Written questions by Jogee.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with the National Fire Chiefs Council on the adequacy of mental health and wellbeing support for firefighters in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

Government supports the work that the National Fire Chiefs Council is doing through its Wellbeing Board to assist services to drive positive improvements in mental health provision for their workforce. It is for fire and rescue authorities to work with their individual service to ensure that the right support is in place to meet local needs and circumstances. The Government does not assess the needs of individual or services or at national level.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on increasing levels of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The UK remains in close and regular contact with the United States to jointly seek ways to get urgently-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. In April and May the Foreign Secretary, Secretary of State Rubio and Special Envoy Witkoff discussed the urgent need for a full and unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance. We continue to work closely with the US on the delivery of aid and medical support. Together with our international partners, we are calling on Israel to immediately allow the rapid, safe and unfettered resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) political and (b) security situation in Tunisia.

The UK and Tunisia share an ambition to build the bilateral relationship across trade, energy and security portfolios. The UK monitors the political and security situation in Tunisia closely. As noted by the UK's Human Rights Ambassador last October, the space for political participation in Tunisia has shrunk considerably. In both public and private, we encourage respect for civil, political, social and economic rights and the rule of law in Tunisia. During his visit to Tunisia in January, the Foreign Secretary noted the importance of political participation and human rights in discussions with the Tunisian Government. The UK continues to use a range of programmes and activities to encourage and support an open society, including the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Programme that aims to directly tackle the drivers of instability.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of Invest Staffordshire to her Department’s delivery of her priorities for (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Invest Staffordshire was launched at UKREIIF in May 2025. It aims to promote key strategic investment sites and economic opportunities in Staffordshire. We hope to see it play an important role in promoting economic growth, attracting private sector investment, and supporting local businesses to scale and innovate. The Department values this partnership and remains committed to supporting initiatives that deliver real, lasting benefits for residents and businesses across the region.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Jordanian counterpart on increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The Jordan corridor has been a vital channel for achieving the scale of aid needed in Gaza over the last 18 months. The UK has worked with Jordan to facilitate the supply of aid through this channel. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met His Majesty King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Safadi of Jordan on 5 June, and discussed ways to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Prime Minister emphasised that it was vital that a sustainable ceasefire and the release of all hostages be secured, and humanitarian aid be delivered at speed and volume. He reiterated that if Israel did not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, the UK and its partners would take further concrete actions in response. Both leaders agreed on the importance of the Palestinian Authority's reform agenda as part of the path to a two-state solution and lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

What estimate he has made of the number of children and young people waiting for an ADHD assessment in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

There is, at present, no single established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for assessment and diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025 as part of its ADHD data improvement plan; it will soon release technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is bringing together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing services and support, with the report expected in the summer. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support local systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What recent steps she has taken to help reduce the number of shoplifting offences in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire

We are providing £5 million over the next three years to continue funding a specialist analysis team within Opal, the National Policing Intelligence Unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, to crack down on the organised gangs targeting retailers.We are also investing £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.Via the Crime and Policing Bill we will end the effective immunity for shop theft of and below £200 sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously. Also included in the Bill is a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.I chair regular meetings of the Retail Crime Forum, which brings together the retail sector, security providers and law enforcement agencies to ensure we understand the needs of all retailers promote collaboration, share best practice, and work collectively to tackle the serious issue of retail crime. This includes the development of a new strategy to tackle shop theft published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft – Tackling Retail Crime Together.The strategy builds on previous progress made by police and retailers but provides a more comprehensive and intelligence-led approach to tackle all perpetrators of shop theft – not just organised criminal gangs.

What recent steps she has taken to support universities with funding challenges.

To support universities in stabilising their financial positions, the Office for Students (OfS) will continue dedicating significant resources to ensuring the sector's financial sustainability. The department has appointed Professor Edward Peck as the substantive Chair of the OfS, where he will play a key role in strengthening this commitment while also expanding opportunities in higher education (HE).Additionally, we have made the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits by 3.1% for the 2025/26 academic year, aligning with inflation.The department will outline its plans for HE reform in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, set to be published this summer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken since 1 May 2025 to advance the implementation of a two-state solution to the crisis in the Middle East.

