Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to take steps to help support the work of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme (FiPL) has supported Staffordshire Wildlife Trust through the Cannock Chase National Landscape, with several projects including wetland and river restoration, heathland restoration with volunteer engagement, and support for white clawed crayfish conservation.
The EA has long worked closely with the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to help develop and deliver projects to improve rivers and watercourses. The EA supports this work through their Environment Programme. EA funding is helping to deliver projects across the Trent Headwaters, Stafford, and Cannock areas.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the impact of the plastic waste export regime on recycling figures in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, b) Staffordshire and c) England.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Waste plastic can generally only be exported from the UK for recycling. Where the UK cannot currently recycle materials economically, including plastic waste collected in Newcastle Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, and the wider country, exports can help ensure those materials are recycled rather than landfilled. No specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of the impact of the plastic waste export regime on recycling figures in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire or England.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she had with the Association of Commonwealth Universities on her Departmental priorities since her appointment.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
No meetings have taken place with the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of the her Department's support for farmers and (b) effectiveness of the work of the Rural Payments Agency since 5 September 2025.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is backing British farming, prioritising investment that supports the Government’s Plan for Change and building on the Secretary of State’s work to reform Defra to drive growth while maintaining a steadfast commitment to farming, food security, and nature’s recovery.
We are investing more than £2.7bn a year in farming and nature recovery, with funding for the Environmental Land Management Schemes paid to farmers increasing by 150% from £800m in 2023/24 to £2bn by 2028/29.
The effectiveness of the RPA is a priority. Since 5 September the RPA has opened the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier Scheme and supported the recent announcement regarding extensions to Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreements, which the RPA will now operationalise. I have met the interim CEO and the newly appointed permanent CEO of the RPA and will ensure there is regular and effective Ministerial oversight of the Agency’s performance.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his South African counterpart on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence has not recently directly discussed the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with any of his counterparts from other CWGC member nations.
The Secretary of State, as the de-facto Chair of the Commission, is usually represented by the Defence Services Secretary at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners meetings. These are attended by the High Commissioners of each of the CWGC’s member nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Their presence ensures a consistent link between the Commission and the Governments of its member nations. The next meeting is scheduled to held on 3 December 2025 where key aspects of the Commission’s ongoing and future work will be discussed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his Indian counterpart on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence has not recently directly discussed the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with any of his counterparts from other CWGC member nations.
The Secretary of State, as the de-facto Chair of the Commission, is usually represented by the Defence Services Secretary at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners meetings. These are attended by the High Commissioners of each of the CWGC’s member nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Their presence ensures a consistent link between the Commission and the Governments of its member nations. The next meeting is scheduled to held on 3 December 2025 where key aspects of the Commission’s ongoing and future work will be discussed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in the African Union on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence has not recently directly discussed the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with any of his counterparts from other CWGC member nations.
The Secretary of State, as the de-facto Chair of the Commission, is usually represented by the Defence Services Secretary at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners meetings. These are attended by the High Commissioners of each of the CWGC’s member nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Their presence ensures a consistent link between the Commission and the Governments of its member nations. The next meeting is scheduled to held on 3 December 2025 where key aspects of the Commission’s ongoing and future work will be discussed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his Australian counterpart on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Secretary of State for Defence has not recently directly discussed the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with any of his counterparts from other CWGC member nations.
The Secretary of State, as the de-facto Chair of the Commission, is usually represented by the Defence Services Secretary at the quarterly CWGC Commissioners meetings. These are attended by the High Commissioners of each of the CWGC’s member nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa. Their presence ensures a consistent link between the Commission and the Governments of its member nations. The next meeting is scheduled to held on 3 December 2025 where key aspects of the Commission’s ongoing and future work will be discussed.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission since her appointment.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All meetings with external bodies will be published in the normal way on gov.uk.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what financial support the Government has provided the Commonwealth War Graves Commission since July 2024.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Government provided £59.24 million to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission during the Financial Year 2024-25.