Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether she has had recent discussions with the Welsh government on the potential impact of including (a) glass and (b) a reuse element in its deposit return scheme on cross-border businesses.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on the deposit return scheme, including through the Resources and Waste Common Framework.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reason the value of the Local Growth Fund being provided to Wales was listed as £547 million on 10 October 2025 and as £633 million on 16 June 2025.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Local Growth Fund will invest £547 million in Wales over the next three years, more than half a billion pounds of much needed investment in Wales. This funding will drive economic growth, create jobs and raise living standards as part of the UK Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity.

The Local Growth Fund at £547 million is just one element of our wider package of targeted, long-term local growth funding referred to in June, which also includes the new Pride in Place initiative. Communities across Wales will benefit from the Pride in Place Programme and Pride in Place Impact Fund, supporting projects that will build stronger communities, create thriving places, and empower local people.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on (a) the ‘Future of TV Distribution’ stakeholder forum and (b) the potential impact of its decision making on Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters. In July, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales met with Broadcast 2040+ to understand their perspectives on the long-term future of terrestrial TV in Wales.

The lead department on this matter, DCMS established the Future of TV Distribution stakeholder forum which takes views from a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices. Before any decisions are made, including in relation to Wales, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on digital terrestrial television as their primary means of watching television.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024-2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.

My Department has not run any internship schemes in the last year.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 on economic regeneration in Neath Port Talbot.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The UK Government recognises the major opportunities floating offshore wind presents for Wales and I am determined to ensure that we take full advantage of them.

Gwynt Glas (a joint venture between EDF Renewables and ESB) and Equinor have now entered into Agreements for Lease with The Crown Estate to develop two 1.5GW Floating Offshore Wind farms in the Celtic Sea through the Leasing Round 5 process, in addition to the five floating wind Test and Demonstration projects (totalling 432MW of capacity) already in development in the region. The Crown Estate has confirmed that work is underway on options to deliver a third 1.5GW lease area.

These new windfarms will be among the largest of their kind in the world and have the capacity to deliver enough power for more than four million homes. It is estimated this new industry will support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion-pound boost to the UK economy, it will also help deliver transformational change to places like Port Talbot. As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the UK Government has reconfirmed up to £80 million for port infrastructure investment in Port Talbot to supporting floating offshore wind and green growth in Wales.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department is made by a British manufacturer.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

We do not hold this information.

The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for clean energy projects in Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

This government is supporting clean energy projects right across Wales – from tidal stream on Anglesey to floating wind in the Celtic Sea - which will create jobs, deliver regional growth and accelerate our drive towards lower bills for households and businesses.

Our new Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out how we will at least double the number of jobs supported by clean energy industries in Wales by the end of the decade.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on fiscal steps to reduce the cost of living in Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Welsh and UK Labour Governments are determined to boost living standards for families right across Wales.

It’s why we secured a record wage increase to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage for up to 160,000 workers.

It’s why we are creating thousands of new jobs in our green industries, our freeports and investment zones.

And it’s why, just two weeks ago, we confirmed a second year of funding for our three economic inactivity trailblazers across Wales – to help people into good, well-paid jobs.

Labour is the only party on the side of working people in Wales and across the UK.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on strengthening the Union.

Answered by Anna McMorrin - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on how our two governments are delivering, investing in Wales’s future and strengthening our union.

Through a record budget settlement for the Welsh Government, alongside our investment into Welsh rail, Growth Deals, Investment Zones, Freeports, Pride in Place Funds and our Defence Growth Deal for Wales – we are working together to improve public services, support communities, drive jobs, and deliver economic growth.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on strengthening the Union.

Answered by Anna McMorrin - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on how our two governments are delivering, investing in Wales’s future and strengthening our union.

Through a record budget settlement for the Welsh Government, alongside our investment into Welsh rail, Growth Deals, Investment Zones, Freeports, Pride in Place Funds and our Defence Growth Deal for Wales – we are working together to improve public services, support communities, drive jobs, and deliver economic growth.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential for the development of offshore wind in Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

This government is supporting offshore wind projects in Wales which will deliver jobs, boost economic growth and clean power.

