Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Morgan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 281–300 of 990 · this parliament
Whether (a) Chief Executive of NICE and (b) any other NICE official has had recent discussions with the United States Ambassador.
The former National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Chief Executive, Dr Sam Roberts, met with the United States’ ambassador in October 2025. NICE’s current Chief Executive is due to meet with the US ambassador soon. The Department was notified of these meetings.
Whether his Department has had discussions with (a) the Chief Executive of NICE and (b) other NICE officials on them meeting United States Ambassador to the UK.
The former National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Chief Executive, Dr Sam Roberts, met with the United States’ ambassador in October 2025. NICE’s current Chief Executive is due to meet with the US ambassador soon. The Department was notified of these meetings.
What steps she is taking to support independent (a) pubs, (b) hotels and (c) retail businesses due to pay an increase in business rates in Shropshire.
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
What steps she is taking to reduce the processing time for appeals against the rateable value of non-domestic properties.
Dealing with cases in a timely and efficient manner is an absolute priority for the VOA. The VOA will always clear cases as quickly as it can, and prioritises those cases where customers are facing financial hardship. The VOA continues to meet its statutory deadlines on Check and Challenge, clearing 100% of Check cases within its 12-month deadline (75% of which were cleared within three months). The VOA is clearing 99% of Challenge cases within its 18-month deadline. Those not cleared are cases where the VOA has agreed an extension with the ratepayer or their agent. The VOA carefully forecasts and monitors changes in demand across the Agency and flexes resources to meet customer need. This includes moving specialist surveyor resource around the Agency.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to rateable values on non-domestic properties occupied by town and parish councils.
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that playing fields are not used for development in North Shropshire constituency.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) includes strong protections for existing open space, sports and recreational buildings, and land, including playing fields, setting out that they should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better provision is made, or the development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers benefits that clearly outweigh the loss of the current or former use. The government is consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes updated policy on development affecting existing recreation facilities, including playing fields. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help improve (a) verification and (b) record-keeping of radon mitigation measures by (i) building control bodies and (ii) approved inspectors.
Data on verification and record-keeping by Building Control Bodies and local authority Building Inspectors is not collected centrally. Guidance and information about radon for householders, employers, professionals and local authorities including radon maps, action levels, remedial work and further resources are available from the UK Health Security Agency and the Health & Safety Executive. The Building Regulations apply to new building work and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. They are supported by statutory guidance called Approved Documents, which are a significant tool for local authority Building Control officers or Registered Building Control Approvers who ensure new building work is compliant. Approved Document C includes guidance on radon protective measures and refers to the BRE report Radon: Guidance on protective measures for new buildings (including supplementary advice for extensions, conversions and refurbishment projects which is now in its 2023 edition; and to Radon in the workplace; a guide for building owners and managers. The Building Safety Act 2022 requires the Building Safety Regulator to keep the safety and standard of buildings under review; Building Regulations and Approved Documents can then be updated as needed.
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Valuation Office Agency’s valuation method for small independent hotels.
We recognise that hotels have expressed concerns about how they are valued for business rates. Hotels valuations are undertaken in a different way to some other sectors. The methodology used is well established, but, as with pubs, the government has announced it will review the way hotels are valued to ensure it accurately reflects the rental value for these sectors.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the consistency of postal deliveries in rural areas.
The Government is committed to an efficient universal service for users throughout the UK, including those in remote and rural areas. It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to monitor Royal Mail’s service standards. The regulator sets Royal Mail enforceable targets to deliver a certain proportion of 1st and 2nd class post on time each year. Ofcom takes compliance with its regulatory targets seriously and this involves conducting thorough investigations where failures have been identified.
How many times he has met Royal Mail leaders in the past 12 months; and if he will publish the minutes of those meetings.
In November last year, I met with Royal Mail’s CEO, Alistair Cochrane, and with Martin Seidenberg, the CEO of Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distribution Services (IDS).In July last year, my predecessor, Justin Madders MP, met with Mr Cochrane, then Royal Mail’s interim CEO.In May last year, the then Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds MP, met with Daniel Křetínský, the CEO of EP Group, which owns IDS.Ministers and officials continue to have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider. However, minutes of these meetings are not routinely published.
What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken for patients with Parkinson’s disease to receive a diagnosis.
The Department recognises the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and the impact that early identification has on people’s long‑term outcomes. We remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.National programmes like NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) supports faster diagnosis by using clinically‑led, data‑driven reviews to identify delays and unwarranted variation in neurology services. GIRFT provides evidence‑based recommendations to streamline referral and outpatient pathways, improve data quality, and share best practice between trusts. This helps increase specialist capacity, reduce waiting times for assessment, and ensure more timely access to diagnosis for people with suspected Parkinson’s disease.Additionally, by delivering the shifts outlined in the 10‑Year Health Plan, we can free up specialist capacity by increasing community‑based provision, reducing administrative burden through digital tools, and supporting earlier identification and management of neurological conditions like Parkinson’s. This will allow neurologists and geriatricians to focus on more complex cases and improve diagnostic timeliness.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) maintain and (b) ensure the accuracy of flood gauges.
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention. These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire. Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the accuracy of data provided by flood gauges in Shropshire.