The UK's commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people and are regularly engaging Israelis, Palestinians and regional partners on this. On May 19, alongside France and Canada, the UK issued a joint statement expressing concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. On May 20, the UK sanctioned Israeli individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. The UK is also continuing to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) as it delivers its vital reform agenda. An effective PA is vital for lasting peace and progress towards a two-state solution, and the UK is supporting the Palestinian Authority as delivers much-needed reforms.

What recent steps she has taken to encourage youth democracy in schools in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Democracy forms a central part of the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, following the non-statutory framework for citizenship.Schools have considerable flexibility to organise the content and delivery of their curriculum and enrichment programme, including to suit their local context. This can include providing opportunities for pupil participation in democratic processes, subject to schools meeting their obligations to ensure political balance.UK Parliament run educational tours for pupils, youth and community groups to see how Parliament works in action. UK Parliament also produce resources which can be downloaded or ordered for free, tailored to different age groups.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) to support young people to engage in the democratic process. Every two years, the UKYP runs ‘Make Your Mark’, a youth vote open to all 11 to 18 year-olds in the UK, for them to be able to vote on what are the most important issues for young people.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to the arts for people over the age of 60 in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Arts Council England is the DCMS arms-length body with responsibility for distributing arts funding. Arts Council England provides both Grant-in-Aid and lottery funding which supports a number of creative programmes and activities for older people across Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. This includes project grants to music organisation Madula, who host weekly drum circles for older residents in the area to learn from international artists in a social environment. Castle Hill Creatives, a group of artists which provide events and exhibitions in Torrington have also worked with older and isolated people to create sculptural lanterns for the Stoke Lanterns event that took place in March 2025. Beyond project grants, Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places projects are designed to work on intergenerational projects with people across the area. In Stoke-on-Trent, this is run by Appetite and in Staffordshire Moorlands, projects are run by Outside.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabia counterpart on increasing humanitarian aid into Gaza.

As part of our continuous engagement at all levels with Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Secretary spoke with Foreign Minister His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Gaza and the humanitarian crisis on 10 May.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a British High Commissioner has been appointed in all Commonwealth member states.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) regularly reviews its overseas network to ensure it reflects UK foreign priorities and provides effective representation across the Commonwealth. All Commonwealth member states, except the UK, have a UK High Commissioner representation. This may be resident or non-resident High Commissioners. The UK has the UK Commonwealth Envoy based in the FCDO in London.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) political and (b) security situation in Myanmar.

We continue to closely monitor and assess the political and security context in Myanmar and ensure this informs UK policy.In assessing the security and humanitarian access constraints, we have continued to prioritise delivering humanitarian aid mainly through local partners, to reach populations most in need, and have been clear at the UN Security Council on calling for full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.Additionally, we continue to assess and call out the escalating conflict. In April, the UK supported a Human Rights Council Resolution calling for protection of civilians and all minorities and in May I called out the reported military airstrikes on schools and civilians' infrastructure.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on steps to increase access to the arts for children and young people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The Secretary of State has a range of discussions with Cabinet colleagues across the whole of her portfolio. DCMS officials regularly discuss access to the arts for children and young people with their counterparts across His Majesty’s Government including with the Department for Education. The government, through the recently announced Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, has allocated £132.5 million in England towards youth. This will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. In addition, our arms-length body, Arts Council England (ACE) coordinates public funding which supports a number of creative programmes and activities for children and young people across Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. This includes Shaw Education Trust’s ‘Young Curators’ programme, which gives high school students in Newcastle-under-Lyme the opportunity to learn hands-on about curation and host their own exhibitions in the local art gallery. Since 2024, ACE has invested nearly £8 million into programmes and projects in the Staffordshire region (excluding the Stoke-on-Trent City Council area) which have had a focus on children and young people. This figure includes almost £3 million of support for organisations in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Canadian counterpart on trade.

