Helen Whately
MP for Faversham and Mid Kent
Con
7 May 2015 - Present
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
I welcome your commitment to be transparent about our national challenges. The CQC's latest report shows that the health system is facing severe blockages. Given my constituents' struggles with access to GPs and treatments, I urge you to prioritize unblocking the NHS as a top priority for both you and the Health Secretary.
Context
The Care Quality Commission's report highlighted significant issues within the NHS, including backlogs in GP appointments and treatment waits. There is a call for prioritizing action to address these challenges.
Rishi Sunak
My hon. Friend is correct about the challenges facing us. We are investing billions in busting backlogs through funding and staffing, as committed in our manifesto.
Assessment
The specific ask was not directly addressed, only acknowledged.
Acknowledging Challenge Without Direct Commitment
Session: PMQs
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Can my right hon. Friend assure me that she is committed to social care reform to end that worry and relieve pressure on the NHS?
Context
Helen Whately raises the issue of unlimited care costs for people living with dementia, asking for assurance on social care reform.
Elizabeth Truss
Yes, we are committed to social care reform. We need to deal with those issues.
Session: PMQs
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The MP expressed concern over those affected by the benefit cap being pushed into poverty. She highlighted that many families cannot work due to disability or caring responsibilities and face financial hardship as a result of the cap.
Context
The MP is concerned about the impact of the benefit cap on people who are not in work, referencing specific wards in her constituency with high child poverty rates.
Stephen Timms
Being in work is the best way to avoid poverty. The benefit cap gives a modest but significant incentive to start and progress in work. It does not apply to those on disability or caring benefits, but remains for others as an encouragement to work.
Session: Benefit Cap 2026-06-29
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I heard no commitment from the Secretary of State that the benefits bill was going to come down any time soon. Labour can change its leader, but it is still the same old welfare party. The right hon. Member for Makerfield (Andy Burnham) told us this morning that he is going to bring “Manchesterism” to the whole country. In Manchester, he is spending nearly three quarters of a million pounds on helping asylum seekers to claim benefits. British people are tired of seeing their hard-earned money being spent on handouts to foreigners. We cannot be a cash machine for the world. Does the Secretary of State think that this is a good use of taxpayers' money?
Context
The Conservative MP criticizes Labour's policy towards asylum seekers.
Pat McFadden
Of course, people should only receive benefits if they are properly entitled to and qualified for them. All this has to be underpinned by our being as caring and as passionate about wealth creation as we are about fair wealth distribution. That is what unites Labour people. We are asking the right questions, while the hon. Lady is still asking the wrong ones.
Session: Topical Questions 2026-06-29
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I associate myself and those on the Opposition Benches with the Secretary of State's comments about the outgoing permanent secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions. I am sorry that this may be my last exchange with the Secretary of State, as we await the coronation of the king in the north and the appointment of his new team. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman is not sacked for telling the truth about his fellow Labour MPs, who just want to put up taxes to pay for more benefits. Does he think that our next Prime Minister will have the courage to take on those Labour MPs and bring down the benefits bill, or will the new PM bottle it like his predecessor did?
Context
The Conservative MP questions whether the next Prime Minister will address Labour's welfare policies.
Pat McFadden
I enjoy our exchanges, and I welcome the opportunity that the shadow Secretary of State has given me to point out that in the past year I have said time and again that we have to change the question that the system asks from “What benefits are you entitled to?” to “How do we help you change your life?” The debate on how we reform the system has changed to one in which we are putting opportunity and work at the centre of what we do. That is what we are doing with the youth guarantee, and that is what we will continue to do.
Session: Topical Questions 2026-06-29
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Can my right hon. Friend set out what steps he is taking to clear up the mess left behind by the Conservatives regarding face-to-face assessments?
Context
The shadow Secretary of State claimed that the Government could save £2 billion from the welfare bill by implementing face-to-face assessments, which were reduced to almost zero during previous Conservative rule.
Pat McFadden
Face-to-face interviews were normal before the pandemic but collapsed afterwards; previous Government signed off contracts allowing assessors to work from home a year before the election. We are now increasing these interviews for better balance in the benefit system.
Session: Topical Questions
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Will he help the Chancellor understand before it is too late?
