1-20 of 1,567 results for subject:Midlands
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.509 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.006 seconds
- Search query
- subject:Midlands
- We searched for
- subject_t:Midlands OR subject_ses:11665
Type
House
Session
More
Year
More
Department
More
Member
More
Primary member
More
Answering member
More
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
More
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the National Highways agency on improving lorry parking facilities in the Midlands.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the National Highways agency on improving lorry parking facilities in the Midlands.
The department engages regularly with National Highways on improving lorry parking provision and driver welfare facilities across England, including in the Midlands.
Through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme and National Highways' Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme, 62 sites across the Midlands since 2022, have received funding to enhance parking capacity, strengthen security measures, and improve facilities for HGV drivers.
The National Highways Scheme remains open to eligible lorry parking operators to improve driver welfare facilities, site security and lorry parking capacity.
What progress she has made on the Midlands Rail Hub.
What progress she has made on the Midlands Rail Hub.
We are progressing the first phase of the midlands rail hub to increase capacity in Birmingham. This will improve reliability and enable additional trains between Birmingham, south Wales and the south-west, and on Birmingham’s cross-city line. It will also enable over 25 additional trains a day on the Redditch line. Network Rail has appointed an alliance of industry partners to design the infrastructure, and the alliance is currently consulting on upgrades between Birmingham Moor Street and Bordesley.
We are progressing the first phase of the midlands rail hub to increase capacity in Birmingham. This will improve reliability and enable additional trains between Birmingham, south Wales and the south-west, and on Birmingham’s cross-city line. It will also enable over 25 additional trains a day on the Redditch line. Network Rail has appointed an alliance of industry partners to design the infrastructure, and the alliance is currently consulting on upgrades between Birmingham Moor Street and Bordesley.
We are progressing the first phase of the midlands rail hub to increase capacity in Birmingham. This will improve reliability and enable additional trains between Birmingham, south Wales and the south-west, and on Birmingham’s cross-city line. It will also enable over 25 additional trains a day on the Redditch line. Network Rail has appointed an alliance of industry partners to design the infrastructure, and the alliance is currently consulting on upgrades between Birmingham Moor Street and Bordesley.
What progress she has made on the Midlands Rail Hub.
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Rail bottlenecks choke regional trade and hold back Redditch businesses. Delivering the midlands rail hub is fundamentally both pro-business and pro-worker. Will the Secretary of State update me on when she expects critical engineering upgrades to start to ensure that Redditch is fully connected to regional growth?
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Rail bottlenecks choke regional trade and hold back Redditch businesses. Delivering the midlands rail hub is fundamentally both pro-business and pro-worker. Will the Secretary of State update me on when she expects critical engineering upgrades to start to ensure that Redditch is fully connected to regional growth?
Following the Government’s decision to move forward with the first phase of the midlands rail hub at the spending review last summer, detailed design work has commenced. We are now working hard to deliver benefits to passengers as soon as possible. This is a complex scheme in a dense urban environment. I cannot currently give a specific start date for the physical works, but I can tell my hon. Friend that new train services enabled by the scheme should come on line in the 2030s.
Following the Government’s decision to move forward with the first phase of the midlands rail hub at the spending review last summer, detailed design work has commenced. We are now working hard to deliver benefits to passengers as soon as possible. This is a complex scheme in a dense urban environment. I cannot currently give a specific start date for the physical works, but I can tell my hon. Friend that new train services enabled by the scheme should come on line in the 2030s.
Following the Government’s decision to move forward with the first phase of the midlands rail hub at the spending review last summer, detailed design work has commenced. We are now working hard to deliver benefits to passengers as soon as possible. This is a complex scheme in a dense urban environment. I cannot currently give a specific start date for the physical works, but I can tell my hon. Friend that new train services enabled by the scheme should come on line in the 2030s.
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Rail bottlenecks choke regional trade and hold back Redditch businesses. Delivering the midlands rail hub is fundamentally both pro-business and pro-worker. Will the Secretary of State update me on when she expects critical engineering upgrades to start to ensure that Redditch is fully connected to regional growth?
East Midlands Railway has cut replacement bus services on a stand-by basis when there is not sufficient railway capacity in peak season. I am concerned that that is because it is deliberately cutting any form of expenditure before going over to Great British Railways. Will Ministers work with me to ensure that this is not the case through the busy summer period?
East Midlands Railway has cut replacement bus services on a stand-by basis when there is not sufficient railway capacity in peak season. I am concerned that that is because it is deliberately cutting any form of expenditure before going over to Great British Railways. Will Ministers work with me to ensure that this is not the case through the busy summer period?
It is obviously the case that adequate replacement bus services should be available to rail travellers if there is disruption on the line—for example, if engineering works are taking place. I would be happy to follow up if the hon. Gentleman writes to me and provides more detail on the specific experience that he has had. East Midlands Railway is responding to the Bedford train crash that happened a number of weeks ago, and I thank the leadership of that organisation for all the work that they are doing in response.
It is obviously the case that adequate replacement bus services should be available to rail travellers if there is disruption on the line—for example, if engineering works are taking place. I would be happy to follow up if the hon. Gentleman writes to me and provides more detail on the specific experience that he has had. East Midlands Railway is responding to the Bedford train crash that happened a number of weeks ago, and I thank the leadership of that organisation for all the work that they are doing in response.
It is obviously the case that adequate replacement bus services should be available to rail travellers if there is disruption on the line—for example, if engineering works are taking place. I would be happy to follow up if the hon. Gentleman writes to me and provides more detail on the specific experience that he has had. East Midlands Railway is responding to the Bedford train crash that happened a number of weeks ago, and I thank the leadership of that organisation for all the work that they are doing in response.
East Midlands Railway has cut replacement bus services on a stand-by basis when there is not sufficient railway capacity in peak season. I am concerned that that is because it is deliberately cutting any form of expenditure before going over to Great British Railways. Will Ministers work with me to ensure that this is not the case through the busy summer period?
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Midlands has been considered as a potential location for an AI Growth Zone.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Midlands has been considered as a potential location for an AI Growth Zone.
The Government has launched five AI Growth Zones in industrial heartlands across the country, which will create 15,000 jobs and unlock £28 billion of investment. All areas of the country are being considered for further AI Growth Zones, including the Midlands. The application process to become an AI Growth Zone remains open.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of women dying during pregnancy or in the weeks after giving birth in the Midlands.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of women dying during pregnancy or in the weeks after giving birth in the Midlands.
The NHS England Midlands region is implementing the Maternal Care Bundle. The bundle includes guidance to tackle the leading causes of maternal death including thrombosis, mental health, epilepsy, and haemorrhage. Maternal medicine networks have also been established across the Midlands, coordinating specialist care pathways for women with high-risk physical comorbidities, and delivering training and education.
National Health Service providers are also implementing the Enhanced Continuity of Midwifery Carer Model, which provides women from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with support throughout pregnancy from the same midwifery team.
Additionally, NHS providers in the region are increasing access to maternal mental health services, and select trusts are participating in a new programme to reduce inequality of outcome in maternity care for women from ethnic minority groups.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the organic food sector in the Midlands
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the organic food sector in the Midlands
I met with representatives of the English Organic Forum at the Oxford Farming Conference in January this year. The English Organic Forum is a collection of organic-focused organisations that have come together to represent the organic sector across England, which includes the Midlands, and we discussed challenges and opportunities for the organic sector. Defra officials routinely meet with representatives of the organic sector which includes the English Organic Forum and other sector representatives, organic Control Bodies and organic businesses.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry for (a) Leicestershire, (b) Warwickshire and (c) regional connectivity.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry for (a) Leicestershire, (b) Warwickshire and (c) regional connectivity.
My Department is in regular contact with county councils, Midlands Connect and regional mayors on a range of rail issues, including regional connectivity. The Department will consider the case for specific schemes in future funding rounds, subject to value for money, affordability and alignment with strategic objectives.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) county councils, (b) Midlands Connect and (c) regional mayors about reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) county councils, (b) Midlands Connect and (c) regional mayors about reinstating a direct railway service between Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry.
My Department is in regular contact with county councils, Midlands Connect and regional mayors on a range of rail issues, including regional connectivity. The Department will consider the case for specific schemes in future funding rounds, subject to value for money, affordability and alignment with strategic objectives.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support tech start-up companies to scale up in the Midlands.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support tech start-up companies to scale up in the Midlands.
This Government is committed to removing barriers to growth for scaleups across the UK - ensuring the UK is one of the best places for tech to start, scale and stay.