The Foreign Secretary spoke with his new Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, on 30 May, and met with her in person on 6 June. On both occasions, they discussed a wide range of issues across our economic and security relationship. The Foreign Secretary looks forward to working with her closely in the future to deepen the vitally important UK-Canada relationship, including through strengthening our significant economic partnership.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to the arts for children and young people in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The Secretary of State has a range of discussions with Cabinet colleagues across the whole of her portfolio. DCMS officials regularly discuss access to the arts for children and young people with their counterparts across His Majesty’s Government including with the Department for Education. The government, through the recently announced Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, has allocated £132.5 million in England towards youth. This will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability. In addition, our arms-length body, Arts Council England (ACE) coordinates public funding which supports a number of creative programmes and activities for children and young people across Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. This includes Shaw Education Trust’s ‘Young Curators’ programme, which gives high school students in Newcastle-under-Lyme the opportunity to learn hands-on about curation and host their own exhibitions in the local art gallery. Since 2024, ACE has invested nearly £8 million into programmes and projects in the Staffordshire region (excluding the Stoke-on-Trent City Council area) which have had a focus on children and young people. This figure includes almost £3 million of support for organisations in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of arts and culture on (a) society and (b) education in (i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (ii) Staffordshire.

The government strongly believes in the benefits that the arts and culture can bring to the UK, both in terms of their social and economic impact. According to DCMS Economic estimates, the cultural sector contributed an estimated £35.0bn in 2023, accounting for 1.5% of UK GVA. Newcastle-under-Lyme currently has three National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) receiving public funding of almost £1.5 million per annum. In total, Arts Council England (ACE) funding to organisations and individuals in Staffordshire since 2024 is over £12 million. This includes a major award of £1.7m towards the restoration of Tamworth Castle, through the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND). An example of this positive impact is the ACE funded New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, which delivers community programmes that are a strong example of how investment into creative infrastructure can benefit communities. Their ‘Tale Trail’ experience is a first introduction to the arts for 88% of the children who attend, with 87% of children attending the theatre’s programmes showing improved markers for school readiness. These positive outcomes are also reflected in the theatre’s work with dementia patients, with self-reported health ratings nearly tripling following interactions with the ‘Dementia and Creativity’ programme.ACE is also delivering Music Hubs, which are supported by Department for Education funding. Staffordshire Music Hub offers a wide range of instrumental lessons and access to rehearsal spaces for children and young people.DCMS is committed to promoting the culture of Staffordshire, including in its heritage buildings, ensuring these buildings serve the needs of local communities. Since 1994, The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded nearly £100 million to 760 projects across Staffordshire. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has identified Stoke-on-Trent as one of twenty places as part of their Heritage Places UK-wide initiative which aims to provide long term place-based investment that boosts pride in place and connects communities and visitors with heritage.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to protect nature through her Department's housebuilding programme.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear about the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity where it is affected by development and includes stringent protections for nationally designated sites and irreplaceable habitats. The implementation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Biodiversity Net Gain are helping to highlight opportunities to improve nature in conjunction with development, and to secure tangible contributions to biodiversity enhancements. The Nature Restoration Fund, introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, will provide further benefits where development could affect protected habitats and species, by enabling strategic improvements.

What estimate she has made of the number of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The House of Commons Library has published estimates at a constituency level for a variety of health conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with further information available at the following link: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/constituency-data-how-healthy-is-your-area/ For the Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, this data shows an estimated prevalence of 2.45% for COPD. This is higher than the estimated prevalence for the West Midlands and England, with both having a prevalence of 1.85%. These figures are based on modelled estimates, derived from data published by NHS Digital in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) 2022/23. Integrated care board (ICB) level QOF data for the same 2022/23 period is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/quality-and-outcomes-framework-achievement-prevalence-and-exceptions-data/2022-23 This shows that for the NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, the COPD register consists of 26,564 patients, and has a prevalence rate of 2.24%. The latest QOF data that has been published by NHS England is for the 2023/24 period, and is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/quality-and-outcomes-framework-achievement-prevalence-and-exceptions-data/2023-24This shows that for the NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, the COPD register consists of 27,019 patients, and has a prevalence rate of 2.26%.