Under this government, the 1.5GW Mona offshore wind farm off the North Wales coast was awarded development consent, with the potential to support over 3,000 jobs.

And Floating Offshore Wind projects are progressing in the Celtic Sea, which could support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion-pound boost to the UK economy.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased defence spending on Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Defence Industrial Strategy will ensure that defence is an engine for growth across the UK, including Wales.

Wales’s thriving defence sector will benefit from its own Defence Growth Deal backed by a share of £250m.

The deal will harness Wales’s strengths in autonomy and aerospace, unlocking growth, innovation, and jobs across defence and the wider advanced manufacturing sector.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and (b) representatives of the Welsh steel industry on the potential impact of proposed EU steel import quotas on (i) steel production and (ii) employment in Wales.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

I met with the Minister for Industry to discuss the potential impact of proposed EU steel proposals and continue to work closely with cabinet colleagues as Government responds to protect our domestic steel industry. I remain in close contact with all Welsh steelmakers and have had numerous discussions with Tata Steel UK and steel unions to understand the potential impact on individual businesses. As Chair of the Port Talbot Transition Board, I also discussed this with members at the October meeting.

We recognise that global trading conditions remain challenging for the steel industry as global overcapacity, trade diversion and weak demand continue to put downward pressure on prices. To address these conditions, the Government intervened earlier this year to strengthen the current steel safeguard measures. This Government will continue to review stronger trade measures to protect steel producers in South Wales and across the UK.

We are actively engaging at all levels with the European Commission, and key Member States, with the aim of securing a positive outcome for the UK. We will always defend our critical steel industry, which is vital for the UK.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that critical services continue to run in the event of a major internet outage.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provides IT services, including cyber security to my Department.

The government has a robust set of policies in place to ensure there are well-defined and tested incident management processes in place, and to ensure continuity of essential functions in the event of system or service failure.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will publish the Government Cyber Action Plan this Winter, which will set out a clear approach for the Government and the Wider Public Sector to manage cyber security and resilience incidents.

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Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled £214m new funding for Welsh communities to improve neighbourhoods and restore pride, published on 25 September 2025, when the capital funding for Welsh local authorities will be made available; and over what period that funding will be released.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has announced its flagship Pride in Place programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. Nine Local Authorities in Wales will benefit from the new programme. These areas will join five communities where work is already underway, taking the total to fourteen local authorities across Wales sharing £280 million. Local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval with capacity and capital funding to all places from Spring 2026.

On top of this every local authority in Wales will receive £34.5 million of capital funding through a new Pride in Place Impact Fund to improve their public spaces, including fixing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets, more bins to help stop litter and revamping run-down leisure centres. Funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund will go directly to Local Authorities, who will play a leading role in shaping and delivering projects in partnership with their local communities and MPs. The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a two-year programme ending in March 2027. Each Local Authority will shortly receive its first payment of £750,000 with a second to follow next year.

With support from the Wales Office, we will work in partnership with the Welsh Government to implement the new programme to complement the work of their Transforming Towns and Placemaking Initiatives.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled £214m new funding for Welsh communities to improve neighbourhoods and restore pride, published on 25 September 2025, whether the £34.5million in capital funding for Welsh local authorities will be released (a) directly to local authorities, (b) through Corporate Joint Committees or (c) through the Welsh Government.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has announced its flagship Pride in Place programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. Nine Local Authorities in Wales will benefit from the new programme. These areas will join five communities where work is already underway, taking the total to fourteen local authorities across Wales sharing £280 million. Local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval with capacity and capital funding to all places from Spring 2026.

On top of this every local authority in Wales will receive £34.5 million of capital funding through a new Pride in Place Impact Fund to improve their public spaces, including fixing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets, more bins to help stop litter and revamping run-down leisure centres. Funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund will go directly to Local Authorities, who will play a leading role in shaping and delivering projects in partnership with their local communities and MPs. The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a two-year programme ending in March 2027. Each Local Authority will shortly receive its first payment of £750,000 with a second to follow next year.

With support from the Wales Office, we will work in partnership with the Welsh Government to implement the new programme to complement the work of their Transforming Towns and Placemaking Initiatives.

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