Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on developing a cross-government strategy to help tackle rural poverty.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra Ministers regularly engage with other Government departments on a range of issues impacting rural communities.
In April 2025, Defra established a Rural Taskforce to better understand how government can support rural businesses and communities, tackle rural disadvantage, and unlock the potential of the rural economy. The Taskforce brought together Government departments and external partners to consider the potential opportunities and challenges in rural areas for delivering growth and supporting sustainable rural communities.
The Rural Taskforce delivered recommendations on how Government can deliver on its ambition for thriving, inclusive and sustainable rural communities by 2030. This will feed into a report which Defra intends to publish in the coming months.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of freight operations associated with Sizewell C on (a) passenger capacity, (b) journey times and (c) service frequency on the East Suffolk Line in the long-term.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The train operator Greater Anglia is aware that freight traffic in relation to the constructions of Sizewell C is likely to increase in the future. Network Rail will continue to work closely with operators to assess how best to accommodate the additional freight services while protecting current passenger train service levels on the route.
There has been a specific workstream dedicated to operational readiness including timetabling and capacity and Network Rail identified capacity within the timetable to enable four additional Sizewell freight trains to operate some time ago.
Separately, Sizewell has also commissioned Network Rail to do a feasibility study on what would need to be true to improve passenger services on the East Suffolk branch line to support the local area.
The Rail Minister recently met with Jenny Riddell-Carpenter on 24 March to discuss this matter. Greater Anglia has recently confirmed that from the May 2026 timetable change, additional later trains will operate from Lowestoft to Beccles and from Beccles to Lowestoft on Mondays to Saturdays.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of plants currently supported under the Renewables Obligation from April 2027 on business continuity, jobs and energy resilience.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Accreditation under the Renewables Obligation (RO) was always intended to be time limited and generators have known, from the date they were accredited, how long their support would last.
The Government will continue to monitor the potential impacts of the closure of the scheme on different technologies.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered the potential merits of time-limited transitional support mechanism for generators currently supported through the Renewables Obligation, including to help safeguard critical infrastructure and help support investment in carbon capture technology.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme support ends for some generators from 2027 onwards, and the Government is aware that this will affect the commercial viability of some operators. The Government recognises the value that these generators provide. However, these benefits must be weighed against the cost of potential further support.
The Government does not intend to pursue a comprehensive ongoing support mechanism as this would not deliver value for money to consumers, but it is exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme for existing landfill gas generators, with suitable transitional arrangements. We will provide stakeholders with an update in due course.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether any review was undertaken of the mitigation package secured through the Sizewell C Deed of Obligation following the increase in the project’s estimated cost.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Deed of Obligation was agreed between Suffolk Council, East Suffolk Council, and NNB Generating Company (SZC) Limited in October 2021. It sets out mitigation measures to reduce the impact of the development and operation of Sizewell C within each Councils boundary and is reflected in Requirements within the Development Consent Order. We are not aware of any review of the mitigation package in the light of increased project costs. Any application to change the Orders Requirements would need to be approved by the Secretary of State.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Universal Credit claimant count has been in (a) Leiston and (b) the IP16 postcode area in each month since January 2022.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of people on Universal Credit, for the Postcode Area IP16, and the Ward Aldeburgh & Leiston or Leiston Jobcentre Plus office, are published in the People on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to February 2026.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on ensuring children have access to practical road safety and cycle training.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Officials in the department engaged with the Department for Transport when developing the updated Relationships Sex and Health Education guidance.
The updated guidance, published in July 2025 has a new section on personal safety which includes how to recognise risk and keep safe around roads. The Department for Transport has dedicated interactive websites for schools with materials that focus on their THINK! campaign.
Officials also engage on active travel for schools. Bikeability, the government owned cycle training programme, is funded by Active Travel England in schools across England. Up to £30 million was allocated to the programme for 2025/26 and funding for the forthcoming 3-year period is due to be announced shortly. Almost 6 million children have received Bikeability cycle training since 2007, with 500,000 children booking onto training in 2024/25.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding is available to local authorities to deliver road safety measures around schools, including crossings, speed management and parking enforcement in 2026-27 in (a) England, (b) the East of England, (c) Suffolk and (d) Suffolk Coastal constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government provides a range of funding streams and national guidance to support local authorities in improving road safety around schools, including measures such as pedestrian crossings, traffic‑calming, speed management and School Streets schemes.