Context
The MP expresses disappointment in the Secretary of State's previous response regarding youth unemployment. She cites a 14.3% rate for 18 to 24-year-olds, with fewer jobs and vacancies under the current government. The MP argues that businesses create jobs, not governments.
Pat McFadden
Youth unemployment never recovered to levels enjoyed under Labour. The current government responds with initiatives like the youth guarantee offering training, work experience and hiring incentives for businesses to create opportunities for young people.
Session: Unemployment
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We are spending less than 2.5% of GDP on defence, but 5.3% on welfare. Six million people of working age live on benefits; universal credit uptake increased by over a million under current leadership and hundreds of thousands more went onto sickness benefits while the two-child cap is scrapped. The questioner asks when the government will present plans to reduce the welfare bill.
Context
The question arises from a statement made by Lord Robertson criticizing the government's approach to balancing defence spending with welfare programs.
Pat McFadden
The Tories inherited spending on defence at 2.5% of GDP and left office with it lower; they also reduced armed forces size and cut naval vessels significantly. The Labour Government is increasing defence expenditure and reforming welfare, including changes in universal credit and youth employment initiatives.
Session: Topical Questions
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Given that the savings of millions of people are at stake, I am disappointed that the Secretary of State did not rise to answer this important question. The Pensions Minister needs to stop conflating the voluntary Mansion House agreement with changing the law to give Government the power to direct pension fund investments. The two are not the same. Both the Association of British Insurers and Pensions UK are urging the Government to drop the mandation power from the Bill. The Pensions Minister has a tendency to think he always knows best, but he is not always right; apparently, the Ed stone was his idea. Let us not have people's retirements savings suffer the same fate as the quest of the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Ed Miliband) to become Prime Minister. The Government should not be giving themselves control over how people's retirement savings are invested, but that is what mandation does. I am against it, the pensions sector is against it, and savers are against it. Will he listen and change tack?
Context
The Pensions Minister is criticized for his tendency to think he always knows best, and the Opposition is concerned about the mandation power in the Pension Schemes Bill.
Torsten Bell
The hon. Lady is going to be absolutely furious when she finds out what those on the Opposition Front Bench did when the Pensions Schemes Bill came through this House. There is all this sound and fury now, but, when it came to choosing whether to vote against the very power she now says is incredibly dangerous, she went for a snooze on both Second and Third Reading. She is going to be even angrier when she finds out what her right hon. Friends the Members for Salisbury (John Glen) and for Godalming and Ash (Sir Jeremy Hunt) have called for, which is the mandation of pensions schemes in the UK to invest—
Session: Topical Questions
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Madam Deputy Speaker, you are no doubt familiar with the dramatic principle of Chekhov's gun: if there is a gun on the wall in the first act, it will be fired by the final scene. Ministers say that the mandation power in the Pension Schemes Bill is merely a backstop that they do not intend to use, but once they have a power in law like a gun on the wall, how long will that intention last? Will the Secretary of State make a commitment to the House that the mandation gun will never be fired at the expense of UK pension savers?
Context
The Pension Schemes Bill includes a mandation power that ministers say is a backstop, but concerns are raised about its potential use.
Torsten Bell
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. She will know that the industry itself set out in the Mansion House accord that it thinks there needs to be change in the pattern of investment in our largest defined contribution schemes. It says that because it is in the interests of savers, and that is why the previous hon. Member for Hexham, the longest-lasting Conservative Pensions Minister, labelled it a good thing. All the Pension Schemes Bill does is put in place the mechanism to make sure that change, which the industry has said is in the interest of members, actually happens.
Session: Topical Questions
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The working-age benefits bill is set to reach £171 billion by the end of this Parliament, yet the Government are doing nothing to get it under control. In fact, by scrapping the two-child cap, they have added another £3 billion. It is time to stop spending and get saving. The Conservatives would stop benefits for foreign nationals and save £7 billion a year. Britain cannot be a cash machine for the world. With war in Ukraine and now in the middle east, we must boost our national security, so why are the Government continuing to bankroll benefits for migrants rather than investing in defence?
Context
The working-age benefits bill is projected to reach £171 billion by the end of this Parliament, but the Government has taken actions that increase costs, such as scrapping the two-child cap, adding £3 billion. The questioner suggests saving £7 billion a year by stopping benefits for foreign nationals.
