theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support local media in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Ian Murray: Sustainability of local journalism across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government, including in South Holland and the Deepings and more broadly across Lincolnshire. The Government understands the important work that local news does across the UK, including outlets such as the Spalding Guardian and the Lincolnshire Echo. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops. DCMS ministers held a roundtable discussion with local news editors in the spring to discuss the planned approach and collaboration with industry on the Strategy. An industry working group has since been set up to consider the issues in more detail and has been meeting regularly since June. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current method of funding the BBC. \p Ian Murray: The Charter Review will consider a range of issues, including how the BBC can continue to prosper, supported by a sustainable funding model.

The Government is keeping an open mind about the future of the licence fee. We will work closely with the BBC, and engage with other broadcasters, stakeholders across the creative industries, as well as the British public, to inform our thinking.
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John Slinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help improve media literacy. \p Ian Murray: The Government aims to improve media literacy through cross-government collaboration, educational initiatives and collaboration with Ofcom, civil society, and online platforms. This approach supports Ofcom's regulatory media literacy duties and promotes media literacy through broader policy initiatives and cross-sector collaboration.

As the lead department for media literacy, DSIT is committed to improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work. DCMS contributes to this cross-government effort by supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's guidance entitled Animal welfare on farms inspection, published on 12 January 2016, requiring complaints to be lodged before inspection of a farm. \p Dame Angela Eagle: APHA carries out inspections for a number of different reasons, including (but not limited to) in case of allegation of poor animal welfare on farm. Any allegations of poor animal welfare are logged and assessed. Where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action is taken, this includes unannounced inspections carried out within 24 hours and follow-up inspections at a later date to confirm compliance.

Information on how to report an animal welfare concern is available on this page:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-farm-animal-welfare-concerns.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to require the Animal and Plant Health Agency to publish the (a) outcomes of inspections, (b) rates of compliance and (c) types of non-compliance on farms. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra publishes data in the Multi-annual National Control Plan (MANCP) annual reports, relating to animal welfare official controls and enforcement activities undertaken within GB, which the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) contributes to. Outcomes of inspections, rates of compliance and types of non-compliance on farms are included in the report.

MANCP reports are available here.
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Ms Stella Creasy:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the yellow legged Asian hornet on UK (a) pollinators and (b) food security; and what the role is of the National Bee Unit in helping to tackle the potential impacts of that hornet. \p Mary Creagh: Over £500 million a year is contributed by bees and other pollinating insects to UK agriculture, through improvements to crop quality and quantity. If Asian hornet (also known as Yellow Legged Hornet) were to become established in the UK, this could have a major impact on pollinators. With respect to food security the impact would be greatest on crops which are dependent on insects for pollination such as apples, strawberries, field beans and oilseed rape. Since 2016 the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) have responded to incursions of Yellow Legged Hornet (YLH) into Great Britain. The NBU has developed a fine-tuned and effective response which allows them to find and destroy nests to prevent YLH establishing.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision of the European Parliament on the naming of vegetable products of 8 October 2025 on the sale of vegan sausages made in Great Britain to Northern Ireland. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Under the Windsor Framework, the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) allows products to move to Northern Ireland whilst meeting UK consumer protection and marketing standards. Therefore, vegan sausages which are made in Great Britain and moved to NI in this way should not be affected by the newly proposed EU rules governing the labelling of plant-based products.

The Government continues to monitor changes to EU regulations and is committed to safeguarding the smooth flow of goods to Northern Ireland. Furthermore, any new EU rules are subject to the democratic scrutiny arrangements under the Windsor Framework.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year. \p Dame Angela Eagle: As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future

Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition

Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers.

People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy.

Defra took part in the Autism Exchange Internship Programme in 2025 and previous years. This Cabinet Office led scheme supports young, autistic people aged 18 - 25 to gain work experience and develop employability skills.

Defra also participates in the Fast Stream Summer Internship Scheme, which from 2026 will be targeted at those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many farm inspections were conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency following a complaint of alleged breaches of animal welfare in each of the last five years. \p Dame Angela Eagle: All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation.

