Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on his engagement with the Government of Ireland since his appointment as Secretary of State.

Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)

The UK Government is acutely aware of the importance of the UK-Ireland relationship. Since taking office, the Secretary of State has continued to build on the reset in relations. In August, he travelled to Dublin to meet with Irish Government counterparts, and held bilateral discussions with Minister McEntee at the recent British Irish Association conference in Oxford.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of the use of technology to improve efficiency in the criminal justice system.

Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has assessed that modern digital technologies can enhance existing processes and support more efficient case handling. Through its Future Casework Tools programme, the CPS is modernising systems to improve the casework experience and reduce the time required to review case files. The CPS is also working with His Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service on initiatives such as digital jury bundles, which aim to increase transparency, accessibility and efficiency in court proceedings.

The CPS has further assessed that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to deliver substantial efficiency gains by assisting with routine administrative tasks. This can enable prosecutors and other specialists to devote more time to complex legal work and decision-making. The CPS published its AI Vision in July 2025, setting out how AI can be used to drive efficiencies in a legal, safe and ethical manner, while ensuring responsible use, transparency and coordination across the criminal justice system.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support a) youth democracy and b) the work of the UK Youth Parliament.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to strengthening young people’s participation in democratic processes and decision-making. Through the Be Seen and Heard chapter of Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy, we set out our ambition to strengthen young people’s participation in decision-making at both national and local levels.

This Government has committed to lowering the voting age to 16 for all elections, ensuring young people have the information and support they need to participate fully in the democratic process, and establishing new Youth Councils across England. We will also test and learn from different approaches to involving young people in local funding decisions.

Over the summer, my Department has worked directly with young people and the youth sector to understand what support young people need to influence decisions at both national and local levels. Their views will inform the development of our youth empowerment programmes and help ensure that young people can participate meaningfully as more decisions are taken closer to local communities.

My Department is also supporting the UK Youth Parliament during 2026/27. This provides young people from across the UK with opportunities to represent their peers, campaign on the issues that matter to them, and make their voices heard by decision-makers, including through its annual sitting in the House of Commons.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help reduce loneliness among older people.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Loneliness is not just an individual struggle; it is a national challenge that we must solve together. Through our cross-government Social Connection For All programme, we are supporting those most at risk of loneliness, including older people, so everyone has the social connections they need to thrive.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of attacks and restrictions affecting Christian communities in the West Bank; and what representations he has made to the Israeli Government on protecting Christian places of worship and freedom of religion or belief.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all around the world, including in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The right to worship must be protected. The Government of Israel must work with religious communities to facilitate worship in Jerusalem in line with the status quo.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on improving touring arrangements for artists from a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, b) Staffordshire and c) the United Kingdom.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK and EU committed to cultural exchange at the UK-EU Summit in May 2025. The government is dedicated to improving touring conditions for creative professionals across the UK, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire.

DCMS Ministers and officials, UK Ambassadors and FCDO officials regularly engage with the European Commission and EU Member States to support cross-border touring. This has yielded practical improvements, including visa-free short stays in Croatia since 21 February 2025. More broadly, most EU Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for at least 30 days, with many others offering up to 90 days, including the UK’s biggest touring markets (e.g. France, Germany, Spain).

We continue to pursue these solutions through high-level channels – including my co-chairing of the UK-European Commission High-Level Meeting on Culture with Commissioner Glenn Micallef on 24 March 2026 – and we look forward to further progressing this meaningful dialogue at the next UK-EU Summit once a date is confirmed.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England has taken to support people on low-incomes in rural communities since 1 January 2026.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to help tackle poverty in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent steps the Church of England has taken to support community cohesion in its parishes.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church Commissioners have indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support people on Universal Credit in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire into work.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

DWP works closely with local partners, including Local Authorities, to help people identify their needs, skills and career goals. We actively work with Staffordshire County Council, colleges and training providers to connect people with opportunities such as apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps, vacancies and DWP Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.