Andrew Western
The Home Secretary has brought forward proposals to extend the period before somebody can achieve settlement from five to 10 years, and there is a consultation under way to move that point from the point of settlement to the point of citizenship. However, if it is the Conservatives' position to suggest that somebody who has worked here for decades, contributed to the system and made a positive contribution to this country should have absolutely no access to support, we have a fundamentally different point of view.
Session: Universal Credit Foreign Nationals
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Since the right hon. Gentleman became Disability Minister, half a million more people have gone on to PIP, and the sickness benefits bill is heading up to £100 billion a year by the end of this decade. We know that his review is not due to serve up any savings, but there must come a point where even he would say that the country cannot afford this. Does he have any ambition to make welfare savings?
Context
Half a million more people have gone on to personal independence payment since the right hon. Gentleman became Disability Minister, and the sickness benefits bill is heading up to £100 billion a year by the end of this decade.
The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)
We have already made some important changes. For example, we have removed a serious disincentive to work that was created in the universal credit system by the last Government. That has gone, thanks to the changes in the Universal Credit Act 2025, which finished its passage last summer. Those changes will take effect in April. We do have a broken system—the hon. Lady is absolutely right about that—but it is the system that was left behind by the last Government; and, yes, we are determined to fix it.
Session: PIP Number of Claimants
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Under this Labour Government the number of people on benefits is soaring, with nearly a million young people not in education, employment or training, and over 700,000 university graduates are now out of work and on benefits. Many young people are putting in hundreds of job applications and getting hundreds of rejections. This Government are killing their jobs and their dreams by taxing job-creating businesses into oblivion. What does the Secretary of State have to say to those young people?
Context
Concern about the number of young people on benefits, particularly graduates out of work and NEET numbers rising.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)
What I have to say to those young people is that the rise in graduate inactivity happened under the last Government. Economic inactivity is down by 450,000 since the last election. There is a critical problem—the hon. Lady is right—in NEET numbers, which have been rising for four years. The difference is that we are doing something about that through the youth guarantee, which has £820 million behind it, and by changing her record on apprenticeships, which saw a 40% fall in youth apprenticeship starts over 10 years.
Session: Topical Questions
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Businesses are cutting jobs at the fastest rate since the pandemic and unemployment has gone up every month under this Government. The number of jobcentre work coaches has actually fallen since they took over. No doubt the Minister will proudly tell us that they have just announced millions of pounds of spending on Government-created jobs for young people, but may I ask her to reflect for a moment? After hiking taxes on businesses so that they cannot afford to employ young people, the Government are spending a load of that tax on state-subsidised jobs for the same young people. Some are calling this the economics of the madhouse, but I simply call it Labour economics. Does the Minister not agree that the Government should get out of the way and reduce the burden on businesses so that they can create jobs, opportunities and economic growth?
Context
UKHospitality reports that 100,000 people will lose their jobs due to the Budget, on top of 150,000 already lost since Labour came to power.
Diana Johnson (Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions)
Of course we want employers and businesses to create jobs, but let me reiterate—as I am not sure that the shadow Secretary of State heard my earlier answer—that for the under-21s, no national insurance contributions are payable by an employer. Let me also refer her to my first answer and repeat that more than 329,000 more people are in work this year.
Session: Unemployment Levels
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I welcome the Secretary of State to his new job and wish him luck in it—especially because, with every day that passes under this Government, we see fewer people enjoying the chance to start a new job. Unemployment has gone up month after month. Nearly 1 million young people are not in education, employment or training because of this Government’s policies, jobs tax and business red tape; even the Pensions Minister’s former think-tank agrees with me. People all around the country are out looking for work—young people who want to get on in life and all those trying to provide for their families—so can the Secretary of State tell us and them when he will get unemployment down?
Context
Unemployment has risen under the current government, with nearly 1 million young people not in education, employment or training.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)
The hon. Lady has a short memory. The Government in which she served presided over the biggest slowdown in living standards in recent memory, and there are 358,000 more people in work now than there were at the start of the year. We will keep supporting young people into work and will change the system that we inherited, which had the wrong incentives and a lack of support.
