Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of gaps in East-West rail connectivity in the West Midlands and Stafford; and what steps her Department is taking to improve links between communities that are well-served by North-South rail corridors but poorly connected laterally.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the importance of East–West rail connectivity alongside North–South routes in supporting travel across the West Midlands and Staffordshire.
Connectivity is kept under review, and the Department is currently working with the rail industry to consider further improvements to East–West connectivity at weekends on the North Staffordshire Line.
This work is being taken forward with operators as they develop demand‑led timetables that can adapt to passengers’ evolving needs, whilst also making the running of the railways financially sustainable, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used in the most efficient way.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Carer's Credit rules where care is shared between two or more family members, each meeting the weekly hours threshold, on those people; and whether his Department plans to review eligibility to allow multiple qualifying carers to each receive the credit.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit designed to help people aged 16 to State Pension age who provide at least 20 hours of care a week for a disabled person, to build qualifying years for the State Pension, where they might otherwise miss out. The current rules allow more than one person to receive Carer’s Credit for the same cared‑for person, provided each meets the conditions for entitlement in their own right.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that solar energy development protects rural land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar projects are subject to a rigorous planning process, during which impacts on land use are considered. Planning guidance encourages development on brownfield or previously developed land. Where the use of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred to higher-quality land.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support households that rely on heating oil in the context of recent price increases; and what steps he is considering to protect off-grid households from sudden price volatility.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour.
The CMA will now gather evidence on the
situation in the market and look at whether consumers are being treated fairly. Conversations will continue in the coming days and the CMA have the power to launch an investigation into anything relating to unfair contract terms, misleading consumer practices or anti-competitive behaviour.
The Government is keeping under review whether any further support or action may be needed to protect consumers and we will work with Devolved Governments if any support is developed.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
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 her counterparts in (a) Israel and (b) neighbouring states on steps to (i) end the blockade of Gaza and (ii) to allow timely access for humanitarian aid.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 15 September to Question 77707.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) waiting times at urgent care centres and (b) the geographical coverage of urgent care provision in Staffordshire; and what is the timetable for the (i) opening of new and (ii) upgrading of urgent treatment centres in that county.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local communities, as they are best placed to take those decisions. In doing so, ICBs – including NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, which is responsible for services in Staffordshire – consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to meet patient demand.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes the expansion of Urgent Treatment Centres to allow for the effective streaming of patients, helping to reduce waiting times and overcrowding.
We have been taking key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on Accident and Emergency departments, increasing vaccination rates and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing ICB and trust winter plans to confirm they are able to meet demand and support patient flow.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has she made of the differences in access to public transport facilities in (a) towns and (b) cities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department recognises the importance of having a well-connected, integrated and accessible transport provision available across the country. We are developing a long-term transport strategy to set the vision for domestic transport in England which will consider the variances in transport needs among different communities, including towns and cities.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are internal NHS targets for blood test waiting lists; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to blood tests for patients in Staffordshire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to transforming National Health Service diagnostic services and ensuring timely access to diagnostic tests, including blood tests and that patients have the best possible experience of care.
The Elective Reform Plan published in January 2025 sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this parliament. To achieve this, the plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests.
Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), including Cannock Chase CDC in Staffordshire, are supporting one of the Government’s key strategic shifts – moving care from the hospital to the community. CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including phlebotomy, closer to home and greater choice on where and how they are undertaken. Cannock Chase CDC has delivered 21,673 phlebotomy tests since July 2024.
We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the NHS. As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This is backed by part of the £600 million capital investment for diagnostic services announced at the October Spending review.
We are also funding all pathology networks to increase digital capabilities by March 2026. This will reduce unnecessary waits and repeat tests to ensure that patients receive their blood test results sooner, including in Staffordshire.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that new housing developments in (a) Stafford, (b) Eccleshall, (c) Loggerheads and (d) other villages in Stafford constituency are matched with timely investment in (i) GP capacity, (ii) local schools and (iii) transport infrastructure.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. member to the answer to Question UIN 65505 on 14 July 2025.
Asked by: Leigh Ingham (Labour - Stafford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support police forces to tackle (a) anti-social behaviour in town centres and (b) rural crimes in Staffordshire.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.
The Home Office is providing £66.3 million funding in 2025-26 to all 43 forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime, serious violence and anti-social behaviour. As part of the Hotspot Action Fund 25/26, Staffordshire Police are in receipt of £1m.
On 10 April, the Prime Minister announced the details of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee as part of which forces are also getting 200m on neighbourhood policing.
The Safer Streets Summer Initiative launched on 30 June and ran until 30 September 2025, targeting over 600 town centres across England and Wales, through visible policing and swift, meaningful consequences. The Home Secretary has announced a “Winter of Action” in which police forces across will again partner with local businesses, authorities and police and crime commissioners to target shop theft and ASB. Staffordshire will be once again encouraged to participate.
Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector. Under our Safer Streets Mission reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on equipment theft and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.
This financial year the Home Office will be providing the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000). This funding will enable them to tackle the crimes that mostly affect rural communities.