Written questions by Jogee.

With reference to the Gingerbread report entitled Fix the CMS, published on 25 November 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of enabling Child Maintenance Service users to correspond with caseworkers via the digital platform.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to delivering the best possible digital service for our customers. The CMS Service Modernisation Programme has delivered improvements to the customer experience, enabling parents to access their case on-line through My Child Maintenance Case and ensuring parents can report changes of circumstances and access their digital communications at any time of the day. CMS are currently discussing with stakeholders how we can further improve our digital messaging function for customers as well as updates to our current SMS and email notifications. The aim of further digital Improvements is to further increase flexibility for customers to correspond, gather customer information at an accelerated rate, and reduce inbound and outbound telephony demand allowing caseworkers more time to support vulnerable customers and those who cannot use digital channels. We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we consider CMS reforms and recommendations from the Gingerbread report ‘Fix the CMS’.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he expects his Department to respond to the UK REACH Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm) consultation, which closed on 25 July 2024.

The Government is currently considering the best approach to chemicals regulation, including UK REACH. We will publish the Government response to the ATRm consultation in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) industry, (b) NGOs and (c) other stakeholders on the future of UK REACH.

This Government is committed to protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. We regularly engage with a range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, NGOs, academic organisations and other Government departments, in order to seek their input, harness their expertise and provide updates of Defra policy developments.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on developing a UK Chemicals Strategy.

The Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 included the commitment to publish a UK Chemicals Strategy. The EIP has been under review and a revised EIP will be published in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Government’s approach to managing chemicals.

What steps his Department is taking to support the ceramics industry in Staffordshire.

DBT works closely with the ceramics sector through Ceramics UK and directly with Ceramic businesses to understand its challenges and provide support to help its global competitiveness.My department also provides limited support to the ceramics sector through our Supercharger scheme.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase trade with countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Department for Business and Trade works across Sub-Saharan Africa offering direct support to UK businesses looking to expand their business in the region. DBT focuses on markets, sectors, and deals where the UK has a competitive edge. The nine new Trade Envoys for Africa, recently announced by the Government, will seek to develop high level relationships with key decision makers to help further increase trade and investment. In addition, the UK is also actively expanding trade with Africa through nine trade agreements, including with 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme on the living standards of the recipients of that pension in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

The Government and Trustees of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS) have not yet agreed on any changes so we cannot yet make such an assessment. We are currently working with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage public bodies to prioritise the purchase of produce from (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

The new national procurement policy statement sets out requirements for Government contracts, favouring high-quality products that we believe British producers, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Staffordshire more broadly, are well-placed to supply: aiding our ambition for half of food supplied into public sector catering to be from local producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for young people not in education, employment or training in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for people over 70 years old in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

What steps he has taken to increase international investment in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.

The Department for Business and Trade network work with local stakeholders to promote investment opportunities in the region to investors wishing to set up in the area. We work with clients to understand their requirements and to reduce barriers which inform the client’s decision to locate in the region. The funding of a Key Account Management programme is a strategic initiative designed to support FDI by strengthening relationships with existing foreign investors in the Midlands regions. It directs FDI support to businesses playing a crucial role in regional economies, helping foster a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, expand and nurture relationships with investors.

What steps he is taking with his Cabinet colleagues to increase trade between the four nations in the UK.

Statistics show trade between the UK's four nations was worth around £129 billion in 2019, and is particularly important to the economies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of meeting our Plan for Change, the Government wants to work to ensure growth across the country, raising living standards for working people across the UK. The Government has also launched IntertradeUK to advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve digital skills for women in Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency.

The Government published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, identifying five target groups to benefit most from digital inclusion initiatives, including older and young people. The Government understands there are many other impacted groups, and is committed to delivering digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, whatever their circumstances.The Action Plan outlines five immediate Government actions, including enhancing support for the Essential Digital Skills framework that helps people and businesses get essential skills they need to get online safely and confidently, and the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local digital inclusion initiatives across the UK.

What information her Department holds on the number of motor vehicle accidents that have taken place between junctions 12 and 16 of the M6 in each of the last five years.

The number of road injury collisions reported to police occurring between junctions 12 and 16 of the M6, for each of the last five years for which data is available, are shown in the table below.YearNumber of collisions201940202027202120202225202329

Media and Sport, how many individual representations her Department has received from Staffordshire County Council in relation to the ceramics industry in North Staffordshire in each of the last five years.