The Animal and Plant Agency (APHA), as the national regulator for farmed animal welfare in Great Britain, undertake proactive and reactive inspections on farm to monitor compliance with legislation. The proactive inspections are risk based taking into account factors such as previous non-compliances, frequency of inspections and mortality rates. Reactive inspections are triggered by complaints and/or FSA referrals; any allegations of poor animal welfare is assessed by APHA and where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action is taken. This may include a follow-up, unannounced, inspection by APHA at a later date to confirm compliance. In most animal health and welfare cases of non-compliance, the statutory enforcement body will be the Local Authority.

Defra publishes data in the Multi-annual National Control Plan (MANCP) annual reports, relating to animal welfare official controls and enforcement activities undertaken within GB. Outcomes of inspections, rates of compliance and types of non-compliance on farms are included in the report.

MANCP reports are available here.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate animal (a) rescues and (b) sanctuaries. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Rescue and rehoming establishments in England must provide for the five basic welfare needs of the animals set out in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

We are considering whether there is a need for further regulation of this sector as part of our development of an overarching approach to animal welfare. The Prime Minister has committed to publish an Animal Welfare Strategy later this year.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the recruitment process was for her Department's new Permanent Secretary; and whether he plans to publish any declarations of interest. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The new Permanent Secretary for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, was recruited under a fair and open competition managed by the Cabinet Office. Any declarations of interest will be made, published and updated in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps to (a) encourage the acquisition of dogs through (i) reputable rehoming organisations and (ii) breeders and (b) otherwise promote responsible dog ownership. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Government encourages people to adopt from responsible rescue and rehoming organisations. Members of the public can check if the rescue centre they use is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, which has set clear standards for animal assessments, neutering and rehoming procedures for their members.

The Government also encourages prospective owners who choose to buy a dog to do so through reputable breeders. Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone breeding and selling dogs as a business or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period must hold a valid licence from their local authority and meet strict welfare standards.

The Government has reconvened the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce to explore measures to promote responsible dog ownership across all breeds of dog. We look forward to receiving the findings and recommendations from the taskforce in due course.
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Adam Jogee: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. \p Mary Creagh: 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.
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Imran Hussain:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of high-decibel fireworks on animal welfare; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a maximum noise limit for fireworks sold to the public. \p Dame Angela Eagle: No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of high-decibel fireworks on animal welfare or the merits of reducing the permissible noise limits of fireworks used for public and private functions.

However, the Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including animal welfare stakeholders, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to apply lessons learned from the use of mandated CCTV footage in slaughterhouses to the enforcement of animal welfare standards on farms. \p Dame Angela Eagle: There are key differences between farms and slaughterhouses in terms of numbers and this affects the type of inspections that are practical.

All slaughterhouses in England have Official Veterinarians from the Food Standards Agency present on-site when operating to monitor and enforce animal welfare legislation. Since 2018 it has been mandatory for all 180 operational slaughterhouses in England to have CCTV and to provide access to it. Official Veterinarians carry out a daily review of CCTV footage.

There are around 60,000 commercial livestock holdings in England. Monitoring and enforcement of animal welfare on farm is carried out on a risk basis by inspectors of the Animal and Plant Health Agency and local authorities. We continue to explore ways to strengthen compliance with animal welfare regulations.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in Northern Ireland on Asian hornets. \p Mary Creagh: The British Irish Council (BIC) has an Invasive Species Work Sector which shares expertise and learning across the eight BIC administrations and makes decisions on common policies and approaches with respect to Invasive Species. Members include the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. There is a Work Plan for this Work Sector and Asian hornets are one of the five key areas of focus.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps with the Secretary of State for Education to reduce the usage of single-use plastics in (a) early years and (b) childcare settings. \p Mary Creagh: Plastic is a very useful material that can often be the best environmental choice provided it is used and disposed of correctly.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives.

We currently have a number of restrictions on unnecessary single use plastic products, which apply to all, and we will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, in line with circular economy principles, to reduce the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products and encourage reuse solutions. Materials which can be and will be reused or recycled are a better option.

The Department for Education is committed to reducing plastic waste and single use plastic in educational settings. It provides advice to education settings on legal requirements and alternatives to single use plastic.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve administrative processes for (a) plant and (b) food imports to the UK. \p Dame Angela Eagle: As announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on 19 May, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area which will slash costs and remove red tape. Removing the need for Export Health Certification will save trading businesses up to £200 per consignment every time goods are sent, meaning a single lorry carrying a mixed load of animal products could see reduced costs by thousands of pounds.

