Written questions by Morton.

What steps he is taking to help prevent industrial action in the NHS.

In May, we accepted the independent pay review bodies’ headline pay recommendations, giving doctors and Agenda for Change staff, including nurses, an above inflation pay rise for the second year in a row.As well as awarding resident doctors in England a pay rise of 28.9% over the last three years, we have listened to their concerns about the state of their training and employment for resident doctors and made proposals to tackle this. We have been clear that we cannot go further on pay but we remain committed to finding a way to end their dispute.We continue to work in partnership with stakeholders, including trade unions and employers, to implement a suite of non-pay measures to improve working conditions such as tackling violence against National Health Service staff, improving career progression for nurses, and improving the process for exception reporting for resident doctors.Our 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will deliver change by making sure that staff are better treated, have better training, and more fulfilling roles.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits to the UK economy from the Global Fund’s partnerships with British research institutions, including in relation to innovations in HIV prevention and malaria control referenced in the Written Statement HCWS1043 made on 11 November 2025.

The Global Fund's partnerships with British research institutions have supported innovations such as long-lasting insecticidal nets, improved HIV prevention, antiretroviral therapies, and strengthened community-led responses. Such partnerships drive scientific advancement, support skilled employment, and reinforce the UK's leadership in global health, delivering benefits to both global health and the UK economy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the pre-deployment of UK military teams to the Turks and Caicos Islands ahead of Hurricane Melissa, and whether similar pre-deployment strategies will be adopted in future hurricane seasons.

The UK military team pre-deployed to the Turks and Caicos Islands supported the disaster management preparations, response and recovery work as needed.After Hurricane Melissa passed, HMS Trent redeployed to Jamaica. HMS Trent was equipped with humanitarian and disaster relief trained troops and crisis response equipment. It provided swift access to affected areas and the delivery of essential supplies, specialist recovery personnel, transport and damage assessments.Similar pre-deployment strategies will be considered as part of response options in future hurricane seasons.

What recent discussions she has had with West Midlands Rail Executive on improving rail connectivity between Walsall and Birmingham; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of restoring previous services levels.

The service between Walsall and Birmingham is operating with four trains per hour, which means that the previous service levels operating before Covid-19 have already been restored. These services operate with newly introduced Class 730 trains. The Department is working with West Midlands Rail Executive, Walsall Council and the railway industry regarding rail services in the wider Walsall Council area serving the new stations at Willenhall and Darlaston from next year.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of highways maintenance funding allocated to the West Midlands for 2025–26.

West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is in receipt of £1.05bn of devolved City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27, and has been allocated £2.4bn of Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding for the period up until 2031/32. These funding settlements are for investment in the West Midlands local transport network including local highways maintenance. For 2025/26, the Department has allocated £1.6 billion in capital funding for local highways maintenance nationally, including a £500 million uplift compared to the previous year. 25% of this uplift is contingent on local authorities adhering to reporting requirements and demonstrating that they are following best practice in highways maintenance. WMCA are eligible to receive an additional £8.6 million from this additional funding. Decisions on how this funding is spent across the city region rests with the combined authority in line with local priorities.

What steps she is taking to support bus operators in the West Midlands to maintain service frequency on key local routes, including those serving Aldridge and surrounding communities.

The Government knows that reliable and frequent bus services are vital to providing access to services and keeping communities connected. The Government’s Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26 and keep fares affordable. This includes £243 million for operators through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and BSOGPlus, and £712 million for local authorities. The BSOG helps operators to keep fares down and run services that might otherwise be unprofitable and could lead to cancellation. Of the £712 million for local authorities, the West Midlands Combined Authority has been allocated £50 million. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving frequency. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the Government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the financial resilience of metropolitan local authorities; and what steps his Department is taking to support councils implementing section 114 recovery plans.

The government is delivering a fairer system and realigning funding with need and deprivation through the first multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade. These changes will not fix the challenges facing local government overnight. Reform will take time and we recognise the potential for continued instability as we work to fix the foundations of local government, but these proposals are a fundamental step to improving the sustainability of the sector in the years to come and will allow councils to focus on service delivery and transformation. Issuing a Section 114 notice is a local decision and one that government has no formal role in. However, the government has now confirmed in the policy statement published on 20 November that there will continue to be a framework in place to support local authorities in the most difficult financial positions and remains committed to working collaboratively with them to work towards financial sustainability.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support global reform of multilateral health organisations referred to in Written Statement HCWS1043, made on 11 November 2025, including improving coordination between Gavi, the Global Fund and other global health institutions.

