theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_35
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_35

Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to ensure the security of data submitted by third parties in support of visa applications. \p Mike Tapp: UK Visa and Immigration’s commercial partners provide administrative services on behalf of the UK Government to support in processing visa applications. The UK Government visa decision making systems are entirely separate from commercial partner solutions.

Information provided by visa customers in support of their application is captured by UKVI’s commercial partner, and this information is encrypted and securely transmitted to UKVI and subsequently deleted from commercial partner systems.

UKVI works closely with its partners to ensure security of personal data and that this is handled in line with UK data protection requirements. UKVI’s Commercial Partners are certified to ISO 27001:2022 and accredited with UKVI Cyber Essentials Plus, ensuring compliance with the highest benchmarks for information protection. UKVI also ensure that its Commercial Partners undertake periodic third-party assessments to provide independent assurance on the security measures implemented.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_36
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_36

Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing signage in register offices that state (a) marriage and (b) civil partnership can cause a will to be revoked. \p Mike Tapp: There is currently no plan to introduce signage about wills in register offices.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_37
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_37

Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with the Local Authority Registration and Coroner Services Association on their planned timescale to develop a professional qualification for registrars. \p Mike Tapp: The General Register Office for England and Wales, (part of the Home Office) has had no discussions with the Local Authority Registration and Coroner Services Association on their planned timescale to develop a professional qualification for registrars.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_38

Peter Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots boxing. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government believes that too many sports, whether that is boxing or rugby league, have been overlooked for far too long, and we are determined to bring them back into focus. Boxing brings joy to millions of people, and it ought to be celebrated.

The Government will continue to champion grassroots boxing. I have met with the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Boxing, and recently met with both Southend Amateur Boxing and recently opened the South Cheshire Amateur Boxing Club.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_39

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots women’s rugby. \p Stephanie Peacock: We hosted a record breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup, it was a pleasure to attend 4 matches across the country and I congratulate the Red Roses on their well deserved victory. I would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of the Rugby World Cup including the Chair of the Tournament Gill Whitaker and RFU President Deborah Griffin. Major events play an important role in inspiring people to get active.

Since last summer we’ve provided £6.7m into the tournament's legacy programme Impact 25 which is reaching 850 clubs and supporting women and girls to get involved in rugby.

This included Pontefract RUFC who I recently visited alongside the Foreign Secretary to see the work they are doing to get more women and girls playing Rugby.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_40
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_40

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support she is providing to support grassroots sports clubs. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £98 million into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme throughout 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities UK wide.

On top of this, we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sports and health club facilities in England, through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.

The Government’s Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) scheme provides financial benefits for certain community sports clubs, so long as they meet certain eligibility criteria. The purpose of the scheme is to decrease costs for grassroots sports clubs, making them more financially sustainable, and allowing them to deliver the benefits of sport and physical activity for their local communities.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_41
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_41

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the proposed gambling legislation does not affect the long-term sustainability of horse racing. \p Ian Murray: Future proposals on gambling duties are a matter for HM Treasury. Should changes to the tax regime be announced in the Autumn Statement, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

Regular discussions are held between the BHA and DCMS on matters of importance to the horse racing industry. The Minister for Museums, Heritage and Gambling last met with the Chair of the BHA on 11 September. There is not currently any new gambling legislation being proposed that impacts horseracing.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_42
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_42

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will he have discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential merits of hosting future major golfing events in Northern Ireland. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government remains committed to delivering major international sporting events with pride - building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in event delivery - and seeking new opportunities to do so. We prioritise support for events based on a range of criteria, which includes how far they help create social and economic benefits for the UK and contribute towards the Government's Plan for Change.

We recognise that major events deliver significant benefits to all parts of the UK including Northern Ireland. Having attended The Open at Royal Portrush this July, I am aware that Northern Ireland is well equipped to successfully deliver major golfing events.

We continue to work closely with our expert arm’s-length body UK Sport to explore future hosting opportunities that will strengthen the UK’s major events pipeline. The UK has already secured a strong pipeline of events over the coming years, including the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the Grand Départ for the Tour De France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027 and the UEFA 2028 European Championships.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_43
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_43

Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated to football clubs through the Grassroots Football Facilities Investment Fund in Northern Ireland. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government has committed to invest £3 million in Northern Ireland through the Multi Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2025/26 to build and upgrade pitches and facilities.

Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, a total of £6,592,966 was allocated to football clubs in Northern Ireland through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

Successful applicants to the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme are published on gov.uk and are regularly updated: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/multi-sport-grassroots-facilities-programme-projects-2021-to-2025. The most recent project list for Northern Ireland can be found here.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_44
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_44

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with international sporting bodies on the use of dynamic pricing for major sporting events. \p Stephanie Peacock: As a Government we are aware that the UK has a global reputation for excellence in staging major sporting events. These major cultural and sporting events are an important part of our national life.

This Government is committed to putting fans back at the heart of live events, which is why we launched a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, alongside a consultation on ticket resales. The call for evidence looked at how practices like dynamic pricing are impacting consumers and businesses. We are reviewing responses and will publish the government's response shortly.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_45
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_45

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Million Hours Fund on organisations in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Million Hours Fund provides youth organisations with funding to deliver over a million additional hours of positive activities for young people in areas where they may be at risk of anti-social behaviour.

DCMS and The National Lottery Community Fund launched Phase 3 of the Million Hours Fund on 30th July 2025. This is a £19 million joint investment (£12 million from DCMS and £7 million from The National Lottery Community Fund). The Fund will run until 31 March 2027 and is now closed to applications. The list of wards eligible for funding in Fylde and Lancashire can be found here: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/funding-programmes/million-hours-fund-2025-to-2027/eligible-ward-areas.

Nine organisations based in the constituencies of Fylde and Lancashire are receiving up to £406,541 worth of funding as part of previous phases of the Million Hours Fund.

An evaluation of the Million Hours Fund is being conducted, which will assess the impact of the Fund on organisations and young people.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_46
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_46

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the list of designated days for the flying of the Union Flag is kept under regular review; and when the last review took place. \p Stephanie Peacock: The list of designated days for the flying of the Union Flag is reviewed annually in consultation with No 10 and the Royal Household. The most recent review was completed on 14th March 2025 when the 2025 Designated Days list was published on GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_47
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_47

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8706 on UK Commission on Covid Commemoration, when she plans to respond to the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration’s final report, published on 18 September 2023. \p Stephanie Peacock: Further to the answer I gave on 21 October 2024/ Question 8706, we are continuing to give careful consideration to the recommendations made by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration. I hope to be able to update the House in due course on our plans to publish a response.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_48
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_48

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to ensure that all government buildings (a) are aware of and (b) comply with the guidance on designated days for flying the Union Flag. \p Stephanie Peacock: Each year, DCMS publishes an annually-reviewed list of the designated days for flying the Union Flag on gov.uk. Government departments are also regularly reminded of flag-flying requirements on occasions such as this year’s VE and VJ Day anniversaries, alongside the encouragement to fly the Union Flag every other day if possible.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_49
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_49

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to ensure that the Better Futures Fund includes provision for disabled children and young people. \p Stephanie Peacock: DCMS are currently in the policy development stages of the Fund; therefore, decisions on funding criteria and eligibility are yet to be confirmed, with an aim to publish policy guidance in 2026 which will indicate the overall fund timelines.

As announced in July 2025, the fund will support up to 200,000 struggling children, young people and their families over ten years and will focus on innovative impact funding projects that seek to break down barriers to opportunity and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. DCMS has already begun engagement with a range of stakeholders including local and central government, the impact economy, and representatives from the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.

The funding will primarily be for the commissioning of Social Outcomes Partnerships, in which government payments are tied to the achievement of measurable improvements in people’s lives, such as school attainment, improved youth employment or reduced youth reoffending. Outcomes-based commissioning means that individual outcomes are monitored in order for payments from government to be released depending on these specific outcomes being achieved.

The Better Futures Fund will be supported by a robust and comprehensive evaluation that will also assess cost effectiveness while monitoring that the objectives of the fund have been met.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_50
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_50

Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has considered providing funding for the creation of a covid-19 memorial in Truro and Falmouth constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The UK Commission on Covid Commemoration consulted on how to commemorate the COVID-19 pandemic and mark this distinctive period in our history at a national and community level. The Commission made a number of recommendations, including the importance of local memorials in commemorating the Covid-19 pandemic in providing a place to grieve and remember their loved ones. Since the publication of the Commission’s report, a number of COVID-19 memorials have been developed across the country by local government, businesses and community groups.

