Stuart Anderson Portrait

Stuart Anderson

Conservative - South Shropshire

1,624 (3.1%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 12th December 2019

Shadow Minister (Defence)

(since July 2024)

Stuart Anderson is not a member of any APPGs
6 Former APPG memberships
Armed Forces Covenant, Black Country, Black Country Economy, British Sikhs, Reserves and Cadets, Veterans
Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
14th Nov 2023 - 5th Jul 2024
Committee of Selection
21st Nov 2023 - 30th May 2024
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
16th Feb 2023 - 14th Nov 2023
Assistant Whip
8th Jul 2022 - 16th Feb 2023
Defence Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 25th Oct 2022
Defence Sub-Committee
6th Mar 2020 - 25th Oct 2022
Committees on Arms Export Controls
16th Nov 2021 - 21st Oct 2022
Finance (No.2) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 11th Jan 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill
16th Sep 2021 - 4th Nov 2021
Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill
23rd Jun 2021 - 6th Jul 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
25th Feb 2021 - 14th Apr 2021
Armed Forces Bill Select Committee
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Stuart Anderson has voted in 11 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Stuart Anderson 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
Rachel Reeves (Labour)
Chancellor of the Exchequer
(2 debate interactions)
Caroline Nokes (Conservative)
(2 debate interactions)
David Lammy (Labour)
Foreign Secretary
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
HM Treasury
(6 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Stuart Anderson has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Stuart Anderson's debates

Latest EDMs signed by Stuart Anderson

2nd September 2024
Stuart Anderson signed this EDM on Monday 2nd September 2024

Social Security

Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
81 signatures
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 75
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Stuart Anderson's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Stuart Anderson, 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.


Stuart Anderson has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Stuart Anderson has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Stuart Anderson has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Stuart Anderson has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 22 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
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to help support economic growth in (a) Craven Arms and (b) other rural areas.

Craven Arms lies within Shropshire County Council area which has been allocated a total of £10.8m of core UK Shared Prosperity Funding, as well as a total allocation of £2.6m in Rural Prosperity Funding. Under the UKSPF delegated delivery model, Shropshire Council can choose to invest in supporting economic growth within specific towns like Craven Arms.

In addition, the Council has received Department of Business & Trade funding of £1.2m since FY21/22 for the Shropshire Growth Hub. Growth Hubs provide local business support and advice, to help drive regional economic growth. Growth Hub support is available across England and businesses of all sizes and sectors can contact their local Growth Hubs, including in rural areas.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to help increase agricultural productivity.

Through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), we fund and support interdisciplinary research linking agriculture, nutrition and health to food security, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity.

In 2023-24, BBSRC funded around £140 million on research to improve crop and livestock health and enhance food safety and nutrition, whilst reducing food loss and waste. BBSRC’s wider investments to increase agricultural productivity include the Roslin Institute’s research programmes which have contributed to an estimated ~£18.9bn GVA in 2019-20 through global productivity improvements in agriculture and aquaculture.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
9th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to continue the Libraries Improvement Fund.

Any decision as to the future of the Fund is a matter for the current Spending Review process.

Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue the Half-Term Activities Fund in (a) Shropshire and (b) the UK.

The future of the holiday activities and food programme beyond 31 March 2025 is subject to the next government Spending Review taking place this autumn and the department will communicate the outcome of that process in due course.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
2nd Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the adequacy of funding for rural schools (a) in South Shropshire constituency and (b) nationally.

The national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factors. The lump sum provides a fixed amount of £134,000 that is unrelated to pupil numbers, and so is particularly beneficial to small rural schools. The department is also providing £98 million in total through the sparsity factor in 2024/25 to support small and remote schools, which typically benefits rural schools. In 2024/25, 75 schools in Shropshire local authority area attract sparsity funding in the NFF, including 40 in the South Shropshire constituency.

In July 2024, the department also announced almost £1.1 billion through the Core Schools Budget Grant to support schools with their overall costs. All schools, including rural schools, will receive funding through this grant in 2024/25.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
17th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the planned 6,500 new teachers will be delivered in South Shropshire constituency.

