Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to reduce the use of skin lightening products.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As product safety regulator, OPSS is responsible for ensuring that consumer products are safe. The UK Cosmetic Regulation requires that a safety assessment be completed by a qualified assessor to demonstrate the safety of a cosmetic product before it can be sold on our market.
OPSS also provides funding to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute to highlight the dangers to consumers of using illegal cosmetics, including skin lighteners, through its “Cost Of Beauty” Campaign. The campaign includes social media, outreach with targeted groups and working with traditional media, with the aim of raising attention to the risks of these products.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth about improving trade links between Commonwealth member states.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Neither the Secretary of State nor I have held discussions with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth about anything.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent engagement he has had with his Canadian counterpart about the potential merits of increasing trade between the United Kingdom and Canada.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I am in regular contact with Minister Sidhu as we seek ways to grow bilateral trade – worth £31bn in the 12 months to September 2025 and up 17% on the previous 12 months .
Last year, the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group identified a number of priority bilateral workstreams for 2026 to further grow trade and drive cooperation, including the review of the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement’s Rules of Origin to make the agreement easier to use by businesses on both sides.
My Department is also committed to the UK trading with Canada under CPTPP terms. Canada has commenced its legislative process for the UK’s ratification, with Entry into Force expected later this year.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps he has taken to support brick production.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Brick deliveries remain well above the dip seen in 2022-2023, with around 80% of bricks used in the UK produced domestically. The Government’s housebuilding targets will support demand as industry delivers the new private, social and affordable homes our citizens need.
Construction’s inclusion as a foundational industry in the Industrial Strategy will also help to drive brick production. Additionally, brick manufacturers could benefit from the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme if they meet electricity intensity and sector criteria, though eligibility is not yet confirmed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to Written PQ 107250 on 28th January 2026.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the creation of jobs and opportunities across the UK, including in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, by championing free trade agreements, supporting small and medium sized enterprises to export, securing foreign investment, developing the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps he has taken to help reduce industrial energy costs for businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our Modern Industrial Strategy will make industrial electricity costs cheaper with new support which could cut bills by up to 25% for more than 7,000 businesses. From 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity cost for eligible businesses by c.£35-40/MWh.
We have also increased support for energy-intensive industries eligible for the British Industry Supercharger, with an uplift of the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme from 60% to 90%.
Companies in Newcastle-under-Lyme operating in frontier industries, or those supplying critical inputs to frontier industries such as specialised ceramics, are well placed to benefit from this support.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to financially support pubs in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the importance of pubs and the wider hospitality sector, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire. We continue to support these vital local businesses through a range of measures designed to ease cost pressures and strengthen communities.
The government has also introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. We’ve introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.
The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the hospitality sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises the importance of pubs and the wider hospitality sector, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire. We continue to support these vital local businesses through a range of measures designed to ease cost pressures and strengthen communities.
The government has also introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. We’ve introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.
The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps have been taken to further develop trade links between the United Kingdom and Jamaica.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Government is strengthening trade with Jamaica through multiple initiatives. UK Export Finance has signed a Framework for Cooperation with the Jamaican government enabling us to support a range of critical infrastructure projects with substantial UK content, including the replacement of bridges across the country. My department also recently funded the first inward mission from the Caribbean life sciences sector, which included senior Jamaican delegates, to deepen collaboration and tackle barriers to trade. We are also cooperating on digital trade, with Jamaican firms forging partnerships with UK businesses through the UK Trade Partnerships Programme.