The Environment Agency (EA) operates a national maintenance and data assurance programme for its river gauging station network. This includes routine inspection, calibration and maintenance, alongside systematic data quality checks to monitor performance and identify any issues requiring intervention. These activities are supported by live remote monitoring, providing confidence that river level and flow data remain accurate and reliable. Together, they ensure that gauging stations can be trusted to support the EA’s flood warning services across England, including in Shropshire. Flood warnings are not based on gauging data alone. They are informed by multiple data sources, modelling outputs and forecasts, combined with the professional judgement and experience of trained flood warning staff, providing a robust and resilient approach to protecting communities.
What data he holds on the number of (a) accessible and (b) Changing Places toilet facilities in hospitals.
Data is not held centrally on the number of accessible and Changing Places toilets in hospitals. The Changing Places Toilets website holds a register of all accredited ‘Changing Places’ toilets, including ones on National Health Service sites, which can be searched. Further information is avaiable at the following link:https://www.changing-places.org/findHospitals need to satisfy the requirements of Building Regulations, Part M to provide suitable sanitary accommodation. The provision of hoists in hospitals is a decision taken locally by NHS organisations consistent with their patient acuity and clinical case-mix.
If he will answer questions 96886, 96959 and 96965 tabled on 3 December 2025 on the UK-US pharmaceutical deal.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 January 2026 to Questions 96886, 96959 and 96965.
Whether his Department has assessed the adequacy of the current model of care for people with Parkinson’s disease, including which services may be appropriately delivered outside specialist centres.
We want people with Parkinson’s to receive high‑quality care as close to home as possible, and many aspects of Parkinson’s care, such as medication management, routine monitoring, rehabilitation therapies, and community nursing, can be delivered outside specialist settings, provided that strong local pathways and sufficient specialist workforce support are in place.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with Parkinson’s disease.ICBs have access to a range of resources that support the delivery of Parkinson’s services closer to home. NHS England’s updated adult specialised neurology service specification sets clear, standardised expectations for integrated, community‑linked neurology pathways, helping ICBs design services that provide timely, coordinated care outside hospital settings.Guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults, reference code NG71, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), offers evidence‑based recommendations on diagnosis, treatment, and medicine optimisation, ensuring that local services deliver consistent, high‑quality Parkinson’s care.In addition, NHS England’s RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit provides practical, data‑driven tools to help systems reduce variation, improve multidisciplinary working, and strengthen community‑based support. Together, these resources give ICBs a robust framework to develop accessible, well‑coordinated Parkinson’s services that better meet patient needs in community settings.
What steps his Department is taking to support the provision of care for people with Parkinson’s disease outside specialist hospital settings, including measures to enable care to be delivered closer to patients’ homes.
We want people with Parkinson’s to receive high‑quality care as close to home as possible, and many aspects of Parkinson’s care, such as medication management, routine monitoring, rehabilitation therapies, and community nursing, can be delivered outside specialist settings, provided that strong local pathways and sufficient specialist workforce support are in place.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with Parkinson’s disease.ICBs have access to a range of resources that support the delivery of Parkinson’s services closer to home. NHS England’s updated adult specialised neurology service specification sets clear, standardised expectations for integrated, community‑linked neurology pathways, helping ICBs design services that provide timely, coordinated care outside hospital settings.Guidance on Parkinson’s disease in adults, reference code NG71, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), offers evidence‑based recommendations on diagnosis, treatment, and medicine optimisation, ensuring that local services deliver consistent, high‑quality Parkinson’s care.In addition, NHS England’s RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit provides practical, data‑driven tools to help systems reduce variation, improve multidisciplinary working, and strengthen community‑based support. Together, these resources give ICBs a robust framework to develop accessible, well‑coordinated Parkinson’s services that better meet patient needs in community settings.
What steps he is taking to ensure the timely delivery of NHS mail to patients.
Whilst there is an increasing move towards digital National Health Service communications via the NHS App, texts, digital telephony, and emails, NHS letters remain crucial for many patients, particularly those who may be digitally excluded.All NHS organisations are now required to use NHS Notify to send out patient communications. This service makes sure that patients get messages from NHS organisations in the best channel for their needs and ensures the NHS effectively delivers its services. This is done by routing messages to the secure NHS App, falling back to SMS, email, and letters if they do not, based on a central source of contact details, additional needs, and NHS numbers. By doing this once from a single service, the NHS can make sure the most secure, rapid, reliable, accessible, and cost effective channel of communication is used.NHS England and Royal Mail have been working together to ensure NHS providers continue to have a choice of both price and speed when sending letters, and to improve how NHS letters are sent to patients across the United Kingdom. There is now a Royal Mail NHS barcode, which was announced in April 2025. The barcode is designed to mitigate the impact on NHS letters by helping to optimise their delivery at times of local and national disruption. Further information may be found on the Royal Mail website, at the following link:https://www.royalmailwholesale.com/news/nhs-mail-new-barcode-solutionThis describes the process by which the prioritisation of NHS communication happens.
What steps he is taking to help increase the availability of (a) hoists and (b) accessible toilets in hospitals.
Data is not held centrally on the number of accessible and Changing Places toilets in hospitals. The Changing Places Toilets website holds a register of all accredited ‘Changing Places’ toilets, including ones on National Health Service sites, which can be searched. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.changing-places.org/findHospitals need to satisfy the requirements of Building Regulations, Part M to provide suitable sanitary accommodation. The provision of hoists in hospitals is a decision taken locally by NHS organisations consistent with their patient acuity and clinical case-mix.
Food and Rural Affairs, if she will meet with representatives of the horse breeding industry from North Shropshire to discuss the impact of import and export processes on their businesses.
The Secretary of State’s private office handles all meeting requests. Please contact them directly to request a meeting.