Written questions by Morris.

What review process the Department has in place to assess the suitability of (a) the UK-Singapore Bilateral Investment Treaty and (b) other trade and investment treaties.

The UK’s International Investment Agreements (IIAs) aim to enhance opportunities for UK businesses to expand overseas, with commitments that seek to limit the barriers they face, make it easier to navigate local rules, and ensure investments are treated lawfully, and protected against unfair or arbitrary action. The UK draws on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate and build strong trade and investment relationships. There is no specific review process within such Agreements.

What steps the Office for Investment is taking to help promote Northumberland as an investment destination.

The Office for Investment is piloting an Investment Opportunities Accelerator with North East Combined Authority to unlock and accelerate investment opportunities working in collaboration with regional partners, Whitehall departments and industry. The North East’s designation as the UK’s first AI Growth Zone—with sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside—positions it as a national leader in AI innovation. NECA is also receiving support through DSIT’s £30m Innovation Accelerator Fund to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and drive commercialisation in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital sectors.

What steps the Office for Investment is taking to help promote the North East as an investment destination.

The Office for Investment is piloting an Investment Opportunities Accelerator with North East Combined Authority to unlock and accelerate investment opportunities working in collaboration with regional partners, Whitehall departments and industry. The North East’s designation as the UK’s first AI Growth Zone—with sites in Northumberland and North Tyneside—positions it as a national leader in AI innovation. NECA is also receiving support through DSIT’s £30m Innovation Accelerator Fund to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and drive commercialisation in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital sectors.

What discussion his Department is having with relevant stakeholders to support small and medium businesses in providing apprenticeship schemes in rural areas.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are important to the economy and to apprenticeships; they provide valuable opportunities for younger apprentices and apprentices from disadvantaged areas. The Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) is a group of nearly 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of the apprenticeship programme. It operates across all parts of England through nine regional networks. These networks provides buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices. The North-East Region of the AAN is actively engaging with SMEs across the region and is working closely with regional stakeholders to provide support to small businesses. In addition, through Skills England the government is simplifying the skills system and strengthening support for SMEs. Skills England provide the single, authoritative view of skills needs, working closely with employers, training providers and local leaders to ensure provision reflects real labour market demand. To ensure its work is shaped by real business experience, Skills England holds regular dialogue with the B5 group of major employer bodies, including the Federation of Small Businesses. It has a dedicated SME sponsor on its Board, and the Skills England executive team is committed to meeting SMEs across the country to ensure smaller firms have a permanent voice in the design of the skills system.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the cost of insurance premiums for homes at high risk of flooding in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Flood Re is a joint Government and industry flood reinsurance scheme established specifically to help UK households at high risk of flooding to access affordable insurance through their insurance provider. In 2024/25, Flood Re provided cover for over 346,000 household policies. 650,000 properties have benefitted since the scheme’s launch. Notably, prior to Flood Re’s inception, the average home insurance quote for a householder with a flood claim was about £4,400. As of December 2024, the average was c. £1,100. Additionally, 99% of householders at high risk of flooding can now obtain quotes from 10 or more insurers. I met with senior leaders from the insurance industry this month. We discussed how the industry can support customers both to secure relevant and affordable insurance, and at the point of claim, particularly for householders in areas at high risk of flooding such as Hexham constituency, Northumberland, Newcastle, the North East, and across England.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of foundation apprenticeships on levels of sectoral skills in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

New foundation apprenticeships will give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills.Foundation apprenticeships will also support employers in key sectors to meet their current and future skills needs by developing new opportunities to engage with younger employees and build pipelines of talent.The first seven foundation apprenticeships, which launched in August, focused on industrial strategy and priority areas - construction and the built environment, engineering and manufacturing, health and social care, and digital.The department is working with Skills England to explore which other sectors and occupations would be most suitable for foundation apprenticeships. Further detail will be set out in due course.