Session: Young People Employment, Education and Training
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More than half of new health and disability benefits claims are now for mental health, yet under the Government’s welfare cuts Bill the personal independence payment could be stripped from three quarters of claimants with arthritis and two thirds of those with heart disease but fewer than half of those with anxiety. Does the right hon. Lady believe this is the right decision?
Context
Helen Whately raised concerns about the personal independence payment being stripped from claimants with certain health conditions under the Government’s welfare cuts Bill.
Liz Kendall
I have great personal respect for the hon. Lady but she really needs to make up her mind: first she says our proposals are too late, then she says they are rushed; she criticises us for being cruel, and then says the Opposition are going to vote against our Bill because it does not go far enough. But her deputy, the hon. Member for East Wiltshire (Danny Kruger), has let the cat out of the bag, saying in a recent Westminster Hall debate: 'I am not able to tell…exactly what we would do.' The truth is that the Conservatives are a broken party with no ideas, let alone a strategy—and, unless they change course, they have no future either.
Session: Topical Questions
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I suspect that the hon. Members on the Government Front Bench are now surrounded: I suspect that they are the only people left in this Chamber who are prepared to defend the cutting of the winter fuel payment. Dozens of their own MPs have now joined a long list of people telling the Government that they have got it wrong, including the Welsh First Minister—talking about learning lessons from Wales—the money-saving expert Martin Lewis, and voters up and down this country. The Conservatives have led this campaign from the start, but if the Government will not listen to us, will they now listen to everyone else and think again?
Context
Many MPs have criticized the government for cutting the winter fuel payment, including Martin Lewis.
Torsten Bell (The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)
We have set out our policy, but here we are 10 months on and I have no idea what the Conservatives’ policy is. I am not even sure that they know what their policy is. For all the shouting, there is no promise to reinstate a universal winter fuel payment. There is one policy from the Leader of the Opposition, the very woman who called for the winter fuel payment to be means-tested in 2022: now, she wants to means-test the entire state pension. Apparently, that is “exactly the sort of thing we will look at”. She thinks that is bold policymaking. It is not—it is bonkers.
Session: Winter Fuel Payment Means-testing
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The number of job vacancies and employment levels are both decreasing. Can the Secretary of State admit what this means for businesses hiring and economic prospects?
Context
Job vacancies are falling month on month, but so is the number of people employed. The previous government saw a high number of young people not in education, employment or training.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall)
Under her Government, the employment rate did not recover from pre-COVID levels—the only country in the G7 not to do so. She left 1 million young people not in education, employment or training, and near record numbers of people out of work due to long-term sickness.
Session: Topical Questions
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Since the right hon. Lady’s party has been in government, 100,000 more young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). How is this possible?
Context
The number of young people not in education, employment or training has increased since Labour took office.
Liz Kendall
The hon. Lady had 14 years to solve the problem and the Conservatives’ record is clear: nearly 1 million young people not in education, employment or training, which is one in eight of all our young people; and the number of young people with mental health concerns who are out of work has now reached 270,000. That is the legacy of 14 years of Conservative government, and it is a legacy that this Government are determined to change.
Session: NEET Young People
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So the answer is that the Minister does not know. He does not know how many people are waiting for their winter fuel payment. He does not know how many people are stuck in the pension credit backlog. He does not know when they will hear about their claims. He does not know who has had help from their local council. He does not know how many people who lost their winter fuel payment have ended up in hospital this winter. He and his Department have dodged or refused to answer every single one of those questions in recent weeks. Will he commit to a full review of the winter fuel payment cut so that we can get those answers?
Context
Minister's lack of answers regarding pensioners' situation has raised concerns about the transparency of winter fuel payment policy.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)
I will commit to fighting every day to avoid a repeat of the exercise under the last Government whereby pensioner poverty rose by 300,000, having fallen by 1 million under the last Labour Government. We will make sure that we publish details of the take-up of pension credit by the end of February.
Session: Winter Fuel Payment Pensioner Poverty
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I welcome the Minister to his place. I have a simple question for him: how many people are still waiting for their winter fuel payment?
Context
Recent questions about winter fuel payment delays have not been adequately answered. There is uncertainty among pensioners regarding when they will receive their payments.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)
The largest campaign to drive up pension credit take-up is now under way, and it will continue in the years ahead. What we are seeing at present is that anyone who made their claim for pension credit before 21 December will receive their winter fuel payment when that claim is processed.
