Written questions by Jogee.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Nigeria.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2025.

What support is available to people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire owed money by HS2.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone entitled to compensation, whether in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire or anywhere along the HS2 route, should receive it as soon as possible once it falls due. We will continue to impress upon HS2 Ltd the necessity of working closely with claimants and their agents to ensure that claims are properly evidenced and then paid promptly. Any individual who believes that HS2 Ltd owes them money should contact HS2 Ltd directly where they will receive support from the helpdesk and case officer.

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

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 Maltese 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, if she will discuss the adequacy of financial contributions made by member states to the Commonwealth Secretariat with her New Zealand 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 recent assessment she has made of the political situation in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The UK shares a close, historic relationship with St Vincent and the Grenadines, and we look forward to that relationship continuing under Prime Minister Friday's newly-elected Government.

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

What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the National Health Service in Northern Ireland.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I engage regularly with the Executive on public services, including health. While health is a devolved matter, this Government is committed to being an active partner in supporting the Executive to deliver high-quality, accessible and sustainable public services, and in assisting through the Public Sector Transformation Board.We all recognise the pressures facing the health service and that transformation requires prioritisation and difficult decisions. I welcome the progress made by the Health Minister to date.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a standalone clean air act.

As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan, we are committed to a series of interventions to improve air quality to deliver benefits for public health, the environment, and the economy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the financial contributions made by a) Australia, b) New Zealand, c) Canada and d) India to 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, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness and adequacy of British support for the clean up in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement on the Government response to Hurricane Melissa published on 11 December 2025 (HCWS1159).

What powers other than additional funding she has to ensure Staffordshire County Council fills potholes in Newcastle-under-Lyme in a timely and thorough way.

Local highway authorities, such as Staffordshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. To receive their full share of the Government's £500 million funding uplift for local highways maintenance in 2025/26, local authorities had to publish transparency reports on their website to set out how they will spend the additional funding. As part of this, local authorities were required to demonstrate how they comply with best practice in highways maintenance, including in relation to preventative maintenance which helps to keep roads in good condition for longer and prevents potholes from forming in the first place. These requirements are designed to drive greater adoption of best practice to ensure that this funding is spent as effectively as possible to improve local road conditions. The transparency report for Staffordshire County Council is available online, at:www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Highways/Managing-the-highway-asset/Local-highways-maintenance-transparency-report.aspx The Department is also currently updating the Code of Practice for Well Managed Highways Infrastructure. The Code provides guidance to local authorities on the delivery of safe, efficient, and sustainable highway services through a risk‑based, evidence‑led approach to asset management. The Code encourages highways authorities to set repair timescales against defined risk levels, ensuring that safety-critical defects are fixed swiftly to reduce the likelihood of incident or liability. This is available online, at:https://www.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/code-of-practice There are occasions where potholes need to be repaired quickly for safety reasons, but the Department encourages local authorities to also focus on long-term preventative maintenance to ensure that roads are fixed properly and potholes prevented from forming in the first place. This is also more cost-effective than the repeated and reactive patching of potholes. The current Code of Practice emphasises that “when determining the balance between preventative and reactive maintenance, authorities should adopt the principle that prevention is better than cure”.

Media and Sport, if she will visit a) the New Vic Theatre, b) the Brampton Museum and c) Apedale Heritage Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The Minister of State (then Sir Chris Bryant MP) had the pleasure of visiting both the New Vic Theatre and Brampton Museum on 27 August 2025. I will ask my officials to keep the Apedale Heritage Centre and attractions across Newcastle-under-Lyme in mind when planning future visits.Thank you for taking the time to share your suggestions of places to visit in your constituency. I am always delighted to support and promote the vital work being done across the cultural sector.

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.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to tackle waste crime in rural communities.

This Government is making the necessary policy and regulatory reforms to close the loopholes being exploited by waste criminals. Key reforms include carrier, broker, dealer reform, waste permit exemption reform and the introduction of digital waste tracking. I believe these reforms are the best way to drive criminality out of the waste sector whether in urban or rural communities. However, the Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why the Government collaborated with the National Police Chiefs’ Councils to deliver their renewal of the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which was published in November. The strategy, lasting until 2028, will ensure efforts to reduce crime benefit every community no matter where they live, including rural communities.

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

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

My Department supports growth by working closely with the Department of Business and Trade and the Welsh Government to attract private investment, helping business to grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across Wales. Many businesses supported by this Government in Wales operate across Wales and England, particularly in border areas including Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme.The recently expanded Office for Investment works with local areas, leveraging public finance from institutions like the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank, to deliver strategic investments, aligned with the 10-year Infrastructure and Industrial strategies.This Government is investing in the infrastructure needed to boost growth across the Wales/England border region, including the approval of the M54-M6 link road.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero about the potential impact of increases in energy costs on farmers in Staffordshire.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

Media and Sport, whether she has plans for a formal national memorial to the Duchess of Kent.

The Government does not have any plans for a formal national memorial for the late Duchess of Kent.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that young people from a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire are able to see the Bayeux Tapestry.

The Bayeux Tapestry will be on display at the British Museum from September 2026 to July 2027. The British Museum, which is operationally independent of the government, is eager to enable access to the exhibition for as many schoolchildren as possible, and as such is planning dedicated weekly entry slots for school visits. The Museum is also working closely with other organisations commemorating the millennium of the birth of William the Conqueror in 2027, including developing special resources for teachers and activities across the UK.Entrance will be free for schoolchildren and for under 16s, as it is to all of the British Museum’s exhibitions. The Museum will also offer concessionary tickets for other relevant groups, including students, disabled visitors, seniors (over 60s), and jobseekers.