We are expecting to start negotiations once the EU has confirmed their mandate.

In the meantime, plant health import requirements and the requirements for products of animal origin are kept under continuous review.
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Adam Jogee: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. \p Mary Creagh: 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.
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Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's timetable is for publishing a new animal welfare strategy. \p Dame Angela Eagle: This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. The Prime Minister announced that we will be publishing an animal welfare strategy later this year.
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Richard Foord:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that section 245 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 is not amended to reduce the level of protection for National (a) Parks and (b) Landscapes. \p Mary Creagh: The Protected Landscapes Duty, at section 245 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, will play a key role in achieving government’s commitment to enable Protected Landscapes organisations, including National Parks and National Landscapes, to make land greener, wilder and more accessible to all.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2025 to Question 76603 on Peatlands: Fires, whether (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have received representations from the National Fire Chiefs Council on that issue. \p Mary Creagh: The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) responded to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning in England earlier this year. Their response is published on their website: 250523-Heather-and-Grass-Burning-in-England-Consultation-Response-FINAL.pdf.

I also met with NFCC to discuss their consultation response, prior to the amendments to the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 being finalised. Defra and NFCC, as well as representatives from various Fire and Rescue Services, continue to work together in this area.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the progress made by her Department on improving biodiversity. \p Mary Creagh: We are committed to improving biodiversity by delivering on our four legally binding targets for species abundance, species extinction and habitat creation and restoration. These targets are driving significant action for nature recovery, alongside statutory targets on tree canopy and woodland cover, water and air quality, marine protected areas, and resource efficiency.

We are investing in protected sites and landscape-scale action through delivery of a Nature Recovery Network and our 30by30 commitment and taking action to increase the adoption of nature-friendly farming.

Through our Landscape Recovery scheme, we have supported 56 projects to work alongside farmers, landowners and environmental organisations to develop strategies for long-term nature recovery. These projects will restore over 600 km of rivers, restore more than 35,000 hectares of peatland, sustainably manage more than 20,000 hectares of woodland, and benefit more than 160 protected sites.

We have also commissioned an evaluation framework which will strengthen our understanding of progress towards meeting our biodiversity targets.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent the sale of commodities produced by illegal deforestation. \p Mary Creagh: We recognise the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is actively considering the best regulatory approach to address de-forestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course.

Significant progress is already being made in relation to timber through the UK Timber Regulation (UKTR), which prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the UK market. Under UKTR, businesses are required to exercise due diligence to ensure that timber products have been legally harvested in accordance with the laws of the country of origin. The regulation helps ensure that UK timber imports do not contribute to illegal deforestation and supports the broader goal of promoting sustainable forest management.
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Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will introduce secondary legislation under the Environment Act 2021 for due diligence rules for forest-risk commodities. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the urgency of taking action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation. The Government is actively considering the best regulatory approach to address deforestation in UK supply chains; we will set out this approach in due course.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of trends in the number of manufacturers using imported virgin plastic on (a) the environment and (b) revenues to the Exchequer. \p Mary Creagh: There is currently no planned assessment regarding the potential impact of trends in the number of manufacturers using imported virgin plastic on the environment.

HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are currently evaluating the Plastic Packaging Tax, using analysis of environmental and tax data to assess the impact of the tax and will update in due course. Forecasts on tax revenues are published regularly by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether officials in her Department have had (a) meetings and (b) correspondence with (i) the Carbon Trust, (ii) MyEmissions, (iii) Raynor Foods Ltd. and (iv) UK food retailers on the (A) development and (B) testing of (1) carbon scores and (2) carbon ratings on food packaging. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Eco-labels on food are used by some businesses on a voluntary basis to help consumers make more sustainable choices.

Eco-labels based on robust environmental impact data could support informed consumer choices and business competition based on sustainability. Through the Food Data Transparency Partnership, Defra have conducted engagement on eco-labelling across the food and drink sector, including the Carbon Trust and MyEmissions as well as retailers. Minutes of meetings with our industry groups can be found on Food Data Transparency Partnership - GOV.UK.

