theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_366

Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has consulted the International Panel on Climate Change on the future of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields. \p Michael Shanks: Should the developers of the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields choose to re-submit applications for consent they will need to undertake a comprehensive assessment of scope 3 emissions, drawing on appropriate sources of information as referenced in the guidance that we have published. As these projects may be subject to future regulatory decisions, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Mike Reader:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take with local authorities to encourage consumer-led flexibility in the energy market in Northampton South constituency. \p Michael Shanks: This Government supports significant growth in consumer-led flexibility, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. In our Action Plan, Government committed to publishing a Flexibility Roadmap in 2025. The Roadmap will set out further detail on how the benefits of clean flexibility can be unlocked for consumers across all parliamentary constituencies in Great Britain, including Northampton South. The government will continue to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, including with local authorities to support greater uptake of public on-street EV charging.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57653, on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Islamophobia, what the company registration number or registered charity number is of the external training provider. \p Michael Shanks: DESNZ does not routinely collect this information for services below a defined threshold, and this training provider does not meet that threshold, therefore we are unable to provide information regarding the company registration number or registered charity number of the training provider.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment of the potential impact of (a) Artificial General Intelligence and (b) Artificial Super Intelligence on the (i) safety and (ii) security systems of (A) Sizewell C and (B) other future nuclear energy infrastructure. \p Michael Shanks: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) as the UK’s independent regulator is responsible for assessing the safety and security of UK civil nuclear sites and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is considered in their regulatory approach. The ONR are collaborating with industry and various regulators in other countries to support its regulation and share good practice, including on AI. Relevant reports by the ONR can be found here: ONR’s pro-innovation approach to AI regulation and New paper shares international principles for regulating AI in the nuclear sector | Office for Nuclear Regulation
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with local authorities on supporting the development of green innovation investment zones. \p Kerry McCarthy: As set out in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, part of the Industrial Strategy, the department is launching a new Industrial Strategy Zones Net Zero Network, which will support collaboration between partners in Industrial Strategy Zones such as Investment Zones and Freeports, including local authorities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of laws governing the hours worked by agricultural vehicle drivers. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport (DfT) has not assessed the adequacy of the laws governing the hours worked by agricultural vehicle drivers.

The regulations that apply to the hours worked by drivers of agricultural vehicles depend on a range of factors. For example, drivers of some agricultural vehicles, if used for commercial non-agricultural haulage on public roads, may need to comply with the assimilated drivers’ hours rules (Regulation (EC) 561/2006, as it has effect in the UK) which set maximum limits on driving and minimum requirements for breaks and rest periods. These drivers follow the sector-specific Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005. There are a number of exemptions from the assimilated drivers’ hours rules, including for tractors not capable of exceeding 40 km/h and tractors used for agricultural or forestry activities within 100 km of their base.

Drivers of tractors that are exempt from the assimilated rules are likely to be subject to GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, which set maximum driving limits and maximum duty limits, and would need to comply with the general Working Time Regulations 1998, unless the driver drives for less than 4 hours in a day or drives only off-road.

The DfT has published guidance on the regulations that apply to agricultural vehicles on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tractors-regulations-on-use.
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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to respond to correspondence of 1 July 2025 from the hon. Member for Meriden and Solihull East on the Midlands Rail Hub, reference MC2025-14224. \p Simon Lightwood: The Rail Minister is replying to the hon. member's letter and if he has not received a response already, he will do so in coming days.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff were moved from Great British Railways Transition Team to (a) Network Rail, (b) DfT Operator and (c) her Department following the disbandment of the Great British Railways Transition Team on March 31, 2025. \p Simon Lightwood: On 31st March 2025 GBRTT had 208 employees. Since this date 31 people have left the legacy organisation's employment, and 12 people have joined or are joining; resulting in 189 employees. The remaining 189 employees have almost all moved into Network Rail, except for four people who are working at DfTO and one person who has re-joined DfT.
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Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the punctuality of (a) Avanti West Coast, (b) CrossCountry and (c) West Midlands Railway. \p Simon Lightwood: Punctuality (percentage of station calls made within three minutes of schedule) for these three operators were as follows in the most recent rail period 3 (25 May to 21 June):

Avanti West Coast – 60.1 per cent period 3, 59.1 per cent moving annual average;

CrossCountry – 66.9 per cent period 3, 69.0 per cent moving annual average, and;

West Midlands Trains – 84.1 per cent period 3, 82.9 per cent moving annual average, which includes the West Midlands Railway 86.3 per cent period 3 result.