This government is giving careful consideration to all the Commission's recommendations, working with Bereaved Family groups, wider stakeholders and the Devolved Governments to do justice to the hard work of the Commission, and will publish a response, including to the recommendation around the creation of new memorials, in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_51
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_51

Patrick Hurley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on the development of futsal of the Football Association's level of influence in (a) FIFA and (b) UEFA. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Football Association (FA) is the governing body for football and futsal in England and is responsible for the sport's strategic direction and development, including grassroots participation, coaching, and elite pathways.

The FA is an autonomous member of both FIFA and UEFA. Its relationships and level of influence within these international governing bodies are primarily a matter for the FA itself.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_52
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_52

Leigh Ingham:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for the future of funding for School Games Organisers beyond 2026. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government has confirmed funding for the School Games Organisers until the end of the 2025/26 Academic Year. Funding beyond then will be confirmed in due course following departmental funding processes.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_53
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_53

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the accessibility of sports facilities in rural communities. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to sport and leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities across the country.

The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

We want to support more people to get involved in sport and physical activity wherever they live. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_54
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_54

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria she will use to make an assessment of the success of the Civil Society Covenant. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Civil Society Covenant is a new principles-based foundation for resetting the relationship between the UK Government and civil society. Its ambition is to build lasting partnerships between civil society and all forms of government across the UK. This is a significant, long term challenge that will require sustained commitment and buy-in from a wide and diverse range of different organisations.

To help drive momentum and demonstrate leadership, the UK Government has committed to ensuring that every government department publicly supports and works towards implementing the Covenant in order to become a better partner for civil society. We will report annually on actions to honour the Covenant and the impact of this partnership with civil society. A Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, including criteria for measuring success, is currently being developed to inform the annual report.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_55
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_55

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase opportunities for women and girls to participate in grassroots sport. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is committed to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, are able to participate in sport and physical activity.

The This Girl Can campaign, run by our Arm’s Length Body Sport England, has inspired millions of women and girls to get active 1.6 million women are expected to be active as a result of the campaign by 2028.

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup marks the beginning of a decade of women’s sporting moments. Since summer 2024, the Government has invested £6.7 million into the tournament's legacy programme Impact '25, reaching 37,000 women and girls in the year leading up to this World Cup alone. Funding from this programme has been used to make facilities more accessible for women, train new female coaches and match officials and provide sanitary packages to clubs nationwide.

Following the outstanding achievements of the Lionesses in recent major tournaments, we will ensure that the impact of these achievements is felt by future generations of aspiring Lionesses by doubling priority access to facilities we invest in, reserved peak-time slots and women and girls-only evenings.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_56
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_56

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) small grassroots organisations and (b) under-represented groups are consulted on the Civil Society Covenant. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Civil Society Covenant was launched by the Prime Minister in July 2025 at a major civil society summit. Its ambition is to strengthen relationships and encourage partnership between civil society and all levels of UK government.

To inform the development of the Civil Society Covenant, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, working with key civil society partners, engaged over 1,200 organisations from across the diversity and breadth of civil society. This included nine roundtables that heard from a diverse set of civil society organisations that may have been under-represented or faced barriers in participating in the engagement process. These roundtables brought together 220 leaders including those from faith communities and those representing ethnic minority groups, as well as people leading small organisations locally in the heart of their communities and Local Infrastructure Organisations.

The views and insights heard through this engagement fed directly into development of the Covenant which includes a commitment to ‘Promote participation and inclusion by involving people in decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and removing barriers to democratic participation’.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_57
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_57

Damien Egan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on the maintenance of historic religious buildings. \p Ian Murray: Since 2010, the Government has returned over £400 million to listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples through the grant scheme. This has helped protect our listed places of worship and enabled them to continue their work as centres of worship and community assets.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_58
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_58

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68534 on Members: Correspondence, when she plans to reply to the enquiry with case reference MW07790. \p Ian Murray: I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to written question 75770. I apologise for the delay.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_59
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_59

Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of lifting the £50 million ticket sales cap on society lotteries on the public finances. \p Ian Murray: Society lotteries are a vital fundraising tool for many charities, community groups, sports clubs and other non-commercial organisations. We want to see them continue to thrive, alongside the National Lottery.