Session: Winter Fuel Payment Pensioner Poverty
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Can Liz from HR tell me which of her colleagues should be fired for the addition of 47,000 people to the unemployment figures in December?
Context
The addition of 47,000 people to the unemployment figures in December.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall)
I am proud to say that I want to get Britain working again after we inherited a situation in which a record 2.8 million people were out of work due to health problems, because the Conservatives pushed the NHS to its knees and failed to have a proper plan to get people back into work.
Session: Topical Questions
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Which of those measures will help her to deliver that employment “ambition”?
Context
The MP criticises the government's approach to employment, citing tax increases and red tape as obstacles. The question seeks clarity on measures intended to boost employment.
Alison McGovern
I have brought forward proposals to get Britain working, together with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Secretary of State for Education, and Secretaries of State right across Government. That is how we will plot a course towards our ambition of an 80% employment rate.
Session: Budget 2024 Unemployment
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Are the Government still committed to the 80% employment target, or will that be another broken Labour promise?
Context
The Labour Party previously committed to an employment rate target of 80%, but recent language suggests a shift in commitment from 'target' to 'ambition'. The MP seeks clarity on the current government stance.
Alison McGovern
I make no apologies for having ambition for people in our labour market. The figure was always an ambition, because Labour Members want our jobcentres to shift away from pointless admin towards real ambition for everybody who steps through the door.
Session: Budget 2024 Unemployment
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Unfortunately, the right hon. Lady simply will not give a straight answer. She will not tell the House what she knows; she knew that the Government's choices would push 100,000 pensioners into poverty and she did not tell the House that, either. Let us try this question instead. The Government's own figures show that pensioners applying now will have to wait until the spring to find out whether they will get winter fuel money. What is her advice to a pensioner sitting in the cold and wondering if they can afford to turn on their heating this Christmas?
Context
The MP is concerned about the delay in determining winter fuel payments and its impact on pensioners.
Liz Kendall
If the hon. Lady cared so much about pensioners in the cold, why did her Government leave 880,000 not claiming pension credit? Why did they first promise to bring together housing benefit and pension credit in 2011 and never deliver it? This Government are taking action—42,500 more people are receiving pension credit now than when she left government. We are determined to act; perhaps she should apologise for her failure.
Session: Topical Questions
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How many people who should get the winter fuel payment will get it this winter?
Context
The MP questions the number of people eligible for winter fuel payments this winter.
Liz Kendall
We intend to ensure that everybody who is entitled to pension credit, and therefore the winter fuel payment, claims it and gets it. We have seen a 145% increase in claims—far more than was ever achieved under the last Government.
Session: Topical Questions
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Youth unemployment fell under her government. However, due to Budget and Employment Rights Bill, businesses may cut jobs. What advice would she give a young person who is currently out of work and education?
Context
Under the Conservative Government, youth unemployment fell by 380,000. However, due to recent budget changes, businesses may cut jobs.
Liz Kendall
The previous Government left nearly a million young people not in education, employment or training. This Government are investing an extra £240 million to get Britain working again, giving opportunities for people to build better lives.
Session: Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training
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I wonder if the Secretary of State did not hear my earlier question; I said that I was grateful that she is continuing the work that we did in government, through the WorkWell programme, to help people in ill health into work by joining up healthcare and employment. However, the point I was just making, to which she did not respond, was that 50,000 jobs will be lost as a result of Labour's Budget.
Context
Continuation of the WorkWell programme is acknowledged by the government.
Liz Kendall
I am very proud of a Budget that invests in the long-term growth that this country needs, that gives a pay rise to the 3 million lowest-paid workers, and that invests in the NHS so that people can get back to health and back to work. That is the change that this country desperately needs.
Session: Topical Questions
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The Conservatives are the party of work and aspiration, and once again, we left office with unemployment at a historic low. We all know that Labour always leaves unemployment higher than when it came into office, but rarely has it seemed in such a hurry to achieve that. Its first Budget will, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility, cost the country 50,000 jobs in the next few years alone.
Context
Labour's first budget is expected to cost the country 50,000 jobs in the next few years.