The feedback helped identify two fundamental data challenges to address. The first challenge is how to accurately quantify product level environmental impacts. The second is the insufficient availability and quality of data used to inform these assessments from product supply chains. Defra-commissioned research has therefore focused on solving these two fundamental data challenges through the LED 4 Food project.  We continue to support new and existing industry-led initiatives to develop the evidence base in these areas. There are currently no plans for Government to make eco-labelling mandatory or to develop a Government eco-label.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chief Fire Adviser on the potential impact of the (a) ban on controlled heather burning on and (b) definition of deep peat on the risk of wildfires. \p Samantha Dixon: While the regulation of controlled heather burning and the definition of deep peat fall within the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which addressed a similar question from the Hon. Member on 11 September 2025 (UIN 76603), the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is the lead government department for wildfire (from 1 April 2025).

The Chief Fire Adviser post ceased with the introduction of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) in 2017. As did my predecessor, I meet regularly with Phil Garrigan, Chair of the NFCC, to discuss a range of issues in fire and resilience, including wildfire. I also understand that NFCC provided input to Defra’s consultation on the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations in 2025.

In December 2021 the Home Office, as the former lead government department for wildfire, published the Wildfire Framework for England.  The framework identifies responsibilities, clarifies relationships, and facilitates coordination at the government level and between key wildfire stakeholders in England. MHCLG continues to work with Defra and other partners to ensure that land management and environmental policies are aligned with effective wildfire resilience.
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Zarah Sultana:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) rights and (b) remedies available to tenants affected by (i) nuisance and (ii) overgrown trees on neighbouring land. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, social landlords, the police and local authorities have been given a range of powers and tools to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), including nuisance. There is also a statutory regime for dealing with a range of nuisances including noise, and it is for individual local authorities to determine the detailed arrangements of the services they provide, taking into account their assessment of local needs and circumstances.

Under the new consumer regulation regime, the Regulator of Social Housing will proactively seek assurances that providers are meeting the outcomes set by the Neighbourhood and Community Standard. Providers will be required to collect and publish data on tenants’ satisfaction with their landlord’s approach to handling ASB, which will ensure that tenants can hold registered providers to account.

Under common law, a landowner can cut the branches from a neighbour's trees at the boundary between the two properties, whether or not they are causing any damage, if they overhang his or her property and are regarded as a nuisance. If you live in a conservation area, or the trees in the hedge are protected by a ‘tree preservation order’, you might need your council’s permission to trim them.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 48653 on Parking: Private Sector, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of local councils transferring their parking facilities to private parking companies on a) council finances and b) people parking there. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Local authorities are responsible for their own parking arrangements, and it is for them to determine what is best for their own area. As such, my department has not conducted an assessment of these potential impacts.

Authorities that outsource any area of parking enforcement to private companies should ensure that the contractor fulfils all the requirements set down for the authority itself.

We do, however, recognise the concerns many people have with private parking companies. That is why we are working on implementing the new Private Parking Code of Practice. This initiative aims to address these concerns and ensure fairer and more transparent practices within the private parking sector.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraphs 24 and 37 of the Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September 2025, how much funding he plans to provide for the (a) 76 places and (b) 169 additional places in each of the next 10 years. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: On 25 September the Government announced the Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20m each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Phase 1 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March.

The full funding profile for the initial Phase 1 places is detailed in the prospectus, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus-and-tools/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus. Further details about the funding profile for Phase 2 Pride in Place Programme neighbourhoods will be published shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83618 on Retail Trade, what proportion of Pride in Place programme funding has been allocated to high street regeneration projects. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: On 25 September the Government announced the Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20m each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Phase 1 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March.

Neighbourhood Boards will be provided with a list of pre-approved interventions and given the autonomy to pursue the changes that their community want to see. High street regeneration projects are included as a pre-approved intervention, and the decision on whether, and how much, to invest in this will be decided by each board locally. Further guidance will be published shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_112

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Pride in Place Programme phase 2 methodology note, published on 25 September 2025, if he will publish the full ranked list of neighbourhoods for Step 3. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: On 25 September the Government announced its flagship Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20m each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March.

New areas across England were selected using a robust, metrics-based methodology based on deprivation (the Index of Multiple Deprivation) and community need (the Community Needs Index) to identify areas with the poorest social and economic outcomes. The full list of areas and place selection methodology was published and is set out at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pride-in-place-programme-place-selection-methodology-note.

