Josh Newbury Portrait

Josh Newbury

Labour - Cannock Chase

3,125 (7.3%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


1 APPG membership (as of 20 Nov 2024)
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
Josh Newbury has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Josh Newbury has voted in 69 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

29 Nov 2024 - Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill - View Vote Context
Josh Newbury voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 147 Labour No votes vs 234 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 330 Noes - 275
View All Josh Newbury Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Hilary Benn (Labour)
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
(3 debate interactions)
Darren Jones (Labour)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
(2 debate interactions)
Nusrat Ghani (Conservative)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Ministry of Defence
(2 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(2 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(2 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Josh Newbury has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Josh Newbury's debates

Cannock Chase Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petitions with highest Cannock Chase signature proportion
Petitions with most Cannock Chase signatures
Josh Newbury has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Josh Newbury

9th December 2024
Josh Newbury signed this EDM on Thursday 12th December 2024

Institutes of Technology

Tabled by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
That this House commends and celebrates the 21 Institutes of Technologies across the UK for their outstanding contribution to delivering high-quality, advanced technical education and training in a wide array of STEM fields; and notes that they play a vital role in addressing industry skills gaps by responding to the …
15 signatures
(Most recent: 16 Dec 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 9
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
Conservative: 1
Independent: 1
Green Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
9th October 2024
Josh Newbury signed this EDM as a sponsor on Monday 21st October 2024

120th anniversary of Friary Shoes

Tabled by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
That this House congratulates Friary Shoes of Lichfield on reaching the 120th anniversary of their first opening in Lombard Street in 1904; notes that Friary Shoes is the oldest independently owned retail outlet in Lichfield and has made a significant contribution to the local economy; and further congratulates the Smith …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 21 Oct 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 5
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Josh Newbury's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Josh Newbury, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Josh Newbury has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Josh Newbury has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Josh Newbury has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Josh Newbury has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent progress her Department has made on bringing forward proposed reforms to the gender recognition certificate process.

In our manifesto, we committed to reforming gender recognition law. We will remove indignities for trans people who deserve recognition and acceptance whilst retaining the need for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

We will set out our next steps on this work in due course.

Anneliese Dodds
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
11th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11619 on the Groceries Code Adjudicator: Finance, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the £1 billion turnover threshold on farmers.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for monitoring effectiveness of the Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009 in ensuring that businesses, including farmers, that supply groceries directly to designated retailers are treated lawfully and fairly. This includes the £1 billion threshold at which a retailer can be designated by the CMA.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of lowering the turnover threshold of £1 billion for businesses that are required to fund the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is currently funded by an annual levy on the 14 large retailers that are designated under the Code by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA assesses annually whether retailers which have a turnover exceeding £1bn of grocery sales in the UK should be designated under the Code. The £1bn threshold is set out in the Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009 which is the responsibility of the CMA.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to use biomethane generated from mandatory food waste collections from 2026-27 for (a) injection into the gas grid and (b) combustion for electricity generation.

The Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion (AD) and injected into the gas grid. It is expected to contribute 10.7MTCO2e of carbon savings over its lifetime.

The GGSS requires that at least 50% of all biomethane, by energy content, is produced using waste feedstocks. In England, we expect that food waste collected due to Simpler Recycling reforms will constitute a significant portion of AD feedstocks.

Food waste can also be used in AD Combined Heat and Power systems to produce electricity, with support provided through a number of the Department’s renewable electricity schemes.

Kerry McCarthy
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the production of biomethane on farms using organic waste.

The Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion (AD) and injected into the gas grid. It is expected to contribute 10.7MTCO2e of carbon savings over its lifetime.

The GGSS requires that at least 50% of all biomethane, by energy content, is produced using waste feedstocks, which includes agricultural wastes.

The GGSS will close to new applicants on 31 March 2028. To follow this, the Government is developing a holistic policy framework to support the growth of the biomethane sector. The new framework includes consideration to the role of AD in treating agricultural wastes.

Kerry McCarthy
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many recipients of pensions under the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme in Cannock Chase constituency will be affected by the Government's return of money from the investment reserve fund to the scheme.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 November to Question UIN 12551.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
31st Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) pensioners and (b) dependents are recipients of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in Cannock Chase constituency.

We are unable to provide the breakdown requested. However, information from the trustees shows that, as at October 2024, the number of pensioner and dependant members in Cannock Chase was 530.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse of decommissioning the gas grid.

The Government is committed to transforming Britain into a clean energy superpower, including providing the country with clean power by 2030, reducing bills, and transitioning homes to low carbon heating through the Warm Homes Plan.

Gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, and a reliable gas network is essential to support the transition. We are also working with industry to support low-carbon gases such as hydrogen and bio methane.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help decarbonise the gas grid.

The Government is committed to transforming Britain into a clean energy superpower, including providing the country with clean power by 2030, reducing bills, and transitioning homes to low carbon heating through the Warm Homes Plan.

Gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, and a reliable gas network is essential to support the transition. We are also working with industry to support low-carbon gases such as hydrogen and bio methane.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using the gas grid to support the decarbonisation of (a) domestic and (b) industrial space heating.

The Government is committed to transforming Britain into a clean energy superpower, including providing the country with clean power by 2030, reducing bills, and transitioning homes to low carbon heating through the Warm Homes Plan.

Gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, and a reliable gas network is essential to support the transition. We are also working with industry to support low-carbon gases such as hydrogen and bio methane.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of creating a single service to advise households on (a) energy efficiency in the home and (b) financial support available for energy efficiency improvements.

Improving energy efficiency and decarbonising buildings is a crucial element in our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. This will also lower energy bills and support the reduction of Fuel Poverty.

This is why the Government is going further to simplify the user journey for consumers, on GOV.UK, creating a single access point for all consumers homeowners, landlords and tenants) at varying points in their retrofit journey. It will bring into one space information, sources of funding and links to trusted installers, and simplify and expand the current government advice and information offer. More details will be announced in the Warm Homes Plan.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to tackle fraud in the Energy Company Obligation scheme.

The Department works with the scheme administrator, Ofgem, to investigate and address any suspected misconduct under the ECO scheme. Dedicated work is ongoing on external assurance to review processes and procedures, and strengthening of fraud controls in future scheme design. Ofgem has dedicated teams working on counter fraud and whistleblowing. Ofgem leads on detection, prevention, deterrence, and takes action where there is evidence of fraud. If evidence of potential fraud is found, Ofgem engages with relevant authorities, such as Action Fraud. Additionally, TrustMark works with the department and Ofgem to engage with scheme providers to address and mitigate such activities.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) value for money of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for increasing the number of heat pump installations.

Up to the end of August 2024, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has paid out 32,572 vouchers towards low carbon heating systems.

The Government is carrying out an independent evaluation of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with its first set of interim findings due to be published in due course.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce (a) low- and (b) no-cost finance for domestic energy efficiency measures in its Warm Homes Plan.

The Government recognises the important role private finance can play in helping us achieve our decarbonisation ambitions.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, officials are exploring the role of incentives and private finance to support homeowners with the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating. These are upgrades that will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run.

Officials are also exploring options for working with the private sector, including banks and building societies. We will set out further detail on delivering our Warm Homes Plan in due course.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the development of the esports industry.

The Government recognises the potential of the UK esports industry and its impact on the economy, with major tournaments hosted across the UK this year, including in Manchester, Birmingham and London.

Kickstarting economic growth, and breaking down barriers to opportunity are two of this government's core missions. We are supporting the esports sector to grow, building on the success of our world-class creative industries. This includes support for the sector in looking at how to strengthen pathways into the esports workforce.

The Government has identified the creative industries, which includes video games and esports, as a growth-driving sector within the Industrial Strategy. My department will produce an ambitious and targeted Sector Plan for the creative industries to be published alongside the Spending Review in spring 2025.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a single national martial arts training centre for elite athletes.

We are fully committed to enabling our athletes to excel on the world stage. Decisions relating to training centres for elite athletes are a matter for the relevant martial arts governing bodies. We welcome sports working together to share expertise and resources where they feel there is mutual benefit for their sports and athletes.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) safeguard and (b) promote mining heritage.

Our mining past has shaped the lives of people, communities and landscapes across the country. It is essential we record mining heritage, and crucially share it with future generations, in order not to forget its fundamental impact on our society, country and indeed the world. My department, working with our arm's length bodies and the heritage sector, promotes and safeguards our rich mining heritage in a variety of ways.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded more than £39 million to projects focused on the history of mining across the UK since 1999. This includes investing in internationally important heritage sites such as the Mining Institute in Newcastle, restoring landscapes impacted by mining, and funding grassroot community projects to collect oral histories of those involved in mining. In Cannock Chase Staffordshire, the Heritage Fund has invested more than £120,000 in projects focused on the area’s important coal mining history.

As the Government’s expert advisor on the historic environment, Historic England has also advised on and instigated a range of projects to record and preserve the history of mining. For example, the former mining village of Elsecar in South Yorkshire was one of the first places in England to be awarded Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) status by Historic England. Working with the community and the local authority, Historic England looked to document the tangible and intangible aspects of this area's rich mining heritage. Between 2016 and 2018, Historic England also funded The Chase Through Time project which explored the history and landscape of Cannock Chase, including its important mining and industrial heritage.

The National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield receives funding via the Science Museum Group, an arm's length body of DCMS. The museum is a centre of mining heritage for England, preserving and promoting the history of mining heritage and the stories of the people and communities affected by mining across the country.

Through our designation and planning system we will continue to protect the mining heritage of national and international importance. This includes the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which spreads across 20,000 hectares in the South West. The region used to produce most of the world's copper, tin and arsenic, and the World Heritage Site looks to preserve aspects of this history for local communities and visitors.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to promote cultural education in Cannock Chase constituency.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is supporting this Government’s mission to extend opportunities for children and young people.

As part of this, DCMS will support the Department for Education led Curriculum and Assessment Review to develop a broader curriculum so that children and young people have access to creative education such as music, the arts and drama and the enormous range of benefits they bring to a child's development from improved language development to confidence building.

Arts Council England has supported the development of cultural partnerships in Cannock Chase to help grow audiences, opportunities and cultural infrastructure. This has included funding of £10,000 to launch a cultural compact in the borough, led by the local Cultural Education Partnership.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
19th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to care leaver university students outside of term time.

This government is committed to providing support for care leavers to ensure they have the practical and emotional support they need as they move towards independence.

Local authorities must provide assistance to care leavers near to the place they are receiving education, including outside their home authority. This assistance may take the form of either providing the young person with suitable accommodation, or by paying them enough to secure suitable accommodation themselves.

Care leavers must have pathway plans setting out what support they can expect from their local authority, including accommodation during term time, short vacations and summer vacation. If care leavers are unable to return to their former placements, they must be provided with alternative suitable accommodation. The requirement to assist with vacation accommodation lasts for as long as the young person continues on the course which has been agreed as part of their pathway plan.

Care leavers who enter higher education (HE) are entitled to a statutory bursary of £2,000 from their local authority and many universities offer additional support within their access and participation regimes. This may include additional financial support, pastoral support and 365 days per year housing whilst they are at university.

In addition, the Children's Commissioner for England has recently published a handbook for professionals working in HE on supporting care experienced students. The recommendations in the handbook come directly from care experienced young people and it includes practical proposals to improve their experience of HE.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the provision of level (a) five and (b) six qualifications in areas that do not have a university.

The department continues to support access to higher level qualifications to break down barriers to opportunity and support economic growth.

The department continues to support learners who wish to progress from Level 3 to a higher level, whether that is to study at university, a higher level or degree apprenticeship, or a Level 4 or 5 classroom-based qualification, including Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which have been approved as providing the skills that employers need.

The introduction of HTQs at Level 5 is aimed at providing high quality, employer-led qualifications that meet the needs of local economies and improves the accessibility and flexibility of higher education. These qualifications are designed to be delivered by further education colleges and other providers and are flexible, offering full-time, part-time and online learning options. This allows breadth of access, meaning that individuals who do not live near a university may be able to access higher technical education through a college.

The department also continues to support the delivery of higher and degree apprenticeships, which allow individuals to earn while they learn and gain qualifications up to Level 6. This approach helps to ensure that training is closely aligned with industry needs.

Additionally, institutions like the Open University offer Validation Programmes enabling institutions without their own degree-awarding powers to offer validated higher education programmes. Such initiatives can help to ensure that high quality degrees are accessible to learners in areas that do not have a university.

The department is also setting up Skills England, a new body, to bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions, providing strategic oversight of the post-16 skills system aligned to the government’s Industrial Strategy.

The government will bring forward a comprehensive strategy for post-16 education to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth through our Industrial Strategy.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2024 to Question 4283 on Schools: Admissions, what steps her Department is taking to issue guidance to Local Planning Authorities on appropriate levels of section 106 contributions from developers to meet future demand for school places.

In August 2023, the department published two non-statutory guidance documents for local authorities planning for education, local planning authorities (LPAs) and other stakeholders involved in the delivery of schools.

The guidance on 'Estimating pupil yield from housing development’ sets out the department’s recommended approach to calculating pupil yield from housing development to inform local plans and planning decisions and to help local authorities and LPAs justify developer contributions towards education. This guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64d0f71be5491a00134b5940/Estimating_Pupil_Yield_from_Housing_Development.pdf.

The guidance on ‘Securing developer contributions for education’ promotes good practice on evidencing the impacts of development, engaging with LPAs and delivering expanded or new facilities with funding from housing development. This document can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64d0f70d7a5708001314485f/Securing_Developer_Contributions_for_Education.pdf.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of requests to schools to remove LGBT+ literature from school libraries.

The current national curriculum requires teachers to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. It also emphasises the importance of children listening to, discussing and reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction books. Within the framework of the national curriculum, schools make their own choices about which specific books or other resources they use. No authors, books or genres have been banned. Teachers have flexibility in their choice of books to teach within the context of the curriculum.  Any sensitive issues should be covered by the school’s own policy and in consultation with parents.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the value for money of the central costs of operating academy trusts.

The primary responsibility for the financial oversight of academy trusts rests with the trustees themselves, who are supported by the financial management and governance requirements set by the department in academy trusts’ funding agreements, the academy trust handbook and academies accounts direction. The department expects academy trustees to deliver strong governance and monitor the financial health of their trust or school. It is with strong financial management and governance that schools are able to operate most effectively and deliver high quality teaching and learning that prepares our children for the future.

Academy trusts can take a cut from their funding to pay for central services for their schools. This can be more efficient and cheaper than individual schools running or procuring the functions themselves.

Where academy trusts take a cut to pay for central services, they must be transparent by disclosing the basis and value in their published, audited, annual accounts. They must also include additional disclosures in their accounts about the services they deliver centrally and the charging policy they apply. They must also identify the share against each academy.

The government is clear that strong accountability is non-negotiable. That is why the government has committed to bring multi-academy trusts into the inspection system, to make the system fairer and more transparent, and to enable intervention when schools and trusts are not performing to the required standards.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of school place provision in areas with high levels of housebuilding.

Local authorities are responsible for providing enough school places for children in their area. The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. Nearly £1.5 billion of allocations have been confirmed to support local authorities to create school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026. Local authorities’ allocations are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-need-allocations.

Contributions from housing developers are also an important way of helping to meet demand for new school places when housing developments are driving pupil numbers. It is for the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to secure developer contributions through section 106 agreements or the Community Infrastructure Levy, and to decide on the local infrastructure needs that this contribution should support. The department would encourage LPAs to secure significant contributions for new school places and work closely with colleagues planning school places in their area, including county councils when the local authority responsible for education is not the LPA.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) children with SEND and (b) their parents in (i) Cannock Chase constituency and (ii) Staffordshire.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, departmental officials have been working with Staffordshire County Council (SCC) to closely monitor progress against the areas for improvement identified by inspectors. The department appointed a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Advisor to support and work alongside SCC and the local area partnership.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with Local Area Partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support waste collection authorities to deliver mandatory household food waste collections from 2026-27.

To support waste collection authorities to deliver household food waste collections, we provided capital transitional funding in February 2024 to cover reasonable costs of purchasing trucks and bins needed to deliver weekly food waste collections from 31 March 2026.

We are preparing to deliver transitional resource new burdens funding to local authorities for weekly food waste collections for households in two batches, one in early 2025 and the other in spring 2025.

Funding for ongoing resource funding from 1 April 2026 is subject to agreement through a spending review and we will confirm details when we can.

We are also working with sector specialists WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to provide guidance on best practice and scope additional areas of support.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the capacity of anaerobic digestion facilities, in the context of the planned introduction of mandatory food waste collections in 2026-27.

The Government’s preference is for unavoidable food waste to be collected for treatment by anaerobic digestion (AD): producing bio-gas and digestate.

Defra has been working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to estimate AD capacity in England. Based on current estimates, there will be sufficient AD capacity in England to treat the increased tonnage of food waste expected to be collected once Simpler Recycling’s mandatory food waste collection requirements commence between 2025-2027. Defra intends to publish a Recycling Infrastructure Capacity Analysis soon. This will set out anticipated waste volumes to 2035, mapping this modelling against known waste management infrastructure for various waste streams, including food waste. The analysis will signal where there is likely over or under-provision of waste management capacity.

DESNZ’s Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via AD and injected into the gas grid, supporting investment in AD plants. Under the GGSS, at least 50% of all biomethane by energy content must be produced using waste or residue feedstock. In England, we expect that food waste collected due to Simpler Recycling reforms will constitute a significant portion of AD feedstocks.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
18th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a mandatory charge for single-use coffee cups.

The Government recognises the urgent need to limit the environmental impact of single-use plastic, including fibre composite cups.

The Government has committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy. The Secretary of State has convened a Small Ministerial Group on Circular Economy and asked his Department to work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and the civil service to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England; supporting Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the plastics sector as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
29th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce response times for applications to the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has been expanded to now include Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier actions, with around a further 80 new actions now available for customers to select. The scheme is in the late stages of the controlled rollout, something always normally undertaken when new schemes are implemented to make sure that everything is working as expected for everyone. This allows the Rural Payments Agency to monitor all aspects closely, covering not only the technical elements of the application process but also including customer guidance and support. carrying out additional checks on all applications before issuing agreements. These checks are being scaled back as we move through this initial controlled period, and the number of agreements being offered has increased since the start of October.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the (a) powers and (b) resources of the Environment Agency to regulate landfill sites.

The regulatory framework in place is designed to serve operators and protect the local community. Where poor performance does occur the Environment Agency has a range of powers to bring sites back into compliance and, where necessary, to take enforcement action against operators. Regulatory oversight of permitted sites is funded by permitting fees, which are calculated on a full cost recovery basis, in line with the Polluter Pays principle and HM Treasury’s managing public money guidance.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the recycling rates of plastic film.

Yes, Defra is supporting the multi-million-pound FlexCollect project, launched in May 2022, funding local authorities to roll out kerbside plastic film collection trials. This will help gather insights to support effective collections more widely ahead of the requirement to collect plastic film from workplaces and households under Simpler Recycling.

Kerbside plastic film collections from workplaces and households will be introduced by 31 March 2027 in England. Defra is only directly responsible for delivering this in England via Simpler Recycling. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are working on their own plans to introduce plastic film collections under extended producer responsibility for packaging.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce pre-consumer plastic waste in supply chains.

The Secretary of State has convened a Small Ministerial Group on Circular Economy and asked his Department to work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and the civil service to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Strategy will include a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the Government will make in particular sectors and value chains; supporting Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the plastics sector as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy.

It’s also worth noting that there is a legal obligation for waste producers to manage their waste, including plastic waste, in accordance with the Waste Hierarchy. The Hierarchy puts waste management options into priority order: prevention, reuse, recycle, recovery (including energy recovery), disposal (landfill). Landfill must always be a last resort.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with businesses on steps to reduce the (a) manufacture and (b) distribution of single-use plastic products other than wet wipes.

The Secretary of State has not held discussions on reducing the manufacture and distribution of single-use plastic products with businesses.

However, officials have met with industry stakeholders through the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (OPLN), this includes producers, brands and retailers. Discussions involved reducing plastic production, including single-use plastics, and working towards a circular economy for plastics, including encouraging design for reuse and recycling.

Furthermore, legislation that will ban the sale and supply of single-use vapes was laid in parliament on 23 October. Officials have consulted and are having ongoing discussions with various industrial stakeholders regarding the ban, which is due to come into force in England on 1 June 2025. The Devolved Governments are also introducing bans, and we anticipate a shared UK wide implementation date.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to promote the (a) development and (b) use of bioplastics for single-use packaging.

No, Defra has not taken steps to promote the development or use of bio-based plastics for single-use packaging. More research is needed to ensure bio-based plastics lead to better environmental outcomes overall. During the production of these materials, there are factors such as land use change, water consumption and crop switching that could lead to detrimental environmental effects. The bio-based nature of the plastic does not affect the behaviour of the material produced.

As we are committed to transitioning the UK to a circular economy, the Government is prioritising principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling to keep resources within the economy rather than increasing production of materials and injecting additional resources.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
10th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the use of hydrogen for decarbonising heavy goods vehicles.

The Government is aware that hydrogen has a potential role to play in decarbonising heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

The £200 million zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator programme will demonstrate both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on UK roads alongside recharging and refuelling infrastructure. The programme will gather data for a 5-year demonstration period which will be released publicly throughout the duration of the programme.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support bus services in rural areas.

Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities. As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this parliamentary session, which will put decision-making into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas right across England. This will allow local areas to determine how best to design their bus services so that they have control over routes and schedules.

The government has also committed to increasing accountability by providing safeguards over local networks across the country and empowering local transport authorities through reforms to bus funding.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department has provided to local authorities on consulting communities on (a) proposals for new and (b) the adequacy of existing bus routes.

Improving local transport services is a key part of this government’s growth mission, and the government has set out plans to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions.  The government have been clear that bus services need to work better for the local communities who rely on them.

The Department for Transport recently consulted on improving guidance for local authorities who are considering franchising bus services. This guidance includes consideration of the best ways to consult with local communities, and forms part of a package of bus franchising reforms announced on 9 September 2024.

The Department for Transport also published the Bus Service Improvement Plan guidance in 2021, which includes guidance for consulting with communities. The government will continue working closely with local transport authorities on delivering better bus and public transport services throughout England.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will take steps to issue guidance to local authorities on the establishment of publicly-owned bus companies.

Improving local transport services is a key part of this government’s growth mission, and the government has set out plans to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions.

As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this parliamentary session. The Bill will increase powers available to local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, high-quality partnerships with private operators or local authority ownership.

Government will continue working closely with local leaders and bus operators to deliver on the government’s ambitions, and will publish guidance to support bus reform delivered through the Buses Bill as appropriate.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to make Jobcentres more effective at helping unemployed people into (a) work and (b) training.

Government has set an ambition to get to an 80% employment rate, alongside raising living standards and tackling insecurity at work. The Government plans to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work and help them to progress.

Proposed reforms include:

  • A new public employment and careers service to help get more people into work and to progress in work.
  • Working with local areas to tackle economic inactivity including the development of joined-up work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, with input from mayors, local councils, the NHS, businesses, colleges and the voluntary sector to address barriers and deliver employment opportunities for local people.
  • A youth guarantee for all people aged 18 to 21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or employment support.
  • DWP will shortly publish a white paper to these effects.
Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
29th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was lost to fraud in the NHS in each of the last five years.

The following table shows fraud losses in the National Health Service in England, for each of the last five years:

Year

Fraud loss

2019/20

£17,400,000

2020/21

£12,400,000

2021/22

£20,700,000

2022/23

£26,400,000

2023/24

£24,200,000

Source: NHS Counter Fraud Authority Consolidated Data Report.

Notes:

  1. figures shown in this table are gross losses that do not include monies subsequently recovered as a result of loss recovery activity; and
  2. figures shown relate to cases closed in the relevant year.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of single-use items used by the National Health Service.

As set out in the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report, published in October 2020, the NHS is committed to reducing its environmental impact, including by increasing the reuse and recycling of medical equipment. This report is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2022/07/B1728-delivering-a-net-zero-nhs-july-2022.pdf

In October 2024, the Government published the Design for Life roadmap, a new strategy to transition away from all avoidable single-use medical technology products towards a functioning circular system by 2045. This roadmap is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/design-for-life-roadmap

The programme is expected to support the NHS by improving resilience, reducing waste, delivering cost savings, and achieving the NHS commitment to be net zero by 2045. The Design for Life roadmap provides examples of where NHS organisations are already achieving cost, waste, and carbon savings through reusing, remanufacturing, and recycling medical devices and equipment, in line with their local Green Plans.