Liz Kendall
May I gently say this to the hon. Lady? She should be apologising, because we have record numbers of people out of work due to long-term sickness; one in eight young people is not in education, employment or training; and people are locked out of the world of work because the Conservatives failed to make proper plans to get people with long-term sickness into work—£25 billion extra over the course of the forecast period—they will remain on the Opposition Benches.
Session: Topical Questions
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The right hon. Lady will know that youth unemployment fell by 380,000 under her government. However, due to the Budget and Employment Rights Bill, businesses may cut jobs. Moreover, university fees were just hiked up. What advice would she give a young person who is out of work and education?
Context
Under the Conservative Government, youth unemployment fell by 380,000. The Employment Rights Bill may force businesses to slash employees.
Liz Kendall
The previous Government left nearly a million young people not in education, employment or training. This Government are investing an extra £240 million to get Britain working again, giving opportunities for people to build better lives.
Session: Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training
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My constituents in Throwley and Wichling are battling for high-speed broadband. Despite initial progress, it seems uncertain whether they will receive the support needed. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss how we can ensure these communities do not miss out again?
Context
Residents in Throwley and Wichling have been struggling with high-speed broadband access, facing uncertainty about future roll-outs.
Peter Kyle
The Minister responsible for the roll-out will meet officials to ensure the hon. Lady's constituents receive the attention they deserve.
Session: Broadband Connectivity
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Does she agree that the £2 fare cap has been a good thing and will it be kept?
Context
The train system being introduced is similar to the one being dismantled, without sufficient funding.
Louise Haigh
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to suggest that the underfunding of bus services over a decade has led to the cancellation and scrapping of thousands of bus routes across the country, and passenger numbers have fallen over the last 40 years. We are committed to consolidating funding and ending the “Hunger Games” style process that the previous Government oversaw, which pitted authorities against each other and created winners and losers.
Session: Local Bus Services
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I was expecting the right hon. Lady to say something along the lines of “wait for the Budget”, or “wait for the spending review”. However, she did not wait for the Budget to give unions a massive pay rise. Can she confirm that every penny of investment committed through Network North will continue to be invested in our country's transport infrastructure?
Context
The Government is delaying various transport projects. The questioner asks for confirmation that previously committed investments will continue.
Louise Haigh
The hon. Lady can wait for the Budget!
Session: Topical Questions
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After just 100 days, this is already one of the most anti-growth Governments in history, from investor-scaring taxes to hitting the brakes on our transport infrastructure pipeline. Will she give some to the businesses looking to invest, to the contractors waiting to get started, and, crucially, to the communities that so badly need these upgrades?
Context
The Government is delaying various transport projects. The questioner asks for confidence to be given to businesses, contractors, and communities.
Louise Haigh
I wonder whether the hon. Lady has spoken to any businesses or infrastructure providers over the past 14 years who have suffered appalling uncertainty and a lack of confidence. Her Government presided over billions of pounds of waste and failure in the delivery of infrastructure.
Session: Topical Questions
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Will the Minister responsible for such matters agree to meet me to discuss how we can deter these people and stop their use of catapults to kill?
Context
Catapult use increasing to injure or kill livestock and pets.
Shabana Mahmood
I suspect that that may be a matter for my colleagues in the Home Office, but I will happily liaise with the relevant Minister and ensure that the hon. Lady receives a response.
Session: Topical Questions
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My constituents in Throwley and Wichling were incredibly disappointed to find that their bids for gigabit vouchers were unsuccessful, especially after they worked so hard to gather community support. While most people are able to use their broadband to do video calls, work from home, and stream movies and matches, those constituents cannot.
Context
Residents in Throwley and Wichling submitted bids for gigabit vouchers but were unsuccessful despite gathering community support. These residents struggle to use broadband effectively.
Julia Lopez
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this case and for all the work that she and her team did to help those villages. I asked officials to look into this case, and they told me that the broadband supplier responsible for the projects in those villages did not put them forward for consideration as a voucher priority area on the basis that they were not expected to deliver a gigabit-capable connection faster than our own Project Gigabit procurement in Kent. In good news, I can assure my hon. Friend that we are making very good progress on that procurement and we hope to be able to launch it in the coming weeks.