The UK is working with partners to drive reform of the multilateral system in line with the Lusaka Agenda, supporting countries to move along the path to self-sufficiency.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) support the work that the Global Fund and Gavi leadership are undertaking to drive greater impact, efficiencies and effectiveness at country level and to explore more structural options for collaboration in future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 11 November 2025 (HCWS1043) on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, what assessment her Department has made of the UK’s ability to sustain previous levels of investment in multilateral health partnerships; and what analysis she has commissioned on the projected impact of this reduced fiscal envelope during the 2026–28 replenishment cycle on projected health outcomes.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 72441.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role the Global Fund will play in improving global surveillance systems for infectious diseases, including early warning capabilities for antimicrobial resistance and future pandemics; and how this aligns with the UK’s national health-security strategy.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 1 September to Question 69322.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of consular support provided to British nationals in Jamaica during and after Hurricane Melissa, including the evacuation flight operated on 2 November and the handling of over 700 consular enquiries.

The consular team at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides 24/7 assistance to British nationals and dealt with 850 consular enquiries related to Hurricane Melissa. The Register Your Presence portal was launched from the outset of the crisis to identify and contact British nationals in Jamaica, enabling us to provide targeted assistance.The FCDO provided regularly updated information and advice to British nationals in Jamaica. Between 22 October and 2 November, the FCDO made 11 public updates to Jamaica's Travel Advice related to Hurricane Melissa.The evacuation flight which operated on 2 November carried 104 passengers. Commercial options were available shortly thereafter resulting in low demand for further HMG flights.The Rapid Deployment Team were present at both Kingston and Montego Bay Airports every day when commercial airlines were running their own flights between Friday 31 October and Tuesday 4 November to assist British nationals travelling on commercial flights to the UK. During that time, roughly 2,150 passengers passed through Kingston and 2,274 through Montego Bay on TUI and Virgin flights bound for the UK.

What recent progress he has made on social care reform.

The Government is progressing towards a National Care Service with a vision that everyone, regardless of their needs, background, or where they live, should have the opportunity to lead healthy, independent, and fulfilling lives.We have made recent progress on key reforms, laying the foundations to turn this vision into reality, underpinned with over £4 billion of additional funding made available for adult social care by 2028. This progress has been aligned with the Government’s three objectives for adult social care, to:- improve the quality of care by valuing and supporting our vital care workforce by legislating for a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million of funding and expanding career opportunities through the Care Workforce Pathway, and investing £12 million in learning, development, and new qualifications. We're also supporting the Care Quality Commission to recover and become a confident, credible force for improvement, supported by their local authority assessments that shine a light on local authority performance;- strengthen the join-up between health and social care services, so that people experience more integrated and person-centred care, by developing neighbourhood health services and reforming the Better Care Fund. This will be underpinned by improved national data and digital infrastructure to ensure health and care staff can access real-time information to improve the safety and quality of care. For example, we have been driving the adoption of Digital Social Care Records (DSCR), with up to 89% of people drawing on care now benefiting from a DSCR; and- enable people to have more choice and control over their care, for instance by promoting greater use of direct payments. We are also expanding care options to boost independent living at home through an additional £172 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant over two years, enabling approximately 15,600 extra home adaptations, and introducing care technology standards to help people choose the right support.

What steps he is taking to increase access to care in the community.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service.The Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean people are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of health professionals. It will rebalance our health system so that it fits around peoples’ lives, not the other way round. We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. This is why we have launched wave 1 of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) across 43 places in England. The NNHIP will support systems across the country by driving innovation and integration at a local level, to accelerate improvements in outcomes, satisfaction, and experiences for people by ensuring that care is more joined-up, accessible, and responsive to community needs.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to accelerate brownfield regeneration in the West Midlands; and what support is available to local authorities to bring derelict land back into use.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements, including the development of under-utilised land and buildings to meet the need for homes and other uses. Through the revisions made to the NPPF on 12 December 2024 we broadened the definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved, and made clear that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas. On 22 September 2024, the government published a ‘brownfield passport’ working paper inviting views on how we might further prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land. This included exploring the role of national policy in setting minimum density expectations for certain types of locations, to support intensification in the right places. Utilising the feedback provided, we intend to consult this year on a new suite of national policies for decision making that will give effect to these proposals. On 18 June 2025, my Department announced £5 billion of new capital grant funding for infrastructure and land. This funding will be administered by the new National Housing Delivery Fund, through which councils will be able to secure funding for prospective projects, to contribute to the Government’s priority of delivering 1.5 million homes. Details of the funding made available to WMCA in 2025/26, via the Integrated Settlement, is available on gov.uk here. Details of the funding for 2026/27 onwards will be set out shortly.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress her Department has made in supporting Sudanese civil society and political groups to prepare for a transition to civilian rule; and how that support is being coordinated with regional and international partners.

