Adam Jogee

My responsibilities relate to the work of the seven National Church Institutions, and I can give best-practice advice about diocesan and parish activity. I would be happy to meet with the Hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme to discuss his constituency and any specific concerns he may have. However, he may find a discussion with the Bishop of Lichfield and the team in the Diocese of Lichfield, who are responsible for the condition of the church estate in Newcastle-under-Lyme, more productive. I will write to him to arrange an introduction.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 8th October is attached.

The first meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions took place on Friday 11 September, convening regional Mayors from across England and the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales and the First and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

This first Council focused on investment and growth, ahead of the International Investment Summit. It was a key step in forging new partnerships across all levels of government, to ensure that all parts of the UK can secure, and benefit from, long term investment. This investment will increase economic growth and raise standards of living across the UK.

Economic growth is the first mission of this government and Free Trade Agreements have an important role to play in achieving that, alongside other levers of trade policy.

The Department for Business and Trade deeply values the views of civil society and the representatives of workers. We seek their input, alongside the input of business and the public, through the public consultations that have been conducted before each negotiation begins, and in continuous engagement with ministers and officials throughout the lifecycle of a negotiation.

The input we receive feeds into our negotiating objectives, to ensure we strike agreements that deliver growth for the public.

The Government is committed to supporting parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s trade agreements, balancing the need for robust scrutiny with the need to ensure we can negotiate effectively in the UK’s best interests.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.

The UK will continue to work internationally to strengthen workers’ rights and enhance labour standards globally. The Government will protect our labour standards in new trade agreements.

The UK has chapters on labour in FTAs with Australia and New Zealand, and within CPTPP, and labour provisions as part of trade and sustainable development chapters in a range of other agreements.

We intend to publish the Trade Strategy in the Spring.

The Trade Strategy will focus on the ways that trade is changing and how the UK can take a forward-facing approach to drive economic growth. It will be consistent with the Government’s Industrial Strategy and Small Business Plan.

The UK Government continually assesses the implementation of free trade agreements in order to maximise their benefit for business and support economic growth. We exploit opportunities to protect and secure further access to these markets, and will align our implementation approach with the upcoming Trade Strategy that will consider how to use every lever available to drive growth, including FTAs.

Pursuant to my answer to PQ UIN 5215 of 18 September 2024, our Manifesto committed to reviewing the surplus sharing arrangements and transferring the Investment Reserve back to scheme members. We are committed to ending the injustice of the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and work on delivering these commitments is already underway.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme in England and Wales was reformed in 2022 to provide more rebates automatically. It currently focusses support towards those on lowest incomes who receive means-tested benefits and living in a property estimated to be relatively high cost to heat. The eligibility criteria are set to make best use of the data available to identify households at greatest risk of fuel poverty.

In winter 2023/24 the WHD scheme delivered rebates to 3.14 million households in Great Britain. This represents an increase of around 646,000 households receiving rebates and an increase of around £97 million of support, compared to 2022/23. Since the scheme began in 2011, over £4 billion in support has been provided to households.

This winter’s scheme was launched today, 14 October, and we expect it again to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.

This winter’s scheme was launched today, 14 October, and we expect it again to support over three million households. We are exploring options to improve the design of the scheme beyond the current regulations which expire in 2026.

The most recent published statistics on Warm Home Discount can be found here: Warm Home Discount statistics, 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Table 5 shows that 4,992 households in Newcastle-under-Lyme received Warm Home Discount in the 2023-24 scheme year, making up approximately 12.1% of the overall number of households in the constituency (boundary as defined prior to the 2024 General Election).

The latest statistics for the number of households in fuel poverty in parliamentary constituencies in England, can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty Official Statistics, in Table 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics.

Whilst we cannot comment on specific constituencies, the energy security outlook for GB is positive for this upcoming winter - in their Early Winter Outlook (https://www.nationalgrideso.com/research-and-publications/winter-outlook), the National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) provisionally expects the margin between supply and demand for GB to be 5.6GW / 9.4%, which is an improved position from last winter (4.4 GW / 7.4%). We continue to work with Ofgem and the gas and electricity system operators to monitor our energy security.

University research is funded by UKRI through the dual support approach which balances strategic institutional research funding allocated by Research England with grant funding awarded by Research Councils for individuals and programmes within Higher Education Providers.

The allocations for 24-25 Research England budget have confirmed the level of quality related (QR) research funding as set out in SR21 allocations and the maintenance of the balance of dual support.

Government also encourages universities to collaborate with businesses and charitable research funders both through QR funds that reward this, and through knowledge exchange programmes to develop partnerships with these other funders.

The Government has committed to setting ten-year budgets for certain R&D activities, where long-term investment will better support the ability to form partnerships with industry, build and develop skills and talent, and foster international collaborations to allow us to stay at the forefront of global innovation. Decisions on ten-year budgets will be made in due course.

The Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have regular discussions on a range of issues.

The Government is determined to work with the sector to transition to sustainable research funding models. Universities will also need to take their own steps to ensure they are working as efficiently as possible and, where necessary, make difficult choices.

The Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have regular discussions on a range of issues. Kickstarting economic growth is a key mission of this Government, with research and development (R&D) investment playing a central role in this.

The Department continues to closely monitor the implementation and impact of the grant scheme through the regular reporting of the grant administrator, EMB. Since 2010, the Government has returned over £350 million to listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples through the grant scheme. This has helped protect our listed places of worship and enabled them to continue their work as centres of worship and community assets.

As a tenant for each of our offices including our London and Manchester HQs, DCMS does not manage food provision or waste in our offices. For our London HQ this service is provided by our landlords, the Government Property Agency.

This Government recognises and welcomes the success of the creative industries in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and is committed to supporting our world-leading creative industries, and their growth in regions across the UK.

The Office for National Statistics includes Newcastle-Under-Lyme as part of the Stoke-On-Trent ‘Travel To Work Area,’ and indicates that 3,777 people were employed in the creative industries in 2021, an increase of 5% since 2017.

The second wave of the £50 million Creative Clusters competition will be announced in the coming months, which will provide Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and the surrounding area, the opportunity to further develop themselves as a creative cluster. This would build on many of the strengths already present in the region, including video games, digital production and crafting.

I will ask my officials to keep both the New Vic Theatre and the Philip Astley Centre in mind when planning future visits.

The UK is proud to have hosted the Commonwealth Games twice in the past decade. This government welcomes the £1bn of Gross Value Added to the UK economy from the Games, including hundreds of millions to the local economy in the West Midlands. The Legacy Enhancement Fund from the Games continues to drive inward investment to and grassroots activity in the region, ensuring the area benefits from a lasting legacy of hosting the Games.

The Government is committed to developing grassroots sport and will work with our Arms Length Body Sport England to support projects which facilitate participation in the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency. DCMS’s Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities and Park Tennis Courts programme have already had an impact in the area by investing in a new 3G football surface at Roe Lane Playing Fields, and will continue to deliver high-quality, inclusive grassroots facilities that help more people access sport wherever they live.

The government is clear on the impact that breakfast clubs can have to support children to arrive at school ready to learn, which is why we are committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every school with primary aged pupils.

From April 2025, free breakfast clubs will be available in up to 750 early adopter schools, as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase, in advance of a national roll out.

The new breakfast club offer, once rolled out nationally, will be available to every state funded school with primary aged children. It will both provide parents with more affordable childcare choices, supporting families with the cost of living, and support school attendance and attainment, ensuring children are set-up for the day and ready to learn.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and other governmental Ministers visit a wide variety of education settings across a broad geography. Ministers are grateful to receive many invitations to different establishments and will continue to regularly visit nurseries, schools, colleges and universities.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reinspected Staffordshire SEND services on their eight areas of significant weakness in February 2022. The inspectors assessed each area of weakness and concluded that sufficient progress had been made to address six. Staffordshire produced an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) to address the remaining two areas of significant weakness. The APP is being monitored on a 6-monthly basis and the next review is due to take place in November 2024.

The department is committed to supporting and monitoring progress of the identified areas for improvement and have put in place regular monitoring and challenge meetings with SEND advisors from the department and NHS England.

On 5 September the Secretary of State reaffirmed the Government’s intention to rollout a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label (MWEL). We will introduce the MWEL in the UK via Secondary Legislation under Section 52 and Schedule 6 of the Environment Act 2021. The label will be informed by the international standard ISO’s 31600:2022.

We are working with the Environment Agency to engage manufacturers and other stakeholders to keep them informed about the regulations as they develop.

On 5 September the Secretary of State reaffirmed the Government’s intention to rollout a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label (MWEL). We will introduce the MWEL in the UK via Secondary Legislation under Section 52 and Schedule 6 of the Environment Act 2021. The label will be informed by the international standard ISO’s 31600:2022.

We are working with the Environment Agency to engage manufacturers and other stakeholders to keep them informed about the regulations as they develop.

On 5 September the Secretary of State reaffirmed the Government’s intention to rollout a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label (MWEL). We will introduce the MWEL in the UK via Secondary Legislation under Section 52 and Schedule 6 of the Environment Act 2021. The label will be informed by the international standard ISO’s 31600:2022.

We are working with the Environment Agency to engage manufacturers and other stakeholders to keep them informed about the regulations as they develop.

We recognise the importance of raising awareness of air pollution and associated health impacts. In addition to our commitment to deliver a new Clean Air Strategy, we are undertaking a review of how we communicate air quality information to ensure members of the public, and vulnerable groups in particular, have what they need to protect themselves.

The Secretary of State and the Ministerial team are in the process of meeting a wide range of stakeholders since their appointment to the department.