How much funding has been allocated for teacher training under the reading initiative in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

The government has committed £27.7 million to support and drive high and rising standards in reading in the 2025/26 financial year. This funding will deliver a range of support for schools, including new training for primary schools delivered through the 34 English Hubs, to help children progress from the early stages of phonics through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school, and new support and training for secondary schools to support reading at key stage 3.Hexham, Northumberland and Newcastle are served by St Michael’s English Hub. Schools can find their local English Hub on the English Hubs website: https://englishhubs.net/.

What assessment his Department has made of the level of the UK's exposure to Investor State Disputes in the fossil fuel industry.

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. An independent Tribunal will determine the level of liability, if any, in Investor State Dispute proceedings. The Government has never faced a successful ISDS claim.The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children in temporary accommodation in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East, and (e) England.

We will publish a cross-government strategy that will set out the actions needed across central and local government and the homelessness sector to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. It will put prevention at its core and set a clear vision for tackling homelessness, including both short and long-term interventions.This year (2025/26) we are investing more than £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services, a £316 million increase on the previous year. This will help prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation. We have allocated £644.17 million of funding in 2025/26 through the Homelessness Prevention Grant, helping support local authorities to deliver services to prevent and respond to homelessness. This includes an uplift of £203.8 million compared to last year. The 2025/26 Homelessness Prevention Grant allocations can be found here: Homelessness Prevention Grant allocations: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK . The government is also providing £950 million of investment for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund – the largest investment in the fund to date - to support local authorities in England to increase the supply of good quality temporary accommodation and drive down the use of costly bed and breakfasts and hotels. This Government is also tackling the root causes of homelessness and has committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding for a generation.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) Northumberland County Council and (b) Newcastle City Council on (i) housing targets and (ii) local planning development.

Officials from my Department met with officers from Newcastle City Council on 11 June 2025 to discuss bringing forward a new local development plan under the new plan-making system. The Chief Planner also met senior planners from Newcastle City Council and Northumberland County Council at a meeting convened by North East Combined Authority on 31 July 2025. They discussed strategic planning; planning capacity and capability; digital planning; and the National Planning Policy Framework.

What recent discussions she has had with stakeholders on the promotion of literature (a) about and (b) on the North East of England as part of the proposed National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading is a campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults. It is a departmental initiative, in collaboration with our delivery partner, the National Literacy Trust, who are leading the delivery of the campaign.The National Year of Reading aims to reverse long-term declines in reading for pleasure by engaging new audiences and reshaping public attitudes to embed lasting, meaningful change, beyond 2026.The National Year of Reading 2026 will involve a huge range of events and activities in communities, including in the North East. Some will be bigger versions of well-loved events such as World Book Day and other major events are currently being planned. More information can be found on the National Year of Reading website: https://www.goallin.org.uk/.

What steps his Department is taking to support businesses to transition to clean energy sources in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Net zero is the economic and industrial opportunity of the 21st century, driving growth and creating new jobs whilst benefiting businesses through new market opportunities, access to green finance and reduced energy bills. Government is working in partnership with businesses to support their transition to net zero, including through the Net Zero Council. The UK Business Climate Hub provides advice and guidance to support SMEs to reduce their emissions. Climate Change Agreements provide tax discounts for businesses reducing their emissions, and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund supports industrial sites with high energy use to transition.

What steps his Department is taking to support Commonwealth war graves in the North East.

During the Financial Year 2024-25, the Ministry of Defence paid the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) £56.31 Million Grant-in-Aid funding so that it may continue to honour, in perpetuity, the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the First and Second World Wars by caring for 23,000 war memorials and war cemeteries around the world. Within CWGC’s North East region, more than 22,500 personnel are commemorated at almost 1,360 locations, including war memorials and cemeteries in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, Yorkshire and Humberside.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that communities are consulted on planning applications in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East, and (e) England.