Society lotteries are not subject to tax and are exempt from paying Lottery Duty, except for External Lottery Managers (ELMs) who do pay Corporation Tax.

Independent research found that making further changes to the society lottery sales limits might have a negative impact on National Lottery sales, which would result in a reduction in Lottery Duty revenue for the Exchequer.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_60
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_60

Jo White:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made progress on the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note. \p Mary Creagh: Defra published the Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note and an accompanying statement on 30 December 2024. This statement set out that government will only back new Energy from Waste projects that meet strict conditions. Proposals for new facilities will have to demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill, or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities. Additionally, new facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy.

We are considering how best to reflect the approach in this statement in the new set of national policies for development management which we have committed to producing, and in updates to National Policy Statements.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_61
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_61

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to work with the Secretary of State for Transport to reduce the number of wildlife-related road accidents. \p Mary Creagh: There is currently no joint programme of work between Department of Transport and Defra to reduce the number of wildlife-related road accidents.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_62
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_62

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing social tariffs for water bills for (a) low-income households and (b) vulnerable communities in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Emma Hardy: The Government expects water companies to ensure support is available for vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay their bills. We are working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported. We welcome the commitment from companies to more than double the number of customers that will receive help with their bills through existing social tariffs – from 4% in 2020-25 to 9% by 2030.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_63
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_63

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled A manifesto for public health pest management, published in June 2024. \p Mary Creagh: No Minister at Defra has held discussions with the British Pest Control Association on its document entitled ‘A manifesto for public health pest management’, published in June 2024.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_64
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_64

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce landfill use by 2028. \p Mary Creagh: We are developing policy options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill, following publication of a call for evidence and a summary of responses published earlier this year.

The Collection and Packaging Reforms – Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) and a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – will help stimulate investment in recycling services across the UK and support our ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. The Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish in the coming months, will contain further proposals to reduce our reliance on landfill.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_65
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_65

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of issuing guidance to local authorities on non-lethal deterrents for managing urban gull populations that comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. \p Mary Creagh: Natural England has previously issued this guidance on managing wild birds using non-lethal measures. Neither Defra nor Natural England has assessed the merits of developing further targeted guidance for local authorities on this matter but we understand that NatureScot has recently updated its guidance and published data on the impacts of licensed activity on gull populations in Scotland. Natural England has also, this year, commenced a project on large gull management at the regional and national scale regarding both urban and rural gull populations.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_66
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_66

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take (a) legislative and (b) other steps to reduce levels of (i) environmental planning conditions and (ii) biodiversity net gain requirements to help support horticulture businesses. \p Mary Creagh: The Government has stated its intention to consult on changes to the planning policy framework later this year.

On BNG, the Government recently consulted on options to improve the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. Responses are being analysed, including from Horticulture stakeholders, and the outcome of the consultation will be published in due course.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_67
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_67

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) workforce capacity and (b) resources available to deliver large-scale community tree planting programmes. \p Mary Creagh: In 2024, Defra published independent research by the ICF - UK Forestry Workforce & Skills Research - KT0201. It showed that the forestry workforce had grown steadily over the past decade, with around 24,000 people employed in the core forestry sector as of 2023 and that continued investment in forestry apprenticeships and workforce development tools were required.

The Forestry-Sector-Skills-Plan-2025.pdf, published in early 2025, identifies specific actions such as the Level 6 Professional Foresters apprenticeship to address the gap in skills in the sector. Defra and Forestry Commission are now working with key stakeholders to deliver the specific actions it sets out.

