Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase trade with countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Department for Business and Trade works across Sub-Saharan Africa offering direct support to UK businesses looking to expand their business in the region. DBT focuses on markets, sectors, and deals where the UK has a competitive edge. The nine new Trade Envoys for Africa, recently announced by the Government, will seek to develop high level relationships with key decision makers to help further increase trade and investment. In addition, the UK is also actively expanding trade with Africa through nine trade agreements, including with 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to increase international investment in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for Business and Trade network work with local stakeholders to promote investment opportunities in the region to investors wishing to set up in the area. We work with clients to understand their requirements and to reduce barriers which inform the client’s decision to locate in the region.

The funding of a Key Account Management programme is a strategic initiative designed to support FDI by strengthening relationships with existing foreign investors in the Midlands regions. It directs FDI support to businesses playing a crucial role in regional economies, helping foster a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, expand and nurture relationships with investors.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with his Cabinet colleagues to increase trade between the four nations in the UK.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Statistics show trade between the UK's four nations was worth around £129 billion in 2019, and is particularly important to the economies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of meeting our Plan for Change, the Government wants to work to ensure growth across the country, raising living standards for working people across the UK. The Government has also launched IntertradeUK to advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for people over 70 years old in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.

The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for women in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.

The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for young people not in education, employment or training in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.

The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on the living standards of the recipients of that pension in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government and Trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) have not yet agreed on any changes so we cannot yet make such an assessment. We are currently working with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing chiropractors to people with musculoskeletal conditions to help increase the number of people in work.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not currently support or nationally commission chiropractic care in the National Health Service. Integrated care boards are able to make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of chiropractic services.

There are no current plans in the Department or NHS England to review the categorisation of chiropractic care as a complementary and alternative medicine. The Government has no plans to conduct further research into the potential merits of integrating chiropractic care into the national musculoskeletal health strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will (a) reevaluate the categorisation of chiropractic care as a complementary and alternative medicine and (b) conduct further research into the potential merits of integrating chiropractic into the national musculoskeletal health strategy.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England does not currently support or nationally commission chiropractic care in the National Health Service. Integrated care boards are able to make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of chiropractic services.

There are no current plans in the Department or NHS England to review the categorisation of chiropractic care as a complementary and alternative medicine. The Government has no plans to conduct further research into the potential merits of integrating chiropractic care into the national musculoskeletal health strategy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage public bodies to prioritise the purchase of produce from (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The new national procurement policy statement sets out requirements for Government contracts, favouring high-quality products that we believe British producers, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Staffordshire more broadly, are well-placed to supply: aiding our ambition for half of food supplied into public sector catering to be from local producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the ceramics industry in Staffordshire.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DBT works closely with the ceramics sector through Ceramics UK and directly with Ceramic businesses to understand its challenges and provide support to help its global competitiveness.

My department also provides limited support to the ceramics sector through our Supercharger scheme.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many individual representations her Department has received from Staffordshire County Council in relation to the ceramics industry in North Staffordshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We have no record of any such representations.