As the Foreign Secretary said in her statement to the House on 18 November 2025, "it is crucial that ultimately we have a transition to a civilian administration in Sudan..." Our Special Representative for Sudan and officials in the UK regularly meet with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups to listen to their concerns and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

What her planned timetable is for transferring Police and Crime Commissioner functions to the Mayor of the West Midlands.

The Government has committed in its English Devolution White Paper to transfer policing functions to Mayors of Strategic Authorities wherever boundaries of the mayoral and policing areas align, by default. Subject to Royal Assent to provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, it is anticipated that the transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner functions to the Mayor of West Midlands would happen by May 2028; the end of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s term of office and at the next election for the Mayor.There are no costs to the Home Office in transferring PCC functions to the Mayor of an existing Mayoral Combined Authority. As has previously been the case for transfer of policing functions to mayors, the cost of local implementation will be expected to be met locally.

Pursuant to the answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 87314, what discussions she has had with (a) Mayor Parker and (b) the West Midlands Combined Authority on funding to enable the Aldridge station project to progress from design work to delivery and completion.

This Government recently announced a £2.4 billion Transport for City Regions (TCR) funding settlement for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which will be available to spend from 2027/2028 to 2031/2032. Decisions on how this money is to be spent are devolved to Mayor Richard Parker and WMCA.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of hosting games in UEFA Euro 2028 on the West Midlands; and how much Government funding will be allocated to support (a) infrastructure, (b) security and (c) legacy activity linked to Villa Park as a tournament venue.

With four matches due to be played at Villa Park, hosting UEFA EURO 2028 games in the West Midlands will help to deliver on the government’s mission to boost economic growth by creating jobs, driving regional prosperity and encouraging visitors to the region.As part of the UEFA EURO 2028 tournament launch on 12 November 2025, the government announced it is investing up to £557 million into hosting the tournament, which will generate significant socio-economic benefits of £3.2 billion across the UK. The government’s investment will ensure the tournament is safely and securely delivered, with fans, players and officials having a positive experience. We are working closely with a number of partners across the UK and Ireland to ensure we host an outstanding tournament. As part of our investment, the UK Government will also contribute £23 million towards a wider commitment from Government and Football Partners to a social impact fund of around £45 million.Regular financial updates on the allocation of government funding will be provided in the lead up to the event, including via the DCMS Annual Report and Accounts.

Media and Sport, what proportion of the Legacy and Impact Fund will be spent in the West Midlands; and on what legacy programmes for grassroots sport, community cohesion and youth participation.

It is great that Birmingham is a host city, and Villa Park is a brilliant venue. As part of the UEFA EURO 2028 tournament launch on 12 November 2025, the government announced it is investing up to £557 million into hosting the tournament, which will generate significant socio-economic benefits of £3.2 billion across the UK. As part of this funding, the UK Government will contribute £23 million towards a wider commitment from Government and Football Partners to a social impact fund of around £45 million. The UK Government is working in close collaboration with host cities, including Birmingham, to ensure that we deliver a safe and successful tournament that benefits the whole of the UK. Plans for the legacy and impact fund are still in development. We will have more to share on this in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the readiness of the West Midlands Combined Authority to assume policing governance responsibilities from the Police and Crime Commissioner; and what estimate she has made of the (a) costs of that transfer and (b) projected long-term annual savings from the merger.

The Government has committed in its English Devolution White Paper to transfer policing functions to Mayors of Strategic Authorities wherever boundaries of the mayoral and policing areas align, by default. Subject to Royal Assent to provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, it is anticipated that the transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner functions to the Mayor of West Midlands would happen by May 2028; the end of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s term of office and at the next election for the Mayor.There are no costs to the Home Office in transferring PCC functions to the Mayor of an existing Mayoral Combined Authority. As has previously been the case for transfer of policing functions to mayors, the cost of local implementation will be expected to be met locally.