Sapling availability has also been addressed through this project. Forestry Commission publish the Tree Supply Report and Tree Nursery Directories annually to bring visibility to the market. Defra and Forestry Commission work closely with the nurseries to assess trends in the market. In the 24/25 planting season, 161 million saplings were produced which is around 1 million more than the previous year. The Nature for Climate Fund funded grants this year of up to: £2 million capital investment in tree production through the Tree Production Capital Grant; £1.5 million supporting innovation in tree production through the Tree Production Innovation Fund and £0.6 million supporting tree seed sourcing through the Seed Sourcing Grant.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_68
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_68

Mr Alex Barros-Curtis:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department's planned budget is for the Darwin Plus programme in financial year 2025-26. \p Mary Creagh: The Darwin Plus budget for 2025-26 is maintaining spending levels to support biodiversity across the UK Overseas Territories. This includes funding to sustain existing projects and award new projects. The Secretary of State announced funding to 43 new Darwin Plus projects with a lifetime value of £7.9 million in her speech at Countdown to COP30 on 9 October.

Funding for Darwin Plus beyond March 2026 remains subject to Defra business planning processes. Updates on future funding rounds will be published on the Darwin Plus website as soon as more information becomes available.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_69

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by Forestry Commission England in the last five years due to the potential impact of felling on ancient woodland remnants within plantations on ancient woodland sites. \p Mary Creagh: The Forestry Commission has not refused any felling licence applications in the past 5 years. However, in 2019 one application was refused as the felling would lead to a loss of woodland containing veteran and future veteran oaks. The felling of these would be against the ‘interests of good forestry… and the amenities of the district’ which meant that it was not compliant with the UK Forestry Standard.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_70

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to prevent gulls nesting in urban areas; and whether she has had discussions with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations on this matter. \p Mary Creagh: There are a range of legal methods that can be used to deter gulls to prevent or at least minimise problems in urban areas. Natural England has issued this guidance on managing wild birds using non-lethal measures. It has also piloted two organisational licences with Bath and Northeast Somerset Council; and Worcester Council for the purposes of urban gull management. It has invited and encouraged other councils to apply if they are experiencing gull issues and offered advice. Furthermore, Natural England colleagues have spoken directly to local authorities and presented to council environmental health officers through webinars hosted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. While current Defra Ministers have not held discussions with counterparts in the devolved Governments on this matter, a Natural England representative attended the recent Scottish ‘Gull Summit’ to share learning on how Natural England is working with local authorities on managing gulls and providing licensing support.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_71

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many felling licences granted by Forestry Commission England in 2024 permitted the felling of ancient trees. \p Mary Creagh: This Government does not collect data on the number or classification of trees felled. However, when considering a felling licence application the Forestry Commission would expect the application to comply with good forestry practice.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_72

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for felling licences were refused by Forestry Commission England in 2024. \p Mary Creagh: Forestry is a devolved matter and so this answer is for England only. The Forestry Commission granted 3,437 felling licences in 2024. No felling licence applications were refused.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_73

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria are applied by Forestry Commission England when determining whether to refuse an application for a felling licence. \p Mary Creagh: When considering a felling licence application the Forestry Commission will judge the proposals against the UK Forestry Standard, the government’s technical guide to sustainable forest management, available at The UK Forestry Standard - GOV.UK. There is no requirement for the applicant to prove why they should be allowed to fell trees, it is for the Forestry Commission to provide reasons why it should not grant a licence.

The grounds for refusing a felling licence are based on the statutory criteria set out in section 10(2) of the Forestry Act 1967 which states: “Subject to the provisions of this Act (and, in particular, to their duty to take advice under section 37(3), the Forestry Commission may on any such application grant the licence, or grant it subject to conditions, or refuse it, but shall grant it unconditionally except in a case where it appears to them to be expedient to do otherwise:

(a) in the interests of good forestry or agriculture or of the amenities of the district;

(b) for the purpose of complying with their duty of promoting the establishment and maintenance of adequate reserves of growing trees.”

The Forestry Commission’s approach is to work constructively with applicants to resolve issues and facilitate responsible woodland management. Refusal is therefore considered a measure of last resort.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_74

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ecological condition of UK woodlands; and what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the decline in (a) plant, (b) bird, (c) mammal, (d) butterfly and (e) other woodland biodiversity. \p Mary Creagh: The National Forestry Inventory shows only 9% of England’s native woodlands are in favourable ecological condition, with the majority of the remaining 90% in intermediate condition. In England, we have four legally binding targets for biodiversity: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; to reverse declines by at least 10% by 2042, when compared with 2030; to reduce the risk of national species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042.