We are strengthening regional tech ecosystems through the Regional Tech Booster, a programme supporting startups and accelerating tech clusters beyond London. Furthermore, £50 million funding has been earmarked to the West Midlands through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund – our £500 million programme to grow regional innovation strengths. Regions across the UK, including the other Midlands regions, were able to bid for up to £20 million through the fund’s competition. UKRI are now independently assessing the quality of these bids.
More broadly, we are supporting the sector through venture capital schemes, R&D tax reliefs, targeted visa routes, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and streamlining regulation to support innovation. Through the Budget, we are investing in skills, compute, and designated AI Growth Zones; on R&D, we are committing £38.6bn to UKRI over five years; and powering entrepreneurship with the Entrepreneurship Prospectus, Enterprise Fellowships, and Innovate UK’s £130m Growth Catalyst. We are unlocking finance via pension and capital‑markets reforms, while the British Business Bank increases annual investment to £2.5bn and commits £5bn to growth‑stage funds.
Together, these measures set out a comprehensive, long‑term plan backed by record funding, to support growth across the whole UK.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support young people to pursue careers in tech start ups in the Midlands.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support young people to pursue careers in tech start ups in the Midlands.
The Government is taking a range of steps to increase awareness among young people in the Midlands about the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available in the tech sector. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has developed partnerships with local colleges to provide routes into digital content creation, social media, and other in-demand skills. We are working closely with the region’s four main universities through initiatives such as the Graduate Retune and HLSM+, offering tailored employability support, sector workshops and paid placements with local businesses.
The East and West Midlands Combined Authorities are two of eight areas delivering Youth Guarantee Trailblazers. These Trailblazers are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes specialist digital boot camps delivered by providers such as Generation UK, Althaus and Birmingham Open Media. The Trailblazers will provide learning to inform the role of local areas in delivering the Youth Guarantee in the future.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched TechFirst, an £187 million programme designed to build the tech skills pipeline and drive local growth. TechFirst has also launched TechLocal to address the challenges SMEs and start-ups face in investing in early-stage career roles. By funding innovation in local recruitment, TechLocal will connect young people in the Midlands directly to the region's growing frontier technology sectors. Further details of the grant competition can be found at TechLocal - GOV.UK.
Motion that this House has considered restoration of the Ivanhoe Line. Agreed to on question.
Motion that this House has considered restoration of the Ivanhoe Line. Agreed to on question.
I beg to move,
That this House has considered restoration of the Ivanhoe Line.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey.
I am pleased that colleagues have joined me for what I believe is the first ever debate solely about the Ivanhoe line—a train line that would reopen a...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered restoration of the Ivanhoe Line.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey.
I am pleased that colleagues have joined me for what I believe is the first ever debate solely about the Ivanhoe line—a train line that would reopen a...
I congratulate the hon. Lady on bringing forward this matter. I spoke to her before the debate, and I now rise to support and encourage her.
I hail from a rural constituency that once had a railway line but now has none whatsoever. Sometimes the bottom line is not the financial...
I congratulate the hon. Lady on bringing forward this matter. I spoke to her before the debate, and I now rise to support and encourage her.
I hail from a rural constituency that once had a railway line but now has none whatsoever. Sometimes the bottom line is not the financial...
I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. Later in my speech, I will talk about how we can connect our communities, which is really important.
Lack of maintenance on the Ivanhoe line led to the gradual withdrawal of freight services, although the private section, from Bardon Hill quarry to the...
I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. Later in my speech, I will talk about how we can connect our communities, which is really important.
Lack of maintenance on the Ivanhoe line led to the gradual withdrawal of freight services, although the private section, from Bardon Hill quarry to the...
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. She has been a fierce champion for this campaign since before becoming an MP and has been relentless since—and I love her for it. I also thank the members of the Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line who live in South...
I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. She has been a fierce champion for this campaign since before becoming an MP and has been relentless since—and I love her for it. I also thank the members of the Campaign to Reopen the Ivanhoe Line who live in South...
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention and her support during the campaign. The main thing is that large towns need the infrastructure to match. There are certainly other examples of investments in railways to connect towns that are exceeding their passenger targets, such as the Northumberland line.
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention and her support during the campaign. The main thing is that large towns need the infrastructure to match. There are certainly other examples of investments in railways to connect towns that are exceeding their passenger targets, such as the Northumberland line.