DWP also broker work experience placements with a range of local employers for people to access and develop their readiness for the world of work.

In Newcastle-under-Lyme, people can access DWP-funded programmes delivered through local authorities, including Connect to Work. This programme is delivered by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, the Growth Company and local voluntary organisations. It offers personalised support to help people overcome barriers to work, build skills and confidence, and move into jobs, training or further opportunities.

In April 2026, Staffordshire received £2.3 million from the Future Ready Fund. This three-year programme, delivered by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Careers Hub, will help more than 375 people. It will offer work experience, opportunities to meet employers, and careers advice to support them into education, training, or employment.

The County Council has also published its Skills for Growth Plan. This includes a £150 million programme to improve skills and training across Staffordshire. So far, £40 million has been secured, and a further £110 million is being sought to increase education and training opportunities for people aged 16 and over, improve careers support, and help more people move into work.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the employment support provided by his Department on levels of poverty in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to tackling poverty and recognises that good work is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of poverty. Supporting people to move into work, remain in work and increase their earnings is therefore central to our approach. No assessment has been made of the impact of employment support measures on poverty levels at constituency or county level.

Through the Get Britain Working programme, we are reforming employment, health and skills support to help people overcome barriers to employment, move into good work and progress in their careers. We are also transforming employment support through the Jobs and Careers Service, providing more personalised support tailored to individual circumstances and local labour market needs.

In addition, the Pathways to Work Guarantee will provide tailored employment support for people with health conditions, while the Youth Guarantee will ensure that every young person aged 16 to 24 has access to the support and opportunities they need to get into work or education. Over the next three years, the Government will invest £2.5 billion to help young people build skills, gain experience and progress into employment or further learning. This investment will support almost one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs, training and learning opportunities.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to support communities holding Jazz Festivals in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK has a world-class jazz scene, and the Government is committed to supporting its continued growth. In 2026, Arts Council England awarded £37,000 to the Creative Peaks Festival.

Individuals and organisations can access further support through ACE schemes such as National Lottery Project Grants and National Portfolio funding for key sector bodies.

The Government has recently published Turn It Up: Our Plan for Music, which sets out targeted government and industry action across ten areas to create the best conditions for our musical talent, entrepreneurs and businesses, including festivals, to succeed. As part of this, jazz and other music festivals are eligible for investment through the £45 million Music Growth Package programmes and we encourage organisers to apply for these funds.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage children and young people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire to learn an instrument.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Improving access to music education for children across England remains a priority, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. The Government is actively breaking down barriers through several national initiatives.

The Music Hubs Programme, supported by £76 million for 2026/27, delivers expert tuition and instrument access across England. The £5.85 million Music Opportunities Pilot backed by DfE, Arts Council England and Youth Music offers free lessons to disadvantaged students and those with SEND.

Through the £12.5 million “Music in Libraries” initiative, as part of the Dormant Assets funded ‘Every Child Can’ programme, we will extend provision and increase participation by disadvantaged young people in music enrichment opportunities in public libraries.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will visit the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is grateful for the excellent work that the New Vic Theatre does for the local community in Newcastle-under-Lyme and the wider cultural sector. The Secretary of State and Baroness Mackenzie, Minister for the Arts, will ask officials to keep the New Vic and other organisations across Newcastle-under-Lyme in mind when planning future visits.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the macro-economic situation on the arts sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS is monitoring macro-economic conditions to understand impacts on relevant sectors, particularly the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and broader cost of living pressures. However, we have not specifically made an assessment of impacts in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

DCMS continues to develop place-based policies to support local creative industries. The Government recognises the importance of arts and culture to national life, economic growth, and opportunity. The Government supports arts and culture via the Arts Council England (ACE). ACE has provided funding from 2023-27 for Newcastle-under-Lyme of £1,496,274 and for the wider Staffordshire area of £6,450,334 for the same period.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