Delivering the government’s agenda to break down the barriers to opportunity relies on a highly skilled workforce in schools. There are now 468,693 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in England, but the department needs to do more to recruit additional teachers, especially in shortage subjects in secondary schools.

The department knows that high quality teaching is the factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education, which is why the government has set out the ambition to recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers. The department has taken the first steps towards this mission by restarting and expanding the teacher recruitment campaign, ‘Every Lesson Shapes a Life’. The Secretary of State for Education and her ministerial team are dedicated to working alongside education partners and have already begun restoring the relationship with the sector. The Secretary of State has already addressed over 14,000 people from the workforce in the first of many regular engagements and has committed to working alongside them to re-establish teaching as an attractive and expert profession.

The number of teachers in South Shropshire has remained stable, with 526 teachers in the 2023/24 academic year. The department is doing more to attract teachers in this area. Financial incentives are one of the most effective ways to increase teacher supply. The minimum starting salary for teachers in South Shropshire increased to £30,000 from the start of the 2023/24 academic year. Mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers, who chose to work in disadvantaged schools, receive retention payments worth up to £3,000 after tax. As the department works towards its ambition of recruiting 6,500 more teachers, it will do more to ensure teachers are attracted to the areas with the highest levels of need.

Alongside recruiting more teachers, the government is also committed to tackling retention challenges, making work pay, and supporting teachers to stay in the profession and thrive. We will be making further announcements on these issues in due course.

The department has published a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing and to support schools to introduce flexible working practices. The department's 'Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff service', which was developed alongside school leaders, includes a workload reduction toolkit to support schools to identify opportunities to cut excessive workload. The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter also sets out commitments from the government, Ofsted, schools and colleges to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that farmers are fairly remunerated for their produce.

The Government will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors. Farmers should always receive a fair price for their products and the Government is committed to tackling contractual unfairness wherever it exists.

Defra will continue the work closely with stakeholders from all farming sectors on the best way to achieve this.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
22nd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department plans to spend its budget allocated to agriculture in the 2024-25 financial year; and how much and what proportion of that budget will be spent on support for farmers in South Shropshire constituency.

We will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal for farmers that works for farmers, food security and nature.

The only way to do this effectively is to listen to farmers and others with a stake in our food system, countryside and nature. Defra are doing this and assessing data and information about what’s working and what isn’t before setting out detailed plans. The Department will confirm plans for further optimisation and rollout of farming grants and schemes shortly.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
17th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's policy is on using the Local Transport Fund to help fix potholes across South Shropshire constituency; and what progress her Department has made on fixing potholes since the Local Transport Fund's inception.

The previous Government made a number of funding commitments in the Network North Command Paper and these will be examined closely by this Government in the coming months.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
17th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to provide £153 million funding for local highways maintenance in Shropshire.

This Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing our road network as a priority, on which Ministers will say more in future.

The previous Government made a number of funding commitments in the Network North Command Paper, and these will be examined closely by this Government in the coming months.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
9th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that hospices in (a) South Shropshire constituency and (b) the West Midlands receive (i) adequate and (ii) sustainable funding.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs), including those in Shropshire and the wider West Midlands, must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people, and their loved ones, at the end of life.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding charitable hospices receive varies by ICB area, and will, in part, be dependent on the breadth and range of palliative and end of life care provision within their ICB footprint.

The Government is going to shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community, and we recognise that it is vital to include palliative and end of life care, including hospices, in this shift.

We will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
17th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to provide £312 million in funding for Shropshire's Hospital Transformation programme.

We are committed to delivering the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Transformation Programme as part of the wider National Health Service upgrades programme.

This is backed by £312 million of capital investment and will improve services and patient flow across Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the sufficiency of funding to the National Police Air Service.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) provides borderless, round-the-clock, crewed police air support across England and Wales.

The Home Office supports NPAS through the provision of an annual capital grant. For the Financial Year 2024/25, this grant is £11.46m. The NPAS revenue budget is funded through contributions from police forces. For Financial Year 2024/25 this budget is £49.6m.

Funding for future financial years will be agreed as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to (a) increase prosecution rates for perpetrators of rural crime and (b) protect victims of those crimes.

The Government recognises the importance of tackling rural crime. We are committed to safeguarding rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing, and stronger laws to prevent farm theft and fly-tippers.

We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in rural settings.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Wildlife and Rural Crime Strategy 2022-2025 provides a framework through which policing, and its partners, can work together to tackle the most prevalent threats and emerging issues which predominantly affect rural communities.

The Home Office funded the establishment of the National Rural Crime Unit. The unit takes the lead on improving co-ordination and partnership working between police forces and rural communities. This provides police forces with specialist operational support in their responses to rural crime, such as the theft of farming or construction machinery, livestock theft, fly tipping, fuel theft and equine crime. The unit also helps in sharing best practice and encouraging regional and national approaches.

The Home Office also directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to provide intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to forces and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime, which can affect rural areas.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
30th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether additional funding will be provided to Police and Crime Commissioners (a) to deliver above-inflation pay rises and (b) long term.

Police officer pay is determined by the Home Secretary, following advice from the independent Police Remuneration Review Body and Senior Salaries Review Body. On 29 July, the Government announced it had accepted the Review Bodies’ recommendations to award all ranks and pay points a consolidated increase of 4.75% with effect from 1 September 2024.

To support forces with the cost of the pay award, the Home Office is providing additional funding of £175m in 2024/25. Funding for 2025/26 will be announced in the next Spending Review.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle (a) the theft of high value agricultural machinery and (b) other rural crime.

The Government recognises the importance of tackling rural crime. We are committed to safeguarding rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing, and stronger laws to prevent farm theft and fly-tippers.

We are also committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Wildlife and Rural Crime Strategy 2022-2025 provides a framework through which policing, and its partners can work together to tackle the most prevalent threats and emerging issues which predominantly affect rural communities.

The National Rural Crime Unit, which the Home Office funded the establishment of, takes the lead on improving co-ordination and partnership working, which provides police forces with specialist operational support in their responses to rural crime, such as the theft of farming or construction machinery, livestock theft, fly tipping, fuel theft and equine crime, as well as through sharing best practice and encouraging regional and national approaches.

The Home Office also directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to provide intelligence, analysis and investigative assistance to forces and other law enforcement agencies across the UK to support them in investigating wildlife crime, which can affect rural areas.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
17th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many youth hubs South Shropshire constituency will receive from the plan to establish a new network of youth hubs.

The Government is committed to intervening early to stop young people being drawn into crime with an ambition to half knife crime in a decade, accompanied by a new, increased focus on crime prevention.

Fundamental to this will be the delivery of our Youth Futures programme, which will include the rollout of youth hubs across England and Wales. We want to work with the police, partners and local communities to design and deliver these hubs. That will include decisions on the exact location of hubs to ensure they are in the local areas that will benefit most.

Diana Johnson
Minister of State (Home Office)
10th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his proposed timetable is for UK defence spending reaching 2.5% of GDP.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk on 22 July to Question 117.

Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
10th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what date he expects UK defence spending to reach 2.5 per cent of GDP.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Suffolk on 22 July to Question 117.

Maria Eagle
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
10th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Strategic Defence Review will conclude in its entirety before the next Spending Review commences.

The reviewers will report regularly on progress to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Defence and will make their final report to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Defence Secretary - with recommendations - in the first half of 2025.

Luke Pollard
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
9th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will include (a) shotgun licences and (b) veteran ID cards as accepted forms of voter identification in (i) general and (ii) local elections.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 1157 on 30 July 2024.

Alex Norris
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
24th Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the number of empty retail units on high streets in (a) Ludlow and Bridgnorth and (b) other rural areas.

This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets and supporting the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful.

Through the English Devolution Bill we will introduce a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets which will help this Government safeguard our high streets. This measure will empower local communities to reclaim and revitalise empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to revamp our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises.

Ludlow and Bridgnorth have access to a portion of Shropshire Council's Core UKSPF allocation totalling £10,845,217 and, under the UKSPF delegated delivery model, may choose to invest in rejuvenating high streets through a number of interventions under the ‘communities and place' investment priority. As such, £95,000 of this funding has been allocated to support a community facility to support local artisan makers and producers on Bridgnorth high street which had previously stood empty.

Alex Norris
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)