Session: Rural Broadband
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What steps her Department is taking to expand broadband coverage to rural areas. National gigabit coverage has rocketed to 71%, but some constituents remain unserved.
Context
The government's broadband coverage has increased to 71%, up from 6% in January 2019. However, there are areas like north Dorset and Teesdale where constituents face challenges.
Julia Lopez
We are investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit so that hard-to-reach areas can get ultra-reliable gigabit speeds. We have already upgraded over 740,000 premises and launched procurements with a value of over £700 million to deliver gigabit connections across the UK.
Session: Rural Broadband
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Whenever there is a major delay at the channel crossings in Kent, motorways in my constituency are turned into lorry parks and Kent comes to a standstill. The fact is that Kent is carrying the can for a gap in our national infrastructure. May I urge my right hon. Friend to work with Kent MPs on this problem and be the Transport Secretary who solves it?
Context
Motorways in the constituency experience severe disruption when there are major delays at the channel crossings, turning them into lorry parks.
Lucy Frazer
I am pleased to have had a brief discussion with my hon. Friend about the importance of Kent and queues in relation to Kent, Dover and the borders. I am very happy to meet the Kent MPs, and I am sure the Secretary of State will be fully engaged in this issue.
Session: Topical Questions
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Can my right hon. Friend assure me that it will be extended, and improved—and sooner rather than later—so that British consumers can continue to enjoy British fruit?
Context
Seasonal worker scheme is essential for the fruit sector in Faversham and Mid Kent.
Mark Spencer
The seasonal worker visa route was extended to 2024 in December 2021, allowing overseas workers to come to the UK for up to six months each year to harvest edible and ornamental crops. The Government announced an extra 10,000 visas for the seasonal worker route.
Session: Labour Shortages Agriculture and Fishing
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Cleve Hill Solar Park
10 December 2024
Responding: Kerry McCarthy
Main Concerns
['Helen Whately is concerned about the impact of Cleve Hill Solar Park on her constituency. The solar park, which will cover over 700 acres with approximately 1 million solar panels, poses significant safety risks due to a large-scale battery installation capable of up to 700 MWh capacity. There have been more than 65 fires and explosions reported in similar systems globally, raising concerns about toxic fumes and water contamination. She also highlights the disruption caused by construction traffic and damage to local homes and infrastructure. Furthermore, she points out that there is no legal requirement for compensation or community contributions despite a lack of local benefits. The hon. Member for Faversham and Mid Kent expressed concern about the impact of the Cleve Hill solar park on her constituents, highlighting issues related to views, biodiversity, birds, wetlands, disruption during construction, battery safety, and environmental impacts. She mentioned the importance of engaging with local communities before any decisions are made.']
Specific Asks
["Whately asks the Minister to clarify whether large-scale battery storage systems will be included in environmental permitting regulations and when consultations on this will take place. She seeks assurance about the safety measures and inspection processes for Cleve Hill's installation, as well as commitments to address community concerns regarding damage and compensation."]
Social Care Funding And Reform Initiatives
24 November 2022
Responding: Helen Whately
European Entry and Exit System
08 July 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
South East Water: Disruption of Supply
03 June 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Milburn Review: Interim Report
02 June 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Debate on the Address
14 May 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
The UK labour market is performing well with high employment rates, low unemployment compared to OECD countries, and rising real wages. The government's economic management has put the country in a be...
The Pension Schemes Bill - Clause 40 - Certain schemes providing money purchase benefits: scale and asset allocation
28 April 2026
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moves amendments to the Bill that aim to retain the original policy intent while addressing concerns raised in both Houses. The proposed changes include a new requirement for regulators to assess barr...
Pension Schemes Bill - Clause 40 - Certain schemes providing money purchase benefits: scale and asset allocation
27 April 2026
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The amendment seeks to address the Lords' proposed changes on asset allocation for defined contribution schemes. The Government's approach includes setting a cap on the reserve power at the Mansion Ho...
Pensions Bill - Clause 122 - Commencement
22 April 2026
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The lead MP moved that the House insists on its disagreement with several Lords amendments, proposes new clauses, and does not insist on certain other amendments. He aims to ensure that the cultural c...
