Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many primary schools in Royal Sutton Coldfield have access to mental health support teams.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). Rollout is delivered with the NHS through Integrated Care Systems, prioritising areas based on need, disadvantage and inequalities.
Six out of seven state-funded secondary schools in the Sutton Coldfield constituency were supported by an MHST in March 2025. We are going to be rolling out the programme to the 25 state-funded primary schools as part of the programme’s ongoing expansion across all schools and colleges in England by 2029/30.
Further data for 2024/25 can be found at:
Latest coverage data as at end 2025/26 will be published in due course, projected to be 60% of pupils and learners nationally.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of digital connectivity for businesses in the West Midlands.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises that high quality digital connectivity is essential for businesses in the West Midlands and across the whole of the UK. Our ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030 and we have a target to deliver nationwide (99%) gigabit broadband coverage by 2032.
The rollout of standalone 5G, is being led by commercial investment from the three Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). All three MNOs have committed to significant investment plans which align with our 2030 ambition, and we continue to work to with the sector to understand what more we can do to stimulate investment in high-quality connectivity and identify (and address) barriers to infrastructure deployment where practical to do so.
Project Gigabit is the Government’s programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to UK premises that are not included in suppliers' commercial plans. Delivery across the West Midlands is primarily being taken forward through several Project Gigabit contracts, including those covering Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, alongside wider cross-regional interventions to reach remaining homes and businesses.
Based on Ofcom’s Connected Nations reporting, as of January 2026, by aggregating the coverage in the 30 local and unitary authorities in the West Midlands region, we find that 93.6% of the landmass of the West Midlands had 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators (MNO), whilst standalone 5G was available outside 93.2% of premises across the region from at least one MNO. This compares to 84% of the UK landmass having 4G geographic coverage from all four MNOs, and standalone 5G being available outside 93% of UK premises from at least one operator.
For gigabit-capable coverage, we estimate that 90.2% of West Midlands premises has access to gigabit-capable broadband, this is above the UK wide average of 88%. Gigabit-capable broadband coverage specifically to businesses stands at 74.4% in the West Midlands compared to a UK wide figure of 71%. Additionally, some businesses use leased-line services to receive a broadband connection, but the Department does not hold data on the extent to which these services are used.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust will receive funding for new batteries and solar panels as part of the Clean Energy Upgrades for Hospitals and Military Sites scheme.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 25/26 the Great British Energy Solar scheme invested £130m in solar and battery storage projects across NHS trusts in England. This included funding for two projects at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
In 2026/27, a further £25m is available to NHS Trusts in England under the scheme. The application window closes on the 22 June. Successful applicants will be informed over the summer.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress she has taken to assist Zimbabwe's return to the Commonwealth; and for what reason her Department vetoed the proposal that Zimbabwe should return at the Samoa Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2024.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As I stated in my response of 2 February in response to the Rt Hon Member's Question 109061, the UK would welcome a Commonwealth assessment mission returning to Zimbabwe in due course to follow up on its recommendations from its last visit and the subsequent election observation report.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the conference on illicit finance has been postponed.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As confirmed in the statement below, published on 22 May, the Illicit Finance Summit has been rescheduled to December to enable the broadest possible participation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-host-illicit-finance-summit-in-december.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to promote (a) Royal Sutton Coldfield and (b) the West Midlands as destinations for British holidaymakers in summer 2026.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS recognises the contribution of the West Midlands, and the constituency of Sutton Coldfield, to the visitor economy. The upcoming summer 2026 season represents a milestone moment for the region. Birmingham’s hosting of the 2026 European Athletics Championships this August will put the West Midlands on a global sporting stage, acting as a powerful catalyst to draw domestic holidaymakers and international visitors alike to regional highlights, from the scenic landscapes of Sutton Park to the historic Black Country Living Museum. I was also delighted to celebrate the success of the region when I attended the West Midlands Tourism Awards in March.
The West Midlands also benefits from VisitBritain's global screen tourism campaign, "Starring Great Britain," which leverages local hit productions like Peaky Blinders to drive inbound tourism to the area.
The West Midlands was a key part of a pilot run by VisitEngland to test a new way of managing tourism. Instead of local groups working in isolation, the project brought national and local tourism bodies together to work as a team. The main goal was to make it much easier for visitors to travel around the region, while joining up the dots between local attractions, hospitality, events, and nightlife.
Looking ahead, the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will set out an ambitious, long-term plan to bring more visitors to the UK, boost spending, and drive sustainable growth across our regional economies. At the heart of this plan is giving regional leaders the power to take charge of their own tourism sectors. This ensures that visitor numbers and income are spread out more widely, directly benefiting regional destinations like the West Midlands.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of unemployment in the under 25s in the West Midlands.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The ONS publish labour market statistics for 16–24-year-olds in the West Midlands. These can be found here: HI05 Regional labour market: headline indicators for the West Midlands - Office for National Statistics.
This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. We have committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16–24-year-olds. We will also prioritise prevention – improving support in schools, access to work experience and further education places.
Within the up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, this investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.
Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to improving employment opportunities for young people, while supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for young people.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve access to freezing and storage capacity for tumour tissues for oncology services in the West Midlands, in order to improve outcomes for hard-to-treat cancers.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has taken steps to improve tissue freezing for oncology services for all cancers, including hard-to-treat cancers. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing, or snap-freezing, of tissue samples have already been developed across pathology networks in England, including the West Midlands. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices, including access and storage capacity.
Additionally, the National Cancer Plan set out actions on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with hard-to-treat cancers, through a key commitment to focus on rarer cancers.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of patients waiting for more than (a) 1 month, (b) 3 months (c) 6 months and (d) 12 months to receive cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is for local integrated care boards to decide whether cognitive behavioural therapy should be offered to their populations as a treatment for insomnia.
NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression offer low-intensity therapy which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Talking Therapies data do not record whether a patient has insomnia. Through the 10-Year Health Plan we are expanding NHS Talking Therapies so that 915,000 people complete a course of treatment by March 2029.
Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer, to NHS Talking Therapies. People can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/
In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Prioritisation Board has recently agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver cognitive behavioural therapy interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the resilience of the national grid infrastructure in the West Midlands to withstand disruption.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy resilience is a top priority for Government. Government works continuously with industry to improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure to a range of evolving risks and future system changes.
The National Energy System Operator, an independent technical body, delivers resilience functions including understanding and planning system resilience, preparing for emergencies and learning lessons from past incidents. These arrangements apply nationally, including to electricity grid infrastructure in the West Midlands.
The Government has also embarked on one of the biggest upgrades to Britain's electricity grid since it was created to ensure it can meet the country's future electricity demands and remain as resilient as possible.