Staffordshire: Cultural Contribution

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 29th April 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Lord Commissioner of His Majesty's Treasury (Vicky Foxcroft)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss.

I am pleased to respond to this debate on behalf of the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, my hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda and Ogmore (Chris Bryant). I warned him that I might have to commit him to some stuff in responding to this debate. [Laughter.] At the moment, I am only committing him to writing to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Dr Gardner) about Stoke’s bid to be a UNESCO city of crafts and folk art. I will make sure the Minister responds to her.

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Leigh Ingham) on securing this debate and delivering a powerful speech that highlighted the wonders of Staffordshire. The number of contributors to this debate has also been extremely impressive.

Staffordshire is responsible for some truly significant contributions to the culture of Britain and beyond, both historically and in the present day. My hon. Friend gave a number of wonderful examples, and I will add to her reflections. The Staffordshire hoard, discovered in 2009, is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and metalwork ever found, which shows the region’s historical importance even in early medieval times.

Samuel Johnson, the influential lexicographer and writer, was born in Lichfield. His dictionary of the English language, the first ever compiled, was a foundational work. He also rewrote the plays of William Shakespeare to ensure that all discrepancies were written out, which I find extremely interesting as somebody who studied performing arts at college, and drama and business at university.

Staffordshire is world famous for its ceramics industry, as my hon. Friends the Members for Stoke-on-Trent South and for Stoke-on-Trent Central (Gareth Snell) so eloquently described. Josiah Wedgwood revolutionised pottery in the 18th century with industrial methods and high-quality wares. His legacy is celebrated today at the Wedgwood Collection in Barlaston, which is operated by the V&A, one of our great national museums.

Perhaps more than anywhere else, Staffordshire, with its pottery, is a compelling example of how culture and creativity go hand in hand. This Government are committed to supporting culture and to making sure that arts and cultural activities are no longer the preserve of a privileged few. As part of our plan for change, we are committed to ensuring that the arts and culture thrive in every part of the country, with more opportunities for more people to engage with, benefit from and work in the arts and culture where they live.

[Sir Gavin Williamson]

Will the Minister give way?

[Vicky Foxcroft]

I cannot get through the speech if I do; I am sorry.

That is why this Government are proud to support the arts and culture. Only recently, we announced more than £270 million of investment for our arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage sector via the Arts Everywhere fund. And the £85 million Creative Foundations fund, which was announced earlier this year, will help arts and cultural organisations with varying scales of need to resolve urgent issues with their infrastructure.

[Sir Gavin Williamson]

The Minister makes a very important point about ensuring that areas outside London are able to get an important slice of cultural contributions. As the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism is not here, would she go back with representations on how we can bring some of those cultural institutions out of London to places such as Staffordshire—not just to Stone, Great Wyrley or Penkridge, but to many other communities across the county?

[Vicky Foxcroft]

The right hon. Member makes a really good point, and I will feed that back. I am missing out some of my speech and jumping ahead because I want my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford to have the opportunity to respond.

After preparing for and listening to this debate, I am tempted to ditch my beach holiday and instead take a trip to Staffordshire. I could join my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central for a pint at the Titanic brewery or the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood) to learn about the origins of the gunpowder plot. I could join my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South at the Longton Pig Walk before watching a pantomime with the right hon. Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge (Sir Gavin Williamson). I could then join my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Adam Jogee) for some horse riding—maybe with the Father who is retiring.

[Adam Jogee]

When the Minister comes to Staffordshire, she will meet some very wise people, not least the folk who elected nine Labour MPs out of 12 at the general election. Many hon. Members had to scribble away half their speeches, so when the Minister goes back to her colleagues, will she encourage them to find Government time for a debate on these issues?

[Vicky Foxcroft]

I will make sure I raise that point, and good on hon. and right hon. Members for pressing me to get the Minister to commit to many things.

I will then join the right hon. Member for Staffordshire Moorlands (Dame Karen Bradley) for a history lesson in architecture. She also mentioned Alton Towers, where I have very fond memories of going as a child. And who does not love a castle? I will also join my hon. Friend the Member for Tamworth (Sarah Edwards) in visiting Tamworth castle. By that stage, I will probably be ready for another beer, so I had better pay a visit to the brewing capital of the world—Burton and Uttoxeter.

My hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Josh Newbury) convinced me that we need to secure funding for our theatres. I feel very strongly and passionately about theatres, and I know the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism does too. I am certain there is nowhere else we need to be on 1 May, but if there were, it would be Staffordshire. I wish everyone a happy Staffordshire Day.

Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 7th May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Hunt]

Could I suggest, if the hon. Member really thinks that inflation falling from 11% to 3.2% is little comfort to her constituents, that she might want to talk to a few more of them, because actually it is the biggest single thing that we can do to deal with cost of living pressures. If she says, “What are we doing to tackle the scourge of low pay?” we have abolished it by raising the national living wage to £11.44 this year alone. For someone working full-time, that will mean an increase in their pay of £1,800.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

13. Whether he has taken recent steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that people with disabilities can access their child trust fund when they turn 18.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Bim Afolami)]

On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice launched a programme to raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in relation to how and when to access child trust funds. The first part of this programme is a new toolkit. The Ministry of Justice will continue that programme of work to raise awareness of how to obtain legal authority to access a child trust fund, for which a court fee waiver is available.

[Vicky Foxcroft]

The only way for parents of young people without capacity to access their child trust fund is through a deputyship order. After consulting on the introduction of a mental capacity small payment scheme, which would allow a suitable person temporary access to release the funds, Ministers opted not to legislate, and instead introduced a toolkit, as has been said. Over 80,000 young people in England and Wales remain locked out of their child trust fund, so would the Minister agree to look at this again?

[Bim Afolami]

I thank the hon. Lady for her question, and I know how avidly she campaigns in this area. The House should know—and you should know, Mr Speaker—that I recently met my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Sir Jeremy Quin) and the hon. Member for Sheffield Central (Paul Blomfield) to discuss this very issue. I am very happy to meet the hon. Lady as well to discuss it and to see if we can get a solution, because we do want to get this problem fixed.

Cost of Living Increases

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 25th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

I wish we did not need this debate, but unfortunately, as all Opposition Members know, the cost of living crisis is biting harder than ever. As we have heard, under the Conservatives, food prices have risen at the highest rate for more than 45 years. I want to speak today about the implications of that for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

Depending on the nature of their disability, some people have difficulty preparing certain foods and rely on pre-prepared or convenience foods, which frequently works out more expensive than buying raw ingredients. The price of ready meals rose by almost 22% in 2022. If, for example, someone has difficulty standing or sitting for long enough to prepare a meal from scratch, they may feel that they have no choice but to pay those prices.

Rising food costs are also a huge source of concern for those on specialist medical diets. In a report published last month, Coeliac UK revealed that a gluten-free weekly shop can be up to 20% more expensive than a standard shop. For example, the cheapest loaves of gluten-free bread cost more than seven times the standard equivalent.

Even before the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis, disabled people faced extra costs of £583 per month on average—the so-called disability price tag. Scope is set to reveal an updated figure tomorrow, which I understand is substantially higher. I can confirm that the new statistics show that the extra cost of disability is equivalent to 63% of household income after housing costs. If, for example, a non-disabled household spends £100 per week on their food shop, an equivalent disabled household will need an additional £63. Again, even before the cost of living crisis, people with coeliac disease and those with other specialist diets faced higher prices when accessing essential foods.

When the price of everything has risen so substantially and there are fewer opportunities to shop around, it follows that those who are already at the sharp end will be hit hardest. I am sure that the Minister will agree that that is a shocking disparity. I hope to hear in his concluding remarks that he will pay close attention to Scope’s announcement tomorrow on the disability price tag, and lay out a clear plan to alleviate the financial pressure on the people hit hardest, first by covid and now by the cost of living crisis.

Non-domicile Tax Status

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 31st January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

In a modern society it is ridiculous that we still have so many loopholes for people paying tax. If people live and work here and benefit from our public services and our society, they should contribute fully in their taxes. As colleagues have said, the Tory Government have failed to close the non-dom tax loophole and are instead choosing to raise taxes on working people.

However, I do not want to focus my time on restating the arguments already presented. Instead, I will speak about how the revenue created by the abolition of non-dom tax status would be used to benefit our young people—headline-banging stuff. As colleagues may recall, in 2016 I set up the cross-party Youth Violence Commission, and we spent the next four years examining the root causes of youth violence in our search for solutions. We held a series of evidence sessions in Parliament and worked with academics and practitioners to produce our full report in 2020. The early years of a child’s life can have significant long-lasting effects on their life course trajectory, affecting everything from physical and mental health to skills development.

Many of the witnesses emphasised to the commission the importance of the early years, and a point that came up time and again was the importance of early intervention. Witnesses spoke at length about the links between early childhood experiences and the likelihood of being involved in serious violence later in life. One of the report’s recommendations was for further investment in programmes that help to prepare parents for parenthood and provide support in the early years of parenting.

It might seem a modest start, but Labour’s pledge to deliver breakfast clubs in every primary school in England, alongside our promise to remove legal barriers to councils opening new childcare facilities, will be an important first step on the route to delivering a modern childcare system. Although our schools and other breakfast club providers try to keep their costs down, as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, too many families are struggling to afford childcare. That forces many to cut back on their hours or even to leave the labour market altogether. As well as enabling parents to work, breakfast clubs have been found to be good for children’s social development and to encourage healthier choices. I am sure that we have all been told at one time or another that just having a good breakfast helps with concentration.

Our young people are our future, and we should be investing in them, so I ask the Government to end non-dom status and offshoring, and prioritise the future of our young people.

Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 20th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[John Glen]

I am sorry that I cannot give an early Christmas present. Allocations from that funding are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. I encourage my right hon. Friend to speak to the Health Secretary, who is working hard with the Treasury and other parts of Government to look at capital projects across the whole of health. Announcements will be made in due course, early in the new year, I hope.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

T5. Changes to the eligibility criteria for the warm home discount mean that those in receipt of disability living allowance, personal independence payment and attendance allowance can no longer claim it. I am sure the Minister will tell me that disabled people are being compensated via the two disability cost of living payments, but new research by YouGov has found that millions of disabled people are spending this winter living in cold and damp homes. What is he doing to ensure that no disabled person has to choose between eating and heating?

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (James Cartlidge)]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for that important point. Yes, I would draw attention to the cost of living support for those on disability benefits, which is extremely important, together with the energy price guarantee. On the specific point about the warm home discount, I am happy to look into that and write to the hon. Lady, but I remind her that in the autumn statement the Chancellor made a very significant commitment to energy efficiency which will apply to the whole country: the 15% target and £6 billion more funding for energy efficiency.

Economy Update

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Thursday 26th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

While I broadly agree with my right hon. Friend that that is the best way to help people over time, in a particular circumstance such as this, and given the types of people we are trying to help, I believe that direct cash transfers are the right way, rather than going through the tax system. I have talked to my right hon. Friend the Energy Secretary about the issue that my right hon. Friend raises. He is right to raise it, and I know that the Energy Secretary is focused on ensuring that the fuel duty cut is passed on.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

Does the Chancellor now admit that he got it wrong in excluding disabled people from the warm home discount, which excluded 210,000 people who desperately needed help? Can I have confirmation that this announcement means that those 210,000 people are now eligible?

[Rishi Sunak]

The warm home discount is an existing scheme that covers only 3 million households. It is also funded by other billpayers. What we are doing today is setting out Exchequer-funded support to all those on means-tested benefits, so that anyone on those benefits will benefit from the £650. Additionally, those in receipt of any other disability benefits, which are non-means-tested, will receive £150.

Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 15th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Lucy Frazer)]

It was very interesting to meet my hon. Friend, together with his colleagues from the all-party parliamentary group on investment fraud, and to hear his idea. As we discussed, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is very keen to make clear which schemes do not work. That is why, in the Finance Act 2022, the Government legislated to allow HMRC to name promoters and the schemes they promote at the earliest possible stage, to warn taxpayers of the risk of entering into those schemes, and to help those already involved to exit avoidance.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

T2. Research by Scope showed that one third of disabled households were already living in poverty last year. NatCen’s recent report on health and disability benefits, which was commissioned by the Government, further illustrates the devastating impact of insufficient financial support. What do Ministers have to say to disabled people who are already struggling and are now living in fear of worse to come?

[Rishi Sunak]

We are spending record amounts on supporting those who are disabled. Relative to the OECD, I think we are spending in excess of the average for other leading countries. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has a particular programme of support in place to help those who are disabled to move into employment; plans were announced earlier this year.

Downing Street Garden Event

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 11th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Michael Ellis]

I will not disclose personal conversations, or otherwise. What I will say is that it is my—[Interruption.] I am answering the questions on behalf of the Government today and the reality is, the investigation will take its course and the hon. Lady will have answers then.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

My good friend and constituent, Will, whose father was ill with cancer, only saw him through a window for his 50th birthday, the day after the Downing Street party. Five weeks later his father sadly passed away, and only 15 were allowed at the funeral. What do the Minister and the Prime Minister have to say to Will and his family, because quite frankly they feel that there is one rule for them and another rule for everyone else?

[Michael Ellis]

I offer my condolences to the hon. Lady’s friend and constituent and her friend’s father for their loss. When I speak from this Dispatch Box, I do so as an individual who understands the loss that others have suffered. We all know that; everyone in this House knows that. We all are equal under the law in this country, and as a Law Officer I recognise that first and foremost. She will no doubt also recognise that in the interests of fairness, when the inquiry or investigation is under way it should be allowed to come to its natural conclusion.

Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Tuesday 9th March 2021 Commons Chamber

The Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked—

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab)]

What assessment he has made of implications for his policies of the financial barriers to people’s compliance with the requirement to self-isolate during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

[Judith Cummins (Bradford South) (Lab)]

What assessment he has made of implications for his policies of the financial barriers to people’s compliance with the requirement to self-isolate during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay)]

People who are instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and are on a qualifying means-tested benefit, unable to work from home and losing income as a result may be entitled to a payment of £500 from their local authority.

[Vicky Foxcroft [V]]

We need people to self-isolate to control transmission and ease restrictions, yet many are continuing to work as they cannot survive on £95.85 statutory sick pay per week. The Chancellor has been asked about this on numerous occasions, and it was disappointing that nothing new was announced in his Budget. Does the Minister agree that those who do not have access to occupational sick pay and cannot work from home should be eligible for the Test and Trace support payments?

[Steve Barclay]

The hon. Lady is right that many people —indeed, the majority of workers—will have support from employers above statutory sick pay, but it is for the reason she outlines that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor also announced that there will be a payment of £500 for those not qualifying for the means-tested benefit, paid through the discretionary scheme that was funded at the Budget and to be administered by local authorities.

Spending Review 2020 and OBR Forecast

Vicky Foxcroft Excerpts

Wednesday 25th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Rishi Sunak]

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point, and the way he framed it was spot on. He will be reassured to know that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has written to IPSA on behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister and I to express our views on the situation, to inform it about the pay policy that we have put in place in the public sector and to urge it to take account of that when it sets pay policy. Of course, it is an independent body, but I hope very much that it will look at what we are doing.

[Vicky Foxcroft (Lewisham, Deptford) (Lab) [V]]

The Youth Violence Commission report, published earlier this year, highlighted the importance of high-quality youth services provision, yet in a recent written response to the report, the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Louth and Horncastle (Victoria Atkins), made no mention of the youth investment fund, and neither did the Chancellor today. Indeed, when the hon. Member for Southend West (Sir David Amess) asked about it, the Chancellor did not seem to know what he was on about. Does this mean that the promised and already delayed £500 million has been shelved?

[Rishi Sunak]

No, it has not been shelved, and I can he tell the hon. Lady that there is extra funding in this spending review for youth services. There is an amount of money for extra capital projects for youth clubs and, of course, funding for the National Citizen Service. More generally, the Government will review their approach to all youth services later this spring, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will set out the details in due course.