We recognise performance is not where it needs to be for passengers, particularly for Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry which are consistently among the least punctual operators. Officials and Ministers have regular engagement with operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards. We are also working with the rail industry on a Performance Restoration Framework, with five clear areas of focus to recover performance to acceptable levels, including timetable resilience, staffing and keeping trains safely moving during disruptive events.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill and her Department's document entitled English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether she will bring forward legislative proposals for (a) Mayors to have a statutory role in (i) governing, (ii) managing and (iii) planning railways, and (b) an option for Mayors to control local railway stations and (c) the right for Mayors to request rail devolution. \p Simon Lightwood: These subjects will be addressed in the Railways Bill, to be introduced later in this parliamentary session, and with accompanying guidance on the right to request. Guidance will outline the process for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities to make this request and the criteria that will be considered, such as national and regional network implications.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered the potential merits of a direct train service between stations on the Robin Hood Line and London. \p Simon Lightwood: There has been no consideration to East Midlands Railway providing a direct service between London and stations on the Robin Hood Line. However, the Department is happy to work 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 amid the current financial constraints.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of skilled workers to complete rail electrification of the (a) North and (B) South Wales main lines. \p Simon Lightwood: Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager for Great Britain’s railways, is responsible for considering the skills and workforce requirements for infrastructure projects such as electrification schemes. It is assisted in this by the National Skills Academy for Rail, which supports the rail industry in acquiring, maintaining and developing the workforce it needs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve East-West connectivity (a) in the Midlands and (b) nationwide. \p Simon Lightwood: The first phase of Midlands Rail Hub (‘Western’ scope) would enable additional trains each hour between Birmingham and South Wales and the South West, and on Birmingham’s Cross City Line. This includes extending Chiltern services from Moor Street to Snow Hill station by improving connectivity across the region.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of ground operations at English airports. \p Mike Kane: The safety of aviation, the travelling public and aviation workers is a priority for the government.

Ground handling in the UK is transitioning to a more regulated environment to ensure that we uphold the excellent safety record of the UK aviation sector and continue to be compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The Civil Aviation Authority is working on new Ground Handling Regulation that will be applicable at all UK Certified and Licensed Aerodromes. The development of these new rules acknowledges the important role of ground handling in keeping aviation safe for passengers and employees.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to improve aviation interconnectivity between the four nations of the UK. \p Mike Kane: Airports serve our local communities by supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a gateway to international opportunities, alongside maintaining social and family ties and strengthening the bonds between the four nations.

The Government supports connectivity across the union through our joint-funding of three Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes into London from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry.

Furthermore, the Aviation Futures Forum, which I Co-Chair, has agreed to establish a number of working groups including one on Regional Aviation. The Group will report back to the Forum in due course.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of British aviation safety standards. \p Mike Kane: Recognised international metrics show that UK airspace and airlines are amongst the safest in the world. We have an exemplary record that ensures consumer confidence and international trust in the UK’s regulatory regime. The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.

The effectiveness of the standards are maintained through robust processes in place to ensure the safety of passengers. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets global standards for aviation safety to ensure there is a harmonization of standards. As a signatory to the Chicago Convention, we are responsible for ensuring compliance of all UK aviation authorities (UKAAs) we oversee, such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories. Both the DfT and the UKAAs are responsible for rulemaking processes regarding aviation safety and ensuring ICAO obligations are met.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding her Department has allocated to the M54 to M6 link road in Staffordshire; and how she plans to allocate this funding across the Spending Review period. \p Lilian Greenwood: On the 8th July, the Transport Secretary announced that the scheme will be progressing, following on from the Spending Review in June. £24 billion of capital funding is being provided between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain and improve motorways and local roads. Scheme costs for the Strategic Road Network schemes including the M54 to M6 Link Road will be confirmed as part of the setting of the third road investment strategy (RIS3), planned to be published by the end of March next year.