We will not be publishing a further ranked list of Pride in Place Programme neighbourhoods.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_113

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the reasons for which some people put flags on lampposts in the summer. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: At this time, no assessment has been made. My department is co-ordinating cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with local government, communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues.

Where the subject has been raised, we have been clear that everyone can make their own decisions, including local councils, on flying flags and that guidance exists to support them, such as ‘Flying flags: a plain English guide” - as set out in the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 (as amended in 2012 and 2021) – which outlines the regulations related to the flying of flags in England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_114

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding will be allocated to the Pride of Place programme in each of the next 10 years. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: On 25 September the Government announced the Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20m each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Phase 1 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March.

The full funding profile for the Phase 1 Pride in Place neighbourhoods is detailed in the Plan for Neighbourhoods prospectus, published on GOV.UK on 16 June 2025. This is set out at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus-and-tools/plan-for-neighbourhoods-prospectus. Further details about the funding profile for Phase 2 Pride in Place Programme neighbourhoods will be published shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_115

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75626 on Business Premises: Rents, what sources of external research were used to produce the impact assessment. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 75626 on 16/9/2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_116

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been allocated to football clubs in Northern Ireland through the Community Ownership Fund. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: In total, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded over £11 million to 38 projects in Northern Ireland. Almost £2 million was awarded to eight sporting and leisure facilities, this includes projects supporting grassroots football such as Ballymacash Sports Academy and the Craigavon Leisure Centre Regeneration Project.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_117

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued advice on ensuring (a) community cohesion and (b) integration, in the context of Operation Raise the Colours during summer 2025. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Prime Minister has been clear that he supports the flying of flags across the country. Flags should be an embodiment of bringing our country and our communities together. Decisions about whether flags should be removed are devolved to local authorities and it is for them to assess the impacts of removing or allowing flags to remain.

My Department engages with local authorities on a regular basis across numerous meetings. Where the subject has been raised we have been clear that everyone can make their own decisions, including local councils, on flying flags and that guidance exists to support them, such as ‘Flying flags: a plain English guide” - as set out in the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 (as amended in 2012 and 2021) – which outlines the regulations related to the flying of flags in England.

It is important that the decisions taken by local authorities reflect the character and values of the communities they serve. Where symbols are used in ways that threaten public safety, it is right that action is taken to address this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_118

Sarah Pochin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on public services from the population increase caused by immigration. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office publishes a variety of analysis considering the impact of migration on public services. Home Office Impact Assessments and wider analysis can be found here: Migration analysis at the Home Office - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_119

Louise Haigh:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering entry to members of the Russian Anti-War Committee. \p Mike Tapp: There are currently no plans to introduce a bespoke route for members of the Russian Anti-War Committee to enter the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_120

Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with (a) West Midlands Police on amending its risk assessment for the upcoming UEFA Europa League match between Aston Villa FC and Maccabi Tel Aviv FC and (b) Birmingham City Council's Safety Advisory Group on reversing its decision to ban away fans from attending. \p Sarah Jones: Further to the answer that I gave on 27 October, I can confirm that the Government continues to work with West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council to support them in ensuring the match between Aston Villa FC and Maccabi Tel Aviv FC due to be played on 6 November can proceed safely.

We are clear that law abiding fans should be able to enjoy football matches in safety and that any violent or disorderly behaviour at matches will not be tolerated.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_121

Sarah Pochin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of houses of multiple occupancy that were accommodating asylum seekers in Runcorn and Helsby constituency. \p Alex Norris: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

“Data on asylum accommodation is published quarterly on GOV.UK (Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK) and includes breakdowns by local authority”.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_122

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department keeps records of the location of all asylum seekers who have had their application refused in the UK. \p Alex Norris: Asylum seekers are not detained and we rely on them to update us about their accommodation if they are not in Home Office accommodation.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum-related returns in ‘Returns summary tables(opens in a new tab)’. The latest data is up to June 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_123

Sarah Pochin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has approved any asylum applications without a Watchlist and Information Control Unit check being carried out in the last ten years. \p Alex Norris: We do not comment on security matters, however all asylum claimants are subject to robust, mandatory security checks and we will not compromise the integrity of the UK immigration system. These system and security database checks are completed during the asylum screening process and before a decision is made.