in the nations and regions.
Answered by Nick Smith
Education and Engagement is part of the wider Participation team and shares the strategic aim of the Participation team to reach every part of the UK with its range of public engagement services.
In financial year 2025/26, Education and Engagement’s combined services reached every constituency in some form. In the longer-term, the team aims to increase the scale of services every constituency receives. Part of achieving this aim will include the creation of a digital outreach model, to replace the current regionally-based model. Under the current model, in 2025/26, 32% of constituencies received no outreach visits at all. The new service aims to significantly improve on these figures, with much greater opportunities for Members to join in with digital sessions with their local schools. The total, combined reach of the new service is expected to be the same as or greater than the current service by the third year of its operation.
The Commission has also endorsed a recommendation from the Education and Engagement Team to put in place regional allocations for slots for schools to visit Parliament and the Parliamentary Education Centre, meaning, for the first time, that all UK regions and nations will be given a fair and equitable allocation of opportunities to visit.
In terms of Parliament’s overall engagement work across the UK, a number of different programmes continue to provide opportunities for the public to participate, including UK Parliament Week, teacher training activity delivered around the country, the travel subsidy scheme supporting visits to the Parliamentary Education Centre, Learn with the Lords, and wider outreach undertaken by select committees. Taken together, these channels mean that Parliament will continue to have a strong and visible presence beyond Westminster, even as the Education Outreach service evolves.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what evidence was used to inform decisions to potentially reduce roles based in the regions and nations in the Education and Engagement service under the Savings and Improvement Programme.
Answered by Nick Smith
The Commission has considered the proposed changes to the educational outreach model.
The proposed changes involve the development of a smaller, Westminster-based team, which would operate a UK-wide digital outreach service. Under the current model, in 2025/26 only 9% of Members were involved in a school outreach visit and 32% of constituencies received no outreach visits at all. The new service aims to significantly improve on these figures, with much greater opportunities for Members to join in with digital sessions with their local schools. The total, combined reach of the new service is expected to be the same as or greater than the current service by the third year of its operation.
Evidence of demand for current digital services has been considered, including the “Learn with the Lords” programme, where three quarters of schools request online over in-person experiences to meet a Member of the House of Lords and learn more about their work. This programme reaches every nation and region of the UK every year. The team has also conducted research into organisations who are delivering ambitious and successful digital outreach models including the Royal Ballet and Opera, North East Museums, the National Gallery, BBC Bitesize and The Shakespeare Curriculum. This research has demonstrated the large-scale need from schools for this type of educational offer from UK Parliament.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Jingye Group having initiated procedures to claim compensation following the Government's takeover of British Steel via the Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions in the UK–China Bilateral Investment Treaty on the public finances.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations, including its obligations under the UK-China Bilateral Investment Treaty. It would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further on the dispute at this stage.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
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 ensure that the UK's investment and trade policy does not undermine its international leadership on climate action.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
This Government is committed to being an international leader on environmental issues. This includes tackling climate change, delivering our clean energy superpower mission, achieving our net zero and other environmental goals, while supporting economic growth. As set out in the Trade Strategy, we will maintain our right to regulate in pursuit of our ambitious climate and environment goals in any and all new trade agreements. Additionally, we will seek outcomes in trading frameworks, including at the WTO, that support sustainable trade, and drive initiatives that support trade in environmental goods and services.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of ISDS mechanisms with the UK’s stated commitment to supporting a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK draws on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove governments’ right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to the environment. We jealously and zealously guard this right.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed agri-food tariff reductions on the ability of small-scale farmers in the Global South to benefit from preferential tariff arrangements under the UK’s Developing Country Trading Scheme.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
The Government is aware that some developing country exporters may face extra competition as a result of UK agri-food tariff suspensions. However, there are potential opportunities for addressing cost-of-living pressures faced by UK families. Therefore, it is right we review our tariffs to help alleviate some of these pressures.
The Government welcomes views on the impacts of suspending tariffs on any of the specific products listed in the call for input which launched on 27th May and closes on 24th June 2026.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his priorities are for the International Conference on Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels; and whether he plans to support measures to remove legal and financial barriers to climate action at this conference.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the adequacy of levels of UK Government funding for the Glasgow City Region.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This UK Government has committed more than £870 million to deliver long term economic growth across the Glasgow City Region, including investing more than £350 million over the next three years.
Furthermore, the region will be up to £15m better off under our new pride in place and local growth investments than if the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had been continued.
Since the election in 2024, the UK Labour Government has also provided the Scottish Government with £12 billion of additional funding to spend on devolved priorities.
I am sure my Honourable Friend will agree with me that there is no excuse for the SNP Scottish Government's cuts to Scottish local authority budgets.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help terminally ill people with increased energy costs.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to supporting people nearing the end of life. The Department for Work and Pensions’ ‘Special Rules for End of Life', help terminally ill people to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. In addition, everyone with a domestic energy contract will benefit from our action to take money off energy bills to tackle the cost of living. They may also be eligible for support such as the Warm Home Discount and we urge anyone in such a challenging situation to contact their energy supplier or Citizens Advice to see what further support is available. Vulnerable consumers who need extra support are also able to sign up for the Priority Services Register for free.