After a local planning authority in England has received a planning application, it must undertake a period of consultation where views on the proposed development can be expressed. The formal consultation period must last for at least 21 days, and the local planning authority will identify and consult groups including a full public consultation with neighbouring residents, community groups and statutory consultees.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that early years pupil premium funding supports her Department's quality improvement objectives in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

The government is taking coordinated steps to ensure Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding aligns with broader quality improvement objectives.Through the department’s Best Start in Life strategy, we are ensuring that families can access affordable high-quality early education. In April 2025, EYPP increased by an unprecedented 45%, to a maximum of £570 per year per child in all local authorities in England.The government’s new early years strategy, ‘Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life’, links EYPP to improving quality of early years, strengthening transitions into primary school and enhancing workforce development. This includes the EYPP uplift targeted at areas most in need and published guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-pupil-premium-guide-for-local-authorities/early-years-pupil-premium-guide-for-local-authorities.From 2026, we aim to provide additional EYPP funding in areas most in need, ensuring that children most at risk of falling behind receive support.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of the 19 March 2025 to Question 38424 on Sleeping Rough: North East, whether his Department has had further discussions with relevant stakeholders on the extension of the (a) Rough Sleeping Initiative and (b) Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant in the North East.

The Government has set out our proposal for consolidating funding across all forms of homelessness, through the first multi-year settlement in a decade, in the Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation on gov.uk here. For 2025-26, we consolidated our main rough sleeping and single homelessness focused grants (Rough Sleeping Initiative, which includes Housing First funding, and Accommodation for Ex Offenders) into a single Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant. In 2025-26, the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant will provide over £255 million in funding across England, including over £4.9 million for Local Authorities in the North East. From 2026-27, the Fair Funding Review 2.0 includes proposals to roll the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant into a consolidated Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Grant, alongside the Homelessness Prevention Grant and the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme. Funding for temporary accommodation, currently part of Homelessness Prevention Grant, is proposed to be consolidated into the Local Government Finance Settlement Revenue Support Grant.

With reference to the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, what discussions her Department has had on support for young people in the North East to attend universities.

The department is determined that opportunity is available to all who have the aspiration and talent to succeed in higher education (HE), regardless of where they live.To inform the development of the Post-16 education and skills white paper, the department engaged with a range of stakeholders, including HE providers, representative bodies, and Mayoral Strategic Authorities across England.The department will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses at Levels 4 to 6, including technical qualifications and degrees, aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.Professor Kathryn Mitchell of the University of Derby has agreed to chair the Access and Participation Task and Finish Group. This will consist of sector experts and charities, with representation from across different regions of the country. It will focus on developing options to address regional disparities in access to HE and tackling the most systemic barriers to access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

What conversations his Department has had with relevant stakeholders to improve access to finance for small and medium businesses in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

Representatives of the British Business Bank’s UK Network hold regular discussions with relevant stakeholders to improve access to finance in the North-East, as well as providing intelligence that helps inform future market interventions. North-East businesses benefit from a range of Government finance market interventions, including the £660 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II which provides debt and equity finance. From 2012 to 30 June 2025 a total of 6,442 Start Up Loans worth in aggregate £62.4 million had been issued to businesses in the North East, of which 251 loans worth in aggregate £2.7 million were to businesses in Hexham constituency.

Whether his Department has had recent discussions with representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises on the UK- Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership.

My department is working closely with the Taiwanese authorities to embed stakeholder views into the delivery of the UK–Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP). This includes industry’s feedback on the ETP from the British Office Taipei’s annual business survey, which includes perspectives from small and medium-sized enterprises.The ETP includes a Pillar on Energy and Net-Zero. My department will continue to engage with offshore wind stakeholders including business throughout the implementation of the ETP, as well as around the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s annual Energy Dialogue and the UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Roundtable.

Whether his Department has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on (a) the UK- Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership and (b) offshore wind.

My department is working closely with the Taiwanese authorities to embed stakeholder views into the delivery of the UK–Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP). This includes industry’s feedback on the ETP from the British Office Taipei’s annual business survey, which includes perspectives from small and medium-sized enterprises.The ETP includes a Pillar on Energy and Net-Zero. My department will continue to engage with offshore wind stakeholders including business throughout the implementation of the ETP, as well as around the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero’s annual Energy Dialogue and the UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Roundtable.