Written questions by Jogee.

What recent steps he has taken to help reduce industrial energy costs for businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Our Modern Industrial Strategy will make industrial electricity costs cheaper with new support which could cut bills by up to 25% for more than 7,000 businesses. From 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity cost for eligible businesses by c.£35-40/MWh.We have also increased support for energy-intensive industries eligible for the British Industry Supercharger, with an uplift of the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme from 60% to 90%.Companies in Newcastle-under-Lyme operating in frontier industries, or those supplying critical inputs to frontier industries such as specialised ceramics, are well placed to benefit from this support.

What steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the creation of jobs and opportunities across the UK, including in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, by championing free trade agreements, supporting small and medium sized enterprises to export, securing foreign investment, developing the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.

What fiscal steps he is taking with Cabinet Colleagues to help lower energy bills for people in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

Government action at the Budget, to end the ECO scheme and shift 75% of the domestic Renewables Obligation to the exchequer, will remove an average of £150 of costs from energy bills from April. In addition, expanding the Warm Home Discount means around six million low‑income households will receive £150 this winter. Through the Warm Homes Plan, the Governemt has also announced £15 billion to upgrade up to five million homes and help lift up to one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of the treatment of inmates from minority religions in prisons in Pakistan.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 21 October 2025 to Question 81646.

What steps he is taking to increase skills and employment support for people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire in receipt of sickness benefits.

I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 2 December to PQ 93871.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support a) security, b) stability c) co-operation and d) prosperity in sub-Saharan Southern Africa.

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 15 December 2025 (HCWS1168).

What recent steps has he taken to help tackle fraud in the welfare system.

Since Autumn Budget 2024, the Government has committed to gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030/31 from fraud, error and debt activity in Great Britain, which includes savings from the new powers contained within the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act. The Act has been published on the Parliament website and is available here: Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025.

What estimate she has made of the length of time of a call to HMRC before it was answered.

HMRC publishes its call waiting times on GOV.UK:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates

What recent steps has he taken to help tackle fraud in the pension system.

The Government is resolute in its determination to protect pension scheme members from financial harm. There is a strong regulatory framework which allows pension scheme trustees to block pension transfers if there is risk of a scam and we are developing extended measures which seek to strengthen protections and combat any areas of evolving risk. DWP will continue to work closely with partners, including the police, the National Economic Crime Centre and anti-scams industry groups, to identify and disrupt unlawful activity and to ensure appropriate enforcement action is taken against those who exploit or seek to exploit pension savers. We will publicly consult on our work to strengthen the transfer process with enhanced protections in the coming months.

What recent engagement his Department has had with Action Bladder Cancer UK.

As part of the Department’s engagement to inform the development of the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, officials from the Department’s cancer team have worked closely with patient organisations, clinicians, cancer partners and have considered over 11,000 responses to the call for evidence. These included submissions from organisations, such as Fight Bladder Cancer and Cancer52, of which Action Bladder Cancer UK is a member of, as well as from individuals.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with international partners to help tackle organised immigration crime.

I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave in departmental oral questions on 28 October on tackling organised immigration crime. Fraudulent visa agents also target those seeking to come to the UK on fake visas and the UK and India are cooperating to protect people from scams and tackle irregular migration at its source.

If he will visit the North Staffordshire Branch of Parkinson's UK in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Ministers regularly consider visits across the country to see the impact of their policy areas. Any plans to visit specific locations will be notified to the relevant Members of Parliament in advance.

What steps he is taking to ensure that a) businesses, b) economic growth and c) higher education institutions in Newcastle-under-Lyme are impacted by trade deals.