Insurance Act 2015 (Amendment) Bill - Lords amendments and Government motions to disagree
15 April 2026
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moves that the House disagrees with Lords amendment 1. Does not provide additional details in the provided text.
Youth Unemployment
17 March 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Meningitis Outbreak
17 March 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Attendance
77.6%
76 of 98 votes
Aye Votes
43
43.9% of votes
No Votes
33
33.7% of votes
Abstentions
22
22.4% of votes
11 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Closure motion
Ayes: 293
Noes: 218
Passed
11 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading
Ayes: 270
Noes: 286
Failed
10 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Social Housing Bill [Lords]: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
Ayes: 77
Noes: 292
Failed
09 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Ame...
Ayes: 371
Noes: 100
Passed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 140
Ayes: 79
Noes: 300
Failed
08 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 142
Ayes: 108
Noes: 357
Failed
08 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 143
Ayes: 106
Noes: 302
Failed
08 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Health Bill: Report Stage: Amendment 1
Ayes: 162
Noes: 297
Failed
07 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 6
Ayes: 77
Noes: 317
Failed
07 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 145
Ayes: 170
Noes: 316
Failed
04 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Motion to sit in private
Ayes: 1
Noes: 79
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 65
Ayes: 166
Noes: 346
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 67
Ayes: 105
Noes: 410
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 88
Ayes: 85
Noes: 427
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Third Reading
Ayes: 411
Noes: 102
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and...
Ayes: 322
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) (Amendment...
Ayes: 318
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
Ayes: 80
Noes: 281
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 4
Ayes: 173
Noes: 282
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 5
Ayes: 177
Noes: 308
Failed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2026
Ayes: 323
Noes: 160
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Carbon Budget Order 2026
Ayes: 332
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipp...
Ayes: 329
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (Credit Limit) Order 2026
Ayes: 330
Noes: 93
Passed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition day: Defence spending and readiness
Ayes: 108
Noes: 307
Failed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Opposition Day Motion: Defence spending and readiness - Prime Minister's Amen...
Ayes: 294
Noes: 110
Passed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition Day: Puberty blockers
Ayes: 112
Noes: 283
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 4
Ayes: 164
Noes: 311
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 11
Ayes: 104
Noes: 391
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 22
Ayes: 74
Noes: 323
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: Amendment 11
Ayes: 171
Noes: 322
Failed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill: Allocation of Time motion
Ayes: 233
Noes: 94
Passed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 3
Ayes: 85
Noes: 317
Failed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 8
Ayes: 143
Noes: 249
Failed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: Amendment 13
Ayes: 135
Noes: 258
Failed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 144
Noes: 244
Failed
16 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 77
Noes: 255
Failed
16 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 151
Noes: 258
Failed
16 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 162
Noes: 246
Failed
16 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulatio...
Ayes: 262
Noes: 86
Passed
24 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Opposition Day: Protections for children from online harms
Ayes: 69
Noes: 279
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED AYE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: Amendment 1
Ayes: 161
Noes: 272
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED AYE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
Ayes: 156
Noes: 273
Failed
23 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 77
Noes: 280
Failed
23 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 73
Noes: 256
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: Third Reading
Ayes: 361
Noes: 84
Passed
11 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Marit...
Ayes: 362
Noes: 107
Passed
11 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Local Government Finance Report (England) 2026-27
Ayes: 277
Noes: 143
Passed
11 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2...
Ayes: 279
Noes: 90
Passed
04 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026
Ayes: 392
Noes: 116
Passed
2
PMQs Asked
37
Ministerial Questions Asked
68
House of Commons Debates Involved
2
Westminster Hall Debates Led
10
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
98
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 1370 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-45% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
+176% above average
This MP:
37
Average:
13.4
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-20% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
+1299% above average
This MP:
68
Average:
4.9
Statements / Bills Proposed
+6% above average
This MP:
10
Average:
9.5
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.5
Voting Attendance Rate (%)
+12% above average
This MP:
77.6
Average:
69.2
Important Context
- - Ministers answer questions rather than asking them, so have different activity patterns
- - Activity quantity doesn't measure quality or effectiveness of representation
- - Some MPs focus more on constituency work than parliamentary questions
- - Newly elected MPs will have less parliamentary history
About This Page
This page tracks Helen Whately's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.