The delivery timetable for the scheme will also be confirmed during the setting of the next Road Investment Strategy [RIS3], which begins in April 2026.
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Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) insurers, (b) technology developers, (c) investigators and (d) other key stakeholders can access essential AV data for (a) real-world performance monitoring and (b) post-collision analysis. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport is working to implement the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act 2024, which includes provisions to enable appropriate access to AV data.

As part of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ AV Act Implementation Programme, work is ongoing to ensure that key stakeholders can access the data they need to support the safe deployment of self-driving technologies. This includes a recent call for evidence on the Statement of Safety Principles and consultation on protecting marketing terms, with the aim of delivering the regulatory framework in the second half of 2027.

At the international level, the UK continues to contribute to the work underway at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on harmonised rules for automated driving systems. This includes provisions for a regulation on a data storage system for AVs, which will ensure that AVs record and store the key data points required for performance monitoring and post-collision analysis.

The AV Act allows for conditions to be set in secondary legislation to require the sharing of data and information (including with public bodies and insurers) where it is necessary to support the safe operation of AVs. It requires arrangements to be made for monitoring and assessing the general performance of AVs, with an annual report produced. The Act also makes provisions for the investigation of incidents, ensuring that incident inspectors have the powers to access all data needed.
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Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how she plans to roll out at-home electric vehicle charging points for people in terrace housing with no off-street parking. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is working with local authorities to encourage the use of cross-pavement solutions and on the 13 July, announced the £25m Electric Vehicle Pavement Channel grant to further support local authorities in England to adopt pavement channels. This will allow EV drivers to access their domestic electricity tariffs by safely connecting a home EV charger to their vehicle parked on-street and adds to published local authority guidance and home charging grants that the Government already provides.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve customer confidence in battery performance when buying used Euro 6 compliant electric vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate and the recently announced Electric Car Grant require manufacturers to provide a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles on EV batteries. In comparison, new petrol or diesel cars usually come with a 3-year warranty.  Moreover, during the warranty period, if the battery capacity drops below 70% for cars or 65% for vans, the manufacturer must provide a replacement battery.

The UK has worked with international partners at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop a Global Technical Regulation on EV batteries (GTR No.22). If implemented, this regulation would ensure that EVs provide easily accessible, accurate, and comparable information on the battery’s state of health. The Government is analysing options for the implementation of GTR No.22 regulations in the UK.
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Jen Craft:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 65933 on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls, what estimate she has made of the change in the level of car journeys on that crossing due to (a) the change in charges and (b) other factors for the years 2025 to 2030 inclusive. \p Lilian Greenwood: Our assessment is that average daily car journeys at the Dartford Crossing during the chargeable hours xx-xxxx-xxxx) for the first twelve months after the increase in charges will be between 4500-6000 fewer than would otherwise have been the case. We consider those figures should be treated with caution given the limitations of the assessment however, and consequently that it is the expected trends for changed traffic demand given in the answer of 11 July that are the more pertinent consideration. No estimates have been made for the other years or other factors.
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Jen Craft:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2025 to Question 65933 on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls, on what evidential basis her Department expects there to be fewer car journeys due to higher charges on that crossing. \p Lilian Greenwood: Our assessment of the impact on demand at the Dartford Crossing from changing the charges applied there drew on existing modelling work, including the Lower Thames Area Model, the National Trip End Model and National Road Traffic Projections.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on providing English local authorities the powers to enforce a pavement parking ban. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Secretary of State for Transport has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on this matter. The Department held a consultation on pavement parking in 2020 and has been considering all the views expressed in response to the consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the possible legislative opportunities for delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the regulatory oversight of (a) private and (b) unlicensed airfields in Northern Ireland. \p Mike Kane: Airports and aerodromes in Northern Ireland are devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. However, overarching aviation policy, most Civil Aviation issues, safety and security are reserved to the UK government. As the specialist UK aviation regulator, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises the UK Government on aviation policy and regulation and regularly reviews safety across the UK.

The CAA takes a proportionate and risk-based approach to regulation. Any aerodrome conducting scheduled public transport, or transporting fare-paying passengers must be licenced, as must aerodromes operating heavier aircraft. Aerodromes that do not meet these criteria can choose to be unlicenced. In addition, the storage of Aviation fuel is also regulated at all aerodromes, whether licenced or not.

The CAA provides guidance for safe operations at unlicenced aerodromes in the Civil Aviation Publication (CAP) 793, which outlines best practices for obstacle clearance, runway layout, and operational safety. Unlicenced aerodromes must also abide by general aviation safety standards and planning regulations.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57194 on Motorcycles: Convictions, on what date the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency plans to complete its scan of the driver database; and when the information will be shared. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency wrote to the Honourable Member on 20 June by email to xxx@xxx.xx with the information requested. Officials will re-send this letter by email and by post.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to recruit additional driving examiners through gov.uk. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advertises for driving examiner (DE) vacancies, as well as other roles across the agency, on the Civil Service jobs website, which is part of GOV.UK.

DVSA’s latest DE campaign was advertised on its homepage on GOV.UK on 15 July. Further campaigns will also be launched using the same approach in September 2025.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department make an assessment of amending (a) the Highway Code and (b) driving (i) theory and (ii) practical tests to ensure that all drivers are trained in the use of defibrillators. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Highway Code currently contains information on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but not on the use of defibrillators. The Department for Transport regularly updates the Highway Code and ensures the information contained reflects the latest advice.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) learning materials and publications will be updated to include new and current content on ‘Automatic External Defibrillators’ and bleeding, this is seen as the most effective way of ensuring drivers and riders have the knowledge and understanding of what to do in a medical emergency.

First Aid is knowledge and understanding, and so is tested during the driving theory test, rather than the practical test, which is a test of on-the-road driving.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress Active Travel England has made on creating a disabled people's panel to help inform its work. \p Simon Lightwood: Active Travel England (ATE) does not have any current plans to create a disabled people’s panel and does not set policy. ATE routinely works with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee and disabled representative organisations to improve its output, such as guidance products.

ATE is setting up a technical advisory group to help improve its products and processes so they better address the barriers people face to active travel, particularly those from underrepresented groups.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Table 9.2 of her Department's report entitled Updated Appraisal Report: Airport Capacity in the South East, published in October 2017, whether it remains her Department's estimate that the net present value of a Heathrow northwest runway has a high of £3.3billion and a low of minus £2.2billion. \p Mike Kane: The latest published information on the net present value of a Heathrow Northwest runway is contained in the “Addendum to the Updated Appraisal Report” published June 2018 which updated the Department’s estimate to a net present value of £2.9bn to minus £2.5bn in 2014 prices[1]. Economic benefits as reported in the Updated Appraisal Report also fed into the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS).

The Department has committed to reviewing and updating the ANPS, and has invited proposals for a third runway to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals are received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airport-expansion-updated-cost-and-benefits-appraisal.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to seek Parliamentary approval for the revised Airports National Policy Statement before submitting the infrastructure planning application for Heathrow Airport expansion. \p Mike Kane: The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the Government will review the Airports National Policy Statement. When conducting the review, the Secretary of State will comply with the requirements in the Planning Act 2008, including consultation, publicity and parliamentary requirements.

When the ANPS has been reviewed, and depending on the outcome of the review, it will be for scheme promoters to submit a Development Consent Order application for a third runway scheme.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that tractor and trailer drivers comply with legal speed limits on public roads. \p Lilian Greenwood: Local authorities are asked to have regard to the Department’s guidance Setting Local Speed Limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances, but the final decision is for the traffic authority, working with the police who would carry out any enforcement.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on holders of provisional licences to ride AM category mopeds by (a) age and (b) country of birth of holder. \p Lilian Greenwood: There are currently 9,809,729 individuals with entitlement to drive mopeds (Categories AM and P). The table below shows the data broken down by age group.

Age

Total

16-20

1,676,083

21-30

2,727,290

31-40

2,094,385

41-50

1,554,664

51-60

1,127,531

61-70

607,358

71-80

19,772

81-90

2,528

91-100

115

101+

3

Grand Total

9,809,729

It is not compulsory to provide country of birth when applying for a driving licence so a full breakdown of provisional licence holders with moped entitlement by country of birth is not available.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of the UK Climate Change Committee's report entitled the Sixth Carbon budget, published in December 2020. \p Lilian Greenwood: As the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, transport has an important role in the UK economy meeting the Sixth Carbon Budget.

Transport emissions reduced by 10% between 2019 and 2023, but must fall faster to achieve our legal targets. The Government is committed to achieving this through turbocharging the rollout of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, overhauling public transport services to make sustainable choices more convenient for more users, making the UK a world-leader in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels, and delivering our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy.

The Government will produce an updated delivery plan for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year, with policy detail for all sectors provided up to the end of the Sixth Carbon Budget.
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Luke Myer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the commercial resale of practical driving test appointments by third parties for profit. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will continue to review and improve the driving test booking system to make sure that learner drivers can book their test easily and efficiently.

On 28 May, DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. Views are being sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers from being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price.

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July.  In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

While the selling of tests for profit is not illegal, DVSA deploys enhanced bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly, but these applications are constantly evolving and changing. DVSA continues looking for ways to ensure the safest and fairest way to book a driving test is for a legitimate candidate to use its services. DVSA has zero tolerance for those who exploit learner drivers and is committed to tackling the reselling of driving tests.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 59360 on Driving: Standards, which policies from that plan she has discontinued. \p Lilian Greenwood: Those policies in “The Plan for Drivers” that would have made no positive difference for drivers have been discontinued. These include the speculative suggestions for interfering in local authorities’ decisions about how best to manage local road networks and threats to remove their access to vehicle keeper information. The Government is committed to empowering local leaders and Mayors to make the right decisions for their communities, including on transport.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_401

Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to invest in grassroots cricket. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.

This already includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the National Governing Body for cricket, which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives.

The Government also announced another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation following the Spending Review. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans. I met with the England and Wales Cricket Board, among other sports, to discuss this last week.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_402

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed football regulator on the average price of a premiership football game ticket. \p Stephanie Peacock: The impact assessment for the Football Governance Bill estimates that the cost of regulation for all 5 divisions in scope of the regime will be between £103 million and £149 million, over a ten-year period. The Government does not believe that these costs will justify increases in ticket prices as they will be distributed proportionately across clubs over a significant period of time.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_403

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will (a) have discussions with Cabinet colleagues and (b) make it her policy to implement mandatory health screenings for people engaged in (a) professional and (b) semi-professional sports. \p Stephanie Peacock: The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount.

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and professional sports leagues where applicable are responsible for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. NGBs and sports leagues are independent of Government, but the Government expects them to make the health and safety of players their top priority.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety with sports and other stakeholders to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_404

Dave Doogan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the media campaign to ensure consumers are informed about the end of the Radio Teleswitch Service. \p Stephanie Peacock: None. The public information campaign on the closure of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is a matter for Ofgem.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_405

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with major UK-based foundations on aligning private giving with national social impact priorities. \p Stephanie Peacock: This government is committed to putting local people, communities and places first, supporting philanthropic growth across the country is an important route to mobilise more private capital to deliver public good.

In partnership with the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, DCMS’ Secretary of State, established the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group earlier this year to advise on how impact capital, including philanthropy, can support the national missions. The group brings together government, socially motivated investors, representatives from civil society and social investment and philanthropy experts. Major UK-based foundations are represented on both the Advisory Group and its working groups.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_406

Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department will take to help support people who have developed neurodivergent conditions due to heading the ball in football. \p Stephanie Peacock: The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports, and they and player associations play a valuable role in supporting players’ welfare.