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

Ambulance response times are published monthly for each of the 11 ambulance trusts in England and are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/ambulance-quality-indicators-data-2026-27/

Decisions on local recruitment and employment are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts, to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care. Our upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out the action we will take at national level to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how she will work with the West Midlands Ambulance Service to ensure there are jobs available for newly qualified paramedics in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

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

Ambulance response times are published monthly for each of the 11 ambulance trusts in England and are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/ambulance-quality-indicators-data-2026-27/

Decisions on local recruitment and employment are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts, to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care. Our upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out the action we will take at national level to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she make an assessment of the potential environmental impact of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council failing to clear overgrown weeds on footpaths in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department has made no assessment of the potential environmental impact of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council failing to clear overgrown weeds on footpaths in Newcastle-under-Lyme. However, local highway authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of public rights of way within their area, including ensuring routes are kept free from obstruction. They are also required to prepare and keep under review a Rights of Way Improvement Plan, which assesses the condition of the local rights of way network and sets out planned improvements.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on ways to help ensure that people across the UK benefit from the economic impact of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Answered by Melanie Ward - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as the world’s largest performing arts festival and trade show, is a vital pillar of the United Kingdom’s creative ecosystem. Its success generates significant economic and cultural benefits across the entire UK, with artists from every nation showcasing work that often goes on to achieve broader national and international acclaim, as seen with productions like Fleabag, Six the Musical, and Baby Reindeer.

The UK government has delivered £7 million support for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society. This investment has delivered a new home for the Society - which officially opened this year - and has boosted the ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund to help widen participation and ensure that creative talent from across the UK can reach audiences at the Fringe.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what plans he has to discourage UK-based companies in receipt of Government funding from moving a) intellectual property and b) jobs overseas.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses to grow and scale-up in the UK. The Intellectual Property Office provides support to help businesses identify, protect, manage and commercialise their intellectual property. UK Research and Innovation has committed to refresh its grant terms and conditions relating to intellectual property, with the aim of strengthening UK economic value from public investment in research and innovation and anchoring more IP exploitation in the UK. More broadly, the Government’s Small Business Plan is helping firms start, scale and succeed through targeted support and improved access to advice.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking alongside international partners in sub-Saharan Southern Africa to help tackle climate change.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is engaged in a range of steps with international partners in sub-Saharan Southern Africa to help tackle climate change. The FCDO works closely with governments, regional institutions, multilateral development banks, the UN system and scientific partners across sub-Saharan Africa to help countries respond to climate change, strengthen resilience and unlock sustainable economic growth.

This includes through our contribution to multilaterals such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) supporting climate action at scale, with the fund spending $7.7bn in Africa to support resilience building and climate mitigation.

We work with international partners through specific initiative such as South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). This supports the country's transition from coal to cleaner energy, helping to mobilise finance, accelerate renewable energy deployment, strengthen electricity infrastructure, and support affected workers and communities.

Our flagship Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) Africa programme with the UK Met Office supports African partners to strengthen regional leadership on climate and nature and improve access of climate information and support action that delivers both resilience and sustainable development outcomes. In addition, the UK supports climate resilience across Africa through programmes including the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative, and a range of clean energy and sustainable development programmes. These initiatives are delivered in partnership with African institutions, international organisations, development finance institutions and scientific organisations to help countries prepare for extreme weather events, protect livelihoods and accelerate climate-resilient growth.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about integrated education in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)

The UK Government is committed to promoting reconciliation and supporting young people from differing backgrounds to be educated together. The NIO ministerial team look forward to meeting regularly with Executive colleagues, including the Education Minister, to discuss how we can best work together to promote integrated education in Northern Ireland.

In addition to this, the Government has provided £2.13 million to the grant programme which will help maintain current integrated schools and be used to help non-integrated schools transform to integrated status.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact on people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire of the changes made to the Green Book since July 2024.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury