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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to increase the use of British made bricks in construction in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that was published on 17 August contains policies designed to ensure that a sufficient supply of minerals is maintained whilst appropriately managing environmental impacts.

The new Framework recognises the importance of brick clay and supports a sufficient long-term supply, including from a number of different sources to enable appropriate blends to be made.

The British Industry Supercharger supports a number of clay brick manufacturers around the UK, including in Staffordshire. Eligible businesses supported by the Supercharger benefitted from the recent uplift to the Network Charging Compensation Scheme, a part of the Supercharger, from 60% to 90% and now receive a reduction of approximately £65 – £87 per megawatt hour off their electricity bills.