In addition, NHS England collaborates with NHS Supply Chain to increase the availability of reusable products, and supports local NHS organisations to use more reusable medical devices and products, where it is safe to do so. For example, NHS England supported the Royal Surgical Colleges to develop the evidence-based Green Theatre Checklist to encourage sustainable theatre approaches, including promoting the use of reusable or remanufactured equipment, where appropriate. Further information on the checklist is available at the following link:

https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rcsed.ac.uk%2Fprofessional-support-development-resources%2Fenvironmental-sustainability-and-surgery%2Fgreen-theatre-

Additionally, NHS England is supporting innovation through the Small Business Research Initiative Healthcare programme, which has funded a project to support reuse of surgical textiles, with further information available at the following link:

https://sbrihealthcare.co.uk/impact-case-studies/case-studies/revolution-zero

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what proportion of funding available through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme has been spent on mental health practitioners since 2019.

Funding available through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) for mental health practitioners accounts for 50% of the costs of these roles, with the other 50% provided by mental health trusts. Mental health practitioners were not introduced into the ARRS until 2021/22. The following table shows the spend on mental health practitioners through the ARRS, and that spend as a proportion of overall ARRS funding, for 2021/22 to 2023/24:

Year

Mental health practitioner spend through the ARRS

Proportion of overall ARRS funding

2021/22

£3,402,000

0.5%

2022/23

£18,281,000

1.8%

2023/24

£31,000,000

2.2%

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of mental health practitioners working in the NHS.

To help address the chronic workforce shortages in the mental health workforce we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services, to reduce waiting times and provide faster treatment. We are currently working with colleagues at NHS England to consider options to deliver this commitment.

NHS England is also working to improve the retention of mental health workers through clearer career progression pathways.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS mental health support available to trans patients under the age of 18.

The independent Darzi investigation of the NHS in England found that NHS waiting lists for mental health services have surged, and that by April 2024, about 1 million people were waiting for mental health services. The Cass review also noted the unacceptable waiting times across Children and Young People’s Gender Services. The government and NHS England are working to improve Children and Young People’s Gender Services in a variety of ways, including expanding the number of services offered. The Government and NHS England are committed to implementing the recommendations from the Cass Review to ensure children and young people with gender incongruence get the holistic care they need. In line with NHS England’s ambitious two-year implementation plan, three new services in the North-West, London, and South West have now opened. A fourth service in the East of England will open in spring of next year. NHS England is advancing towards meeting its commitment for there to be a specialist children’s gender service in every region by 2026.

NHS England has rolled out an improved referral pathway into Children and Young People’s gender services, which ensures that children are assessed more holistically through referral via paediatrics or children’s mental health services. These services have been given detailed guidance, aligned to findings and recommendations from the Cass Review, on how to support this group of young people and their families. NHS England has also written to all children and young people on the waiting list to offer them a mental health assessment.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of general practice capacity in the Cannock Chase constituency.

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP). This was highlighted in Lord Darzi’s review, and we are committed to fixing this crisis in GPs.

Our plan to increase the number of GP appointments delivered will require both investment and reform. We have already invested £82 million to recruit over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system. We will also train thousands more GPs, securing the future of the workforce, and will end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments by introducing a modern booking system.

Cannock Chase sits within the NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, where 486,000 appointments were delivered in August 2024. In August 2023, they delivered 507,000 appointments. This is a decrease of 4.3%.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure areas with high levels of housebuilding have adequate capacity in (a) general practice and (b) dentistry.

The Government recognises the challenges facing areas of significant housing and population growth. We understand the pressure such growth can place on primary care infrastructure. While we have big ambitions to further boost house building, we recognise it must be sensitive to local needs. The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) are currently analysing the results from a recent consultation on making changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure better account is taken of local healthcare infrastructure requirements. Also, additional capital funding for ICSs and GP Practices to meet increased demand as a result of housing developments in their locality may be available through Section 106 (s106) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), or the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including general practice and NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England. For Cannock Chase constituency, this is NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB.

The NHS has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient medical services – including general practice – in each local area, with funding and commissioning reflecting population growth and demographic changes. The National Health Service (NHS) contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. NHS England and ICBs across England work together to ensure that patients have access to the dental care they need. This includes an assessment to identify potential gaps in NHS dental service provision and to consider what actions may be required.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)