We have confirmed £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance across England between 2026–27 and 2029–30, allocated to local authorities to maintain and improve their road networks. This includes the road infrastructure around schools.
The Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) may be used to deliver safety improvements around schools as part of wider walking and cycling programmes. In the latest CATF allocation round, Suffolk County Council received £2,784,685, which can be used for schemes in any part of the county, including within the Suffolk Coastal constituency.
Local authorities are responsible for identifying risks around schools and selecting appropriate interventions, drawing on national guidance. This includes:
Setting Local Speed Limits, which advises on implementing permanent or time‑limited 20 mph limits outside schools and is being updated as part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.
Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which provides guidance on the design and use of pedestrian crossings.
Local Transport Note 1/07, which sets out advice on traffic‑calming measures.
Guidance from the Department for Transport and Active Travel England on establishing and managing School Streets schemes, which restrict vehicle access near schools at peak times.
It is for local authorities to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases as they have the local knowledge and it is right that they focus on the areas of highest risk, which may be where tragic collisions have occurred - but there is nothing to stop them implementing road safety measures elsewhere. The Government expects local authorities to work with local schools, parents, and communities to address concerns about road safety in their local area.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure local authorities publish the outcome of school gate road safety assessments and the measures implemented at each school where risk is identified.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government provides a range of funding streams and national guidance to support local authorities in improving road safety around schools, including measures such as pedestrian crossings, traffic‑calming, speed management and School Streets schemes.
We have confirmed £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance across England between 2026–27 and 2029–30, allocated to local authorities to maintain and improve their road networks. This includes the road infrastructure around schools.
The Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) may be used to deliver safety improvements around schools as part of wider walking and cycling programmes. In the latest CATF allocation round, Suffolk County Council received £2,784,685, which can be used for schemes in any part of the county, including within the Suffolk Coastal constituency.
Local authorities are responsible for identifying risks around schools and selecting appropriate interventions, drawing on national guidance. This includes:
Setting Local Speed Limits, which advises on implementing permanent or time‑limited 20 mph limits outside schools and is being updated as part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.
Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which provides guidance on the design and use of pedestrian crossings.
Local Transport Note 1/07, which sets out advice on traffic‑calming measures.
Guidance from the Department for Transport and Active Travel England on establishing and managing School Streets schemes, which restrict vehicle access near schools at peak times.
It is for local authorities to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases as they have the local knowledge and it is right that they focus on the areas of highest risk, which may be where tragic collisions have occurred - but there is nothing to stop them implementing road safety measures elsewhere. The Government expects local authorities to work with local schools, parents, and communities to address concerns about road safety in their local area.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on responding to road safety risks around schools, including time-limited 20 mph restrictions, crossings and school streets.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government provides a range of funding streams and national guidance to support local authorities in improving road safety around schools, including measures such as pedestrian crossings, traffic‑calming, speed management and School Streets schemes.
We have confirmed £7.3 billion of capital funding for local highway maintenance across England between 2026–27 and 2029–30, allocated to local authorities to maintain and improve their road networks. This includes the road infrastructure around schools.
The Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) may be used to deliver safety improvements around schools as part of wider walking and cycling programmes. In the latest CATF allocation round, Suffolk County Council received £2,784,685, which can be used for schemes in any part of the county, including within the Suffolk Coastal constituency.
Local authorities are responsible for identifying risks around schools and selecting appropriate interventions, drawing on national guidance. This includes:
Setting Local Speed Limits, which advises on implementing permanent or time‑limited 20 mph limits outside schools and is being updated as part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.
Chapter 6 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which provides guidance on the design and use of pedestrian crossings.
Local Transport Note 1/07, which sets out advice on traffic‑calming measures.
Guidance from the Department for Transport and Active Travel England on establishing and managing School Streets schemes, which restrict vehicle access near schools at peak times.
It is for local authorities to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases as they have the local knowledge and it is right that they focus on the areas of highest risk, which may be where tragic collisions have occurred - but there is nothing to stop them implementing road safety measures elsewhere. The Government expects local authorities to work with local schools, parents, and communities to address concerns about road safety in their local area.