To support these goals, grant schemes like the England Woodland Creation Offer incentivise high-biodiversity woodland creation and natural regeneration. Environmental Land Management Schemes, including Countryside Stewardship, fund woodland improvements such as invasive non-native species control, coppicing, deadwood habitat creation, and restoration of ancient woodland sites. We are also investing in research by Forest Research on how woodland creation can reconnect fragmented habitats to benefit diverse species.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_75

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle reductions in biodiversity in existing woodlands; and what steps she plans to take through the Environmental Improvement Plan to monitor this. \p Mary Creagh: Expanding our trees, woodlands and forests is an important tool at our disposal for reversing reductions in our woodland biodiversity.

Establishing native woodland has made the greatest contribution to the increase in priority habitats in recent years, and we will continue to improve the condition and increase the extent of our most precious woodland habitats, such as irreplaceable ancient woodlands. We have pledged £816 million for tree planting and woodland creation up to 2030, benefiting biodiversity and setting us on a path to contributing 100,000 hectares of wildlife-rich woodland to the statutory habitats target by 2042.

The England Woodland Creation Grant provides additional payments for the creation of native woodland and to buffer and connect existing ancient and native woodland. New payments have been introduced to Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier to support the improvement of woodland and the management and restoration of ancient woodland. Over 2000ha of ancient woodland habitat has been brought into this ancient woodland option since its introduction.

We are already taking a range of actions to support woodland biodiversity and will set out further details in the upcoming Environment Improvement Plan.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_76

Andy MacNae:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to instruct Natural England to develop proposals for new Special Protection Areas for vulnerable bird species. \p Mary Creagh: In May 2025, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) released the Third Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Review (Phase 2), assessing the UK’s SPA network and its protection of bird species. The report offers guidance from JNCC and the UK’s four statutory conservation bodies, which administrations must consider. Ministers and agencies, including Natural England (NE), are reviewing it. A key focus is to ensure that existing sites are in favourable condition, but the Government may also, if necessary, direct NE to implement the report’s recommendations, including designating new SPAs.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_77

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered implementing the recommendations made in the Tree Council’s report entitled Protecting trees of high social, cultural and environmental value, published in April 2025. \p Mary Creagh: Defra has reviewed the report’s recommendations and considered the feasibility of actions to take forward while ensuring balance between existing priorities and our statutory obligations. As the criminal case for the Sycamore Gap tree has shown, our judicial system takes illegal tree felling seriously: those that cause illegal damage will be held to account. In addition, our most important trees, those of ancient and veteran status, are considered irreplaceable habitats and protected in planning policy. Local authorities may also grant specific protections on individual trees of high value through Tree Preservation Orders. We are continuing to focus on improving the implementation of planning protections to ensure that our most important trees of ancient and veteran status are protected in both practice and policy.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_78
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_78

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department provides guidance or best practice to local authorities on integrating animal protection measures into local transport and infrastructure planning. \p Mary Creagh: When determining any planning application, it is the responsibility of the local planning authority to ensure that protected species are fully considered and that ecological surveys have been carried out where appropriate. Natural England has issued Standing Advice to assist both local planning authorities and developers in deciding whether there is a reasonable likelihood of protected species being present on a proposed development site. It provides detailed advice on those protected species most often affected by development to enable an assessment to be made of the suitability of a protected species survey and, where appropriate, a mitigation strategy to protect the species affected by the development.

To help integrate nature into new development, the government has also amended the National Planning Policy Framework. This encourages the incorporation of features, such as swift bricks and hedgehog highways, to protect threatened species through local plans and decisions on planning applications.
wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_79
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-17 conversation_79

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the £816 million set aside for tree planting over the Spending Review period he plans to spend on the management of existing woodlands. \p Mary Creagh: The £816 million of funding announced in the spending review is funding dedicated to supporting delivery of the statutory tree canopy and woodland cover target and increasing tree planting rates across England.

Recognising the importance of woodland management we have recently opened the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme for new applications. It includes an expanded woodland management offer, with funding for a variety of management actions and woodland types. Woodland managers can apply for funding to produce a woodland management plan and will then receive advice from Forestry Commission to agree the management of their woodland in the scheme.