We have no record of any such representations.

Whether his Department has made a comparative an assessment of the career trajectories of (a) non-UK and (b) UK personnel.

Work is ongoing to better understand and improve the careers and lived experience of all members of our Armed Forces. Defence will only meet current and future security challenges and threats if all our people, regardless of background, are confident that their efforts and skills are properly recognised, their individuality and experience respected, and are able to achieve their full potential. The new Government’s work in improving retention and recruitment is part of a package of measures aimed to renew the contract between the nation and those who serve. We are modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract, and then retain the best possible talent, highlighting that Defence is a modern, forward-facing employer which offers a valuable and rewarding career. Our aim is to attract and recruit more, as well as maximise the number of applicants that successfully enter and remain in Armed Forces employment.

What steps his Department is taking to provide information for non-UK personnel at recruitment and transition about their rights and entitlements.

There is a wide range of information and support available to non-UK recruits and Serving personnel on the Ministry of Defence website and intranet pages, from the single Services, the HIVE Information Centres, the Families Federations, Service Charities and on the Home Office website. This includes single Service guides and policy documents, briefings to personnel, articles in publications such as Welfare Matters and Soldier Magazine and information in: The Service Leavers Guide Service leavers' guide - GOV.UKJoint Service Publication 100: Defence Holistic Transition Policy Defence Holistic Transition PolicyDiscover My Benefits and the Families Hub Discover My BenefitsThe Home Office specific immigration rules for the Armed Forces and their families - the Appendix HM Armed Forces Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix HM Armed Forces - Guidance - GOV.UK. Information is kept under review and updated to ensure it is clear, concise and reflects current policy and rules.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on generating new funding streams for arts and culture initiatives in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the United Kingdom.

On top of significant public investment such as the £444 million per year of funding via Arts Council England’s National Portfolio, and the approximate £100 million per year through their National Lottery project grants, on 20th February the SoS announced an additional package of investment of over £270 million through the Arts Everywhere Fund for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector to boost growth and cement Britain’s place as a cultural powerhouse.The Arts Everywhere Fund includes, for example, £85 million of support via the Creative Foundations Fund to support urgent capital works; a fifth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund worth £25 million; and a fourth round of the Libraries Improvement Fund worth £5.5 million. This investment will support organisations across the country, including those based in Staffordshire.Alongside investment, we are looking at the way the arts and culture sector receives support to help strengthen it further, by reviewing Arts Council England and exploring how we can better encourage philanthropy to attract more funding to the places that need it most. We want to ensure that the UK has the best framework for philanthropy and that partnerships between government, philanthropists, businesses and civil society are maximised. DCMS will continue to work closely with our partners in the philanthropy sector, and with colleagues across government, including HMT, HMRC and the Office for Investment.

What steps she is taking to tackle drug related crime in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

To deliver on our pledge to halve knife crime in the next decade, it is crucial that we tackle the gangs that lure children and young people into crime and run county lines through violence and exploitation.County Lines are the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we will continue to target exploitative drug dealing gangs and break the organised crime groups behind the trade.Since July 2024, policing activity delivered through the County Lines Programme has resulted in over 400 deal lines being closed, the arrest and charge of over 200 deal line holders, 500 arrests and 800 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people.As part of the Programme, the National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) regularly coordinates weeks of intensive action against county lines gangs, which all police forces take part in. The most recent of these took place 25 November to 1 December 2024 and resulted in 261 lines closed, as well as 1,660 arrests, 1,434 individuals safeguarded and 557 weapons seized.As committed to in the Government’s manifesto, we are also introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring children into violent crime. A new criminal offence is necessary to increase convictions against exploiters, deter gangs from enlisting children, and improve identification of victims. Alongside a new offence, we are creating a new regime for CCE prevention orders to prevent exploitative conduct committed by adults against children from occurring or re-occurring.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the (a) effectiveness and (b) performance of the Rural Payments Agency.

The Secretary of State meets arm’s length body CEOs and Chairs bi-annually to discuss delivery and performance. The Minister for Farming has set out a programme of quarterly performance meetings with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). As the principal sponsor of the RPA, Defra works closely with RPA officials at every level to provide constructive challenge and support on RPA performance, efficacy and delivery. Defra ministers as well as the wider political team meet with the RPA leadership to discuss the RPA ’s performance and delivery of departmental priorities.