Written questions by Jogee.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase economic growth in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

Awaiting answer.

A) what progress his Department has made in implementing the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and b) what benefits it will bring to families and businesses in i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and ii) Staffordshire.

Awaiting answer.

How many a) letters, b) emails and c) written communications were received by his Department from Newcastle-under-Lyme District Borough Council between i) December 2019 and July 2024 and ii) July 2024 and May 2026.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department has taken to support energy intensive businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire with energy costs.

The Department for Business and Trade manages two energy cost support schemes, the British Industry Supercharger and the Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, to support eligible energy-intensive industries with the indirect costs of emissions levies, and electricity policy and network costs. The Supercharger cuts electricity costs by approximately £65-87/MWh for around 550 businesses across the whole of Great Britain, including some of the most electricity-intensive firms in Staffordshire.From April 2027 the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will benefit over 10,000 manufacturing businesses reducing electricity costs by up to £40/MWh. The Government also announced an additional payment in 2027 to reflect the support eligible businesses would have received had the scheme been in operation earlier.

What steps he is taking to support the advanced manufacturing sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Government is backing advanced manufacturing through our Modern Industrial Strategy and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which supports innovation, skills, investment and the adoption of new technologies across the UK.Businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire can access national support on skills, finance, R&D and energy. Regional programmes include Made Smarter West Midlands, which helps manufacturing SMEs adopt digital tools and boost productivity, and the new specialist Advanced Manufacturing Technical Excellence College at Newcastle & Stafford College Group.We will continue working with local partners to ensure businesses in these areas can access the support they need to invest, innovate and create good jobs.

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 Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. We are doing this by supporting small and medium sized businesses to export, including developing a Business Growth Service to simplify finding the advice and support they need. We are also supporting high streets, developing the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and are investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.

What steps he is taking to help businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire to increase exports.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting UK businesses, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, to grow and export. DBT has integrated its support for businesses in a single, accessible place – the Business Growth Service. From tailored market advice and free Business Academy training to our on-the-ground network around the world, we are making it easier for businesses to seize export opportunities.UK Export Finance (UKEF) also has various products designed to support UK businesses. In December 2025, UKEF announced it had provided support to Staffordshire-based GE Vernova’s contract to supply equipment and services to construction of the Niğde Bor plant in Türkiye.

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Jamaica.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he has taken to support the ceramics industry in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire since his appointment.

The British Industry Supercharger currently supports some ceramics businesses in Great Britain, including in Staffordshire, including in the technical and advanced ceramics, and brick production sectors, for the indirect costs of various electricity policy and network charges. Officials regularly engage with Ceramics UK, the sector’s main trade association, to explore how the ceramics industry can be supported. The Industrial Strategy, along with the Trade Strategy, have set out this Government’s approach to expanding trade opportunities and supporting UK businesses, including ceramics businesses.

What steps he has taken to support fish and chip shops with the cost of food in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Fish and chip shops, like many hospitality businesses, continue to face significant cost pressures, driven by global uncertainty, volatile energy markets, supply chain disruption and wider inflation, which have contributed to higher food input prices. The Government recognises the impact this has on businesses and communities, including in Newcastle under Lyme and across Staffordshire and is taking action to help businesses manage these costs. This includes permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties and increasing the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. We continue to engage with industry through the Hospitality Sector Council to strengthen resilience and productivity across the sector.

What recent engagement he has had with his Canadian counterpart about the potential merits of increasing trade between the United Kingdom and Canada.

I am in regular contact with Minister Sidhu as we seek ways to grow bilateral trade – worth £31bn in the 12 months to September 2025 and up 17% on the previous 12 months .Last year, the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group identified a number of priority bilateral workstreams for 2026 to further grow trade and drive cooperation, including the review of the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement’s Rules of Origin to make the agreement easier to use by businesses on both sides.My Department is also committed to the UK trading with Canada under CPTPP terms. Canada has commenced its legislative process for the UK’s ratification, with Entry into Force expected later this year.

What steps he is taking to reduce the use of skin lightening products.

As product safety regulator, OPSS is responsible for ensuring that consumer products are safe. The UK Cosmetic Regulation requires that a safety assessment be completed by a qualified assessor to demonstrate the safety of a cosmetic product before it can be sold on our market.OPSS also provides funding to the Chartered Trading Standards Institute to highlight the dangers to consumers of using illegal cosmetics, including skin lighteners, through its “Cost Of Beauty” Campaign. The campaign includes social media, outreach with targeted groups and working with traditional media, with the aim of raising attention to the risks of these products.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth about improving trade links between Commonwealth member states.

Neither the Secretary of State nor I have held discussions with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth about anything.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to Written PQ 107250 on 28th January 2026.

What recent steps he has taken to support brick production.

Brick deliveries remain well above the dip seen in 2022-2023, with around 80% of bricks used in the UK produced domestically. The Government’s housebuilding targets will support demand as industry delivers the new private, social and affordable homes our citizens need.Construction’s inclusion as a foundational industry in the Industrial Strategy will also help to drive brick production. Additionally, brick manufacturers could benefit from the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme if they meet electricity intensity and sector criteria, though eligibility is not yet confirmed.

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 recent steps have been taken to further develop trade links between the United Kingdom and Jamaica.

This Government is strengthening trade with Jamaica through multiple initiatives. UK Export Finance has signed a Framework for Cooperation with the Jamaican government enabling us to support a range of critical infrastructure projects with substantial UK content, including the replacement of bridges across the country. My department also recently funded the first inward mission from the Caribbean life sciences sector, which included senior Jamaican delegates, to deepen collaboration and tackle barriers to trade. We are also cooperating on digital trade, with Jamaican firms forging partnerships with UK businesses through the UK Trade Partnerships Programme.