Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assist village halls to upgrade their facilities.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises the vital role of village halls as part of the social infrastructure in rural communities. In 2026-27 Defra has given a grant of £1.7m to Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), England’s largest rural grouping of community support charities. One of the priorities for the grant is for ACRE to support village halls and community buildings. Through a network of skilled advisers, they offer a nationwide advice and information service for the volunteers who manage these important community buildings. They also manage, on behalf of Defra, the Rural Community Buildings Loan Fund which helps community buildings fill temporary gaps in funding, either for specific projects or for urgent work connected with the building.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the ability of UK producers to meet domestic demand for large stainless steel rods in the context of upcoming tariffs on steel.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has considered the ability of UK producers to meet domestic demand for stainless steel products, including large rods and tubes, and that is being factored into the trade measure design.
The measure has been designed to strike a balance between securing the future of domestic steelmaking while maintaining secure supply chains. It will only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where not feasible for technical reasons, quotas have been designed with the aim of allowing for sufficient imports to be available to downstream users without unnecessary additional costs.
To ease impacts, we will introduce a transitional arrangement where the measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026. Further details are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help support the level of footfall on high streets in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our Plan for Small Businesses, published in July 2025, places high streets at the centre of economic renewal, recognising them as vital centres of growth and employment.
The Plan sets out how we will help improve footfall to high streets in South Shropshire and those across the UK, by tackling high street decline; addressing retail crime and anti-social behaviour; updating our licensing regime; and promoting greater partnerships on the High Street.
The government is working with local partners and businesses to develop a new MHCLG-led High Streets Strategy that will set out how we will support communities to create vibrant high streets.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the ability of UK producers to meet domestic demand for stainless steel tubes in the context of upcoming tariffs on steel imports.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has considered the ability of UK producers to meet domestic demand for stainless steel products, including large rods and tubes, and that is being factored into the trade measure design.
The measure has been designed to strike a balance between securing the future of domestic steelmaking while maintaining secure supply chains. It will only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where not feasible for technical reasons, quotas have been designed with the aim of allowing for sufficient imports to be available to downstream users without unnecessary additional costs.
To ease impacts, we will introduce a transitional arrangement where the measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026. Further details are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help improve postal services in rural areas.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government remains committed to ensuring a reliable and accessible universal postal service for users across the UK, including in rural areas.
Ofcom’s changes to Royal Mail’s USO requirements are intended to meet customer needs, improve reliability of postal services and safeguard the long-term future of the universal postal service. We now need Royal Mail to work with its workforce and unions to deliver the service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of one price to send letters anywhere in the UK.
Additionally, to support the sustainability of rural Post Office service provision, the government is committed to maintaining the minimum network of 11,500 branches and existing access criteria, ensuring continued nationwide access to essential services.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support dairy farmers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Wrexham, Andrew Ranger, on 23 February, PQ UIN 112856.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the defence sector's supply chain for rare earth metals does not depend on China.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
In line with Vision 2035: Critical Minerals Strategy, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) contributes to wider government work to diversify the UK critical minerals supply chain, including rare earth metals, and reduce reliance on a single source.
We are working with industry through the Defence Industrial Joint Council (DIJC) and international partners such as NATO, G7, and other allies including Australia to improve the end-to-end visibility of critical mineral supply chains, diversify sources and ensure dependencies are actively managed and mitigated.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of national security import controls to prevent dependence on Chinese companies for consumable equipment in the defence supply chain.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department assesses that existing national security import controls, alongside wider procurement and security frameworks, are robust and sufficient to manage risks of dependence on Chinese suppliers.
Procurement is subject to strict due diligence, supported by the National Security and Investment Act, JSP 440 and the Procurement Act 2023, enabling exclusion of high-risk suppliers. These controls are reinforced by broader import and export frameworks, with risks assessed case by case to protect operational resilience and freedom of action.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help residents change to smart meters in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy suppliers are obligated under their licence conditions to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters for their customers where a meter is fitted for the first time or when replacing an existing meter.
To strengthen this obligation, the Government worked with Ofgem to introduce new smart metering Guaranteed Standards of Performance for energy suppliers, where customers receive £40 compensation if their supplier fails to offer a smart meter installation appointment to take place within 6 weeks of the customer requesting one.
The Department continues to drive the rollout alongside industry to ensure all households nationwide can access smart meters.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve road safety in South Shropshire constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. This aims to improve road safety at a national level, so improvements should be seen in South Shropshire.
The Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65%, and 70% for children under 16, by 2035. These targets and delivery of the Strategy will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board, which I will chair.
Road safety is a shared responsibility, and this strategy reflects that. It considers action needed by government, local authorities, industry, emergency services and communities to tackle the causes of collisions and save lives, making our roads safer for everyone.