As the Honourable Member would expect, we do not direct the effects of individual Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) towards specific organisations within specific constituencies, nor do we monitor the way they are exploited in such granular detail. However, FTAs have an important role to play in delivering economic growth in all constituencies and all sectors. Through FTAs, businesses can benefit from tariff reductions, improved market access, and enhanced protections in investment and digital trade. The Department is working hand-in-hand with UK businesses to ensure firms have the tools and knowledge they need to seize these opportunities. If the Honourable Member knows of specific businesses that need assistance in exploiting our FTAs, he should approach the department and we will be happy to assist.Last year we concluded trade negotiations with India and the Republic of Korea. Our assessments suggest these deals will have significant benefits across the UK economy and key industrial strategy sectors.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase trade and business co-operation between Scotland and a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

A well‑functioning UK internal market is vital to economic growth across all parts of the country, with trade between the four nations worth around £129 billion and particularly important for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government therefore carried out an expanded review of the UK Internal Market Act, engaging closely with businesses and other stakeholders. We are also now delivering our ambitious Industrial Strategy. We want to ensure that Scottish businesses are able to trade freely with the rest of the UK without encountering any unnecessary trade barriers.

What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on improving public transport provision.

I meet regularly with Executive Ministers to discuss a range of issues, including how this Government can support public service transformation. While public transport is a devolved matter, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland recently met with the Infrastructure Minister to discuss the critical role of infrastructure in connecting communities and facilitating economic growth in Northern Ireland.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Building Safety Regulator.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has a range of duties, including facilitating safety in higher-risk buildings (HRBs), keeping the safety and standards of all buildings under review and facilitating improvement in competence across industry.The introduction of the BSR in 2023 has led to demonstrable improvements in the safety of the buildings it is responsible for. HRBs are now subject to more stringent scrutiny at both design and construction stages. The planning gateway process embeds fire and structural safety requirements at the earliest stages of design and construction.The BSR has faced challenges implementing a significant shift in building safety regulation and recognises the impact of delays on the pipeline of new HRBs. In June, MHCLG announced a new phase for the BSR, including strengthened leadership, steps to address operational challenges, and plans for a new body for the BSR.BSR performance continues to improve. Significant numbers of new build applications have been cleared, and new operating models are delivering dramatically reduced processing times. To support transparency and accountability, the BSR published performance data on 23 December 2025 and will continue to do so monthly.Establishing a standalone body for the BSR will provide a singular focus for the new leadership to tackle this complex area of regulation. Work is underway to establish the new body through a Statutory Instrument which confirms the establishment date as 27 January 2026. We will work closely with the BSR to ensure a smooth transition from the Health and Safety Executive.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase trade and business co-operation between Northern Ireland and a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Government is committed to strengthening trade and business cooperation across the whole of the United Kingdom. Last year, I established Intertrade UK which aims to promote and boost trade in goods and services across the United Kingdom and ensure that the benefits of the UK Internal Market are fully realised by businesses. At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor allocated £2.25 million over the next three fiscal years to support Intertrade UK to implement its work programme to improve trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Intertrade UK is now considering how best to deploy this new funding and I look forward to seeing the results of its future work. Through our Industrial Strategy, we are also supporting growth in eight identified sectors, fostering opportunities for collaboration where Northern Ireland shares industrial strengths with regions such as Staffordshire.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will discuss the adequacy of financial contributions made by member states to the Commonwealth Secretariat with her Canadian counterpart.

The UK is the largest donor to Commonwealth institutions and their programmes. We support reform of the Commonwealth Secretariat to help place the organisation on a more sustainable financial footing and encourage member states to contribute as appropriate to support Commonwealth activity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with His Majesty’s Treasury about the potential of increased financial support for the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The UK is the largest donor to Commonwealth institutions and their programmes. We support reform of the Commonwealth Secretariat to help place the organisation on a more sustainable financial footing and encourage member states to contribute as appropriate to support Commonwealth activity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will discuss the adequacy of financial contributions made by member states to the Commonwealth Secretariat with her Nigerian counterpart.

The UK is the largest donor to Commonwealth institutions and their programmes. We support reform of the Commonwealth Secretariat to help place the organisation on a more sustainable financial footing and encourage member states to contribute as appropriate to support Commonwealth activity.