The DCMS Secretary of State and I recently met with a small group of affected ex-footballers and family members, including individuals associated with Football Families for Justice, to discuss player safety and welfare for those suffering from dementia. We are committed to looking further at the issues raised and supporting the families and football authorities to come together to address the lifelong consequences from concussion, as well as post-career mental health and financial crises. We will set out next steps in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_407

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has considered the potential merits of introducing transparency obligations on generative AI companies to facilitate the appropriate (a) licensing and (b) enforcement of music rights; and whether her Department has considered the potential merits of requiring the clear labelling of content solely generated by AI. \p Chris Bryant: The Government held a consultation earlier this year to consider how the copyright framework should apply in the context of generative AI, including the merits of transparency obligations and labelling AI generated content. That consultation received a wide range of responses from stakeholders across the creative industries, technology sectors and academia. We are now carefully reviewing that evidence and establishing stakeholder working groups to inform the development of policy on copyright and AI.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_408

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of appeals in the First-tier Tribunal for (a) Personal Independence Payment, (b) Disability Living Allowance and (c) Employment and Support Allowance were upheld in favour of the claimant in the last year. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on overturned appeals for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) can be found in Table SSCS_3 of the Tribunal Statistics Quarterly publication here: Tribunals statistics - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_409

John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to improve workplace health and safety protections for farm and agricultural workers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: In line with its published Strategy 2022 to 2032, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) focuses on the most effective and efficient ways to improve the health and safety performance of all industries in Great Britain, including farming.

Between 2018 and 2024, in partnership with the industry, HSE ran a campaign to offer farmers free health and safety training which was then followed up by an inspection to a selection of those farms invited to take the training.

HSE will continue to visit farms where they have intelligence to suggest risk is not being managed adequately and investigate incidents in line with their published selection criteria.

As well as appropriate site visits, HSE continues to engage with farming through a variety of other methods including delivering industry talks; webinars and presentations; engaging with the media and publishing targeted articles for farmers; producing industry notifications which include safety messaging; and producing awareness raising campaigns. It also produces a range of freely available guidance to enable farmers to comply with health and safety law and keep themselves and others safe.

HSE’s commitment to working with the agricultural industry through stakeholders such as Britain’s Farm Safety Partnerships (FSPs) remains strong. The most recent activity includes supporting the FSPs with a campaign on safe use of quad bikes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_410

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her oral contribution of 23 June 2025, Official Report, column 823, what steps her Department is taking to enable face-to-face meetings for PIP appeal hearings more accessible. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The oral contribution refers to the PIP assessment process and outlines our commitment to audio recording assessments.

Appeals are lodged directly with, and administered by, HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Making appeal hearings more accessible is therefore a matter for HMCTS and MoJ.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_411

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that vulnerable people are not adversely impacted by welfare reforms. \p Sir Stephen Timms: At the heart of our reforms is the principle that those who can work should work. If you need help into work, the government should support you, while those who can’t work should be supported to live with dignity.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable. That is why we are legislating in the Universal Credit Bill to ensure any claimants who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria – or who qualify under Special Rules for End of Life – see their combined standard allowance and LCWRA rise at least in line with inflation every year until 2029/30.

The Timms Review will also ensure that PIP is fair and fit for the future, and will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_412

Amanda Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether claimants with disabilities who are in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment and legacy work-related benefits will be treated as new claimants for the purposes of the proposed changes to the health element of Universal Credit when they are migrated onto Universal Credit through managed migration; and whether such claimants will see a reduction in their income as a result of these proposed changes. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department plans to complete migration of ESA claimants to UC by March 2026. As part of this ESA claimants will be migrated to the UC Health Element. To protect any claimants who have not migrated by April 2026 we intend to mirror as closely as possible the changes made in UC in the ESA rates. Changes to the “support component” and the two disability premia (severe and enhanced disability premium rates) will reflect changes to UC LCWRA rates for existing claimants.  Including these commensurate measures aims to give fair treatment for all customers moving onto UC from income related ESA, regardless of their point of migration.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_413

Susan Murray:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 5 March 2025 from the hon. Member for Mid Dunbartonshire, case reference CMPT12025-20534. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department aims to respond to all correspondences within 20 working days, but there may be instances where there is additional information needed that may cause delays. We are sorry for the length of time it has taken to reply to the Hon. Member. The response to their letter was sent on 18 July.