theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that critical services continue to run in the event of a major internet outage. \p Kirsty McNeill: Government has a robust set of policies in place to ensure there are well-defined and tested incident management processes in place, and to ensure continuity of essential functions in the event of system or service failure.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will publish the Government Cyber Action Plan this Winter, which will set out a clear approach for the Government and the Wider Public Sector to manage cyber security and resilience incidents.

The Scotland Office uses the information technology system provided and operated by the Cabinet Office, which has responsibility for all hardware and software procurement, administration, support maintenance, security, and integrity of the system.

We work closely with the Cabinet Office to understand the range of possible impacts from short to long term outage or disruption and to minimise the likelihood, impact, or time and cost of recovery. Measures to respond to major internet outages are built into our Business Continuity Planning.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-29)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether future revenues generated from Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate buy-out penalties will be spent on aviation sector decarbonisation. \p Keir Mather: The SAF mandate, which started in January this year, includes ambitious but deliverable targets to supply sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Suppliers are expected to meet targets in the SAF mandate without the need to buyout. The buyout is not a revenue raising measure, and the buyout price is set at a level to ensure that unsustainable costs are not passed on to passengers.

The SAF mandate generates demand, but we are also supporting SAF supply. Including through the Advanced Fuels Fund, which for the current year has allocated £63 million, and the creation of a UK SAF Clearing House to provide advice and support to SAF producers navigating the fuel testing landscape. This is helping to remove barriers to new fuels coming to market. The Government has also introduced legislation for a Revenue Certainty Mechanism to increase investor confidence and unlock investment in UK SAF production.

In addition to our considerable commitments on SAF, we are supporting the sector to transition to greener aviation through a range of measures, including delivering the airspace modernisation programme, which will see cleaner, quicker and quieter journeys, and major funding for new technologies through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 82705 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, whether the right to anonymity is included in the other measures that will apply to non-veterans. \p Hilary Benn: All of the measures that we have announced seek to directly benefit veterans who are asked to engage with legacy mechanisms, responding to discussions that the Government has undertaken. Some measures, including the protection from cold calling and protecting veterans from giving unnecessary evidence on historical context and general operational details, will apply only to veterans.

Other measures - including the right to seek anonymity, which is already a feature of the Coronial System - will necessarily apply to everyone. This will ensure that other witnesses, including former police officers, are able to avail of these measures when giving witness evidence to both the reformed Legacy Commission and the small number of Inquests that will proceed.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 76017 on Electoral Register, whether the Electoral Commission has issued guidance to Electoral Registration Officers on whether a voter can meet the residency requirements by having a permanent residence in three different dwellings in three different local authority areas. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission's guidance for Electoral Registration Officer’s (EROs) sets out that someone may be eligible to register and to vote at more than one address if the ERO finds they meet the residency requirements, alongside the other usual registration conditions. When considering an application to register a person at a secondary address the ERO should take into account why the voter is present at that address, to establish if they may be deemed resident there. Each case should be considered on its own merits.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the security of the ballot for early voting pilot schemes. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission evaluated a small number of early voting pilots in Wales as part of the local council elections in May 2022. There are several potential integrity challenges presented by managing voting over multiple days. These include, ensuring ballot box security overnight and managing the risk of double voting risk.

During the pilots, the Electoral Commission found that Returning Officers and their teams managed risks well, working alongside the police. No concerns were raised with the Returning Officers in relation to the integrity of the polls in the pilot areas by the police or by political parties and candidates.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Election Commission has issued to Electoral Registration Officers on the declarations that a potential elector must make to enter onto the electoral roll. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission has issued guidance on the declarations required to Electoral Registration Officers. All electors must make a declaration that the contents of their application to register are true. This can include a declaration of local connection, if a person does not have a fixed or permanent address.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has issued to local authorities on the provision to political parties of the expiry dates of postal voting mandates for individual electors with postal votes. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are required by law to identify postal voters whose absent voting arrangements will expire on 31 January each year. These voters must be notified directly by the ERO that their current arrangement is ending and that they will need to submit a new postal vote application if they wish to continue voting by post.

While political parties are entitled to receive absent voting lists, the expiry date of a postal vote does not form part of the absent voting record. As such, there is no provision for EROs to share this information.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Electoral Commission has had with the Government on the use of pilot voting schemes in the May 2026 local elections in England. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission has had discussions with Government on its proposals for pilot voting schemes at the May 2026 local elections in England.

The Commission’s research shows people in the UK are generally happy with the current ways of voting in person at elections. But it is important to look at how to keep improving elections, to meet the changing needs of voters and to make sure voting is as convenient and accessible as possible.

The Commission will support local authorities taking part in the pilots as needed, and work to ensure voters are aware of the voting options available to them. It also has a statutory duty to independently evaluate and report on the May 2026 pilot schemes.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the number of spoilt votes under the supplementary vote electoral system. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The last set of elections held under the supplementary vote electoral system were the local government and PCC elections in May 2021. The percentage of rejected ballot papers at those elections was higher than at elections using first past the post in the same year: 0.8% for the local government elections compared to 2.7% for the PCC and 4.3% for Mayor of London.

The Commission’s report following the elections noted that the number of rejected ballot papers for the Mayor of London election was notably higher than it had been at previous elections. The most significant difference compared to previous elections was the record 20 candidates which had led to a new two-column ballot paper design to accommodate electronic counting requirements. The report emphasised that clear and effective ballot paper design is essential to help voters cast their votes correctly. It recommended that alternative ballot paper designs should be tested in advance of future elections.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her plans to give councils new powers to issue bye-laws, whether it is her intention that such bye-laws could regulate otherwise lawful activity on private land and property. \p Jim McMahon: The government will work with councils to determine how and what byelaws can be made as set out in the English Devolution White Paper.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 25333 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: China, whether those checks have revealed attempts by organisations controlled by (a) the Hong Kong Trade Office, (b) the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and (c) Confucius Institutes to access Government funding. \p Alex Norris: Checks are conducted on all organisations that apply to receive money from the department. These checks are to ensure that the department is satisfied insofar as is possible with the information available, that the organisation is suitable to receive government funding. My department is not aware of any links between government funded programmes or attempts to receive government funding and the organisations named.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to reconvene the cross-Government working group on tackling anti-Semitism. \p Alex Norris: Announcements will be set out in the usual way.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to tackle Islamophobia. \p Alex Norris: Islamophobia is completely abhorrent and has no place in our society. Rooting out this appalling form of hatred is a priority for this Government, and we have already taken a number of steps to achieve this.

The Government works closely with the police and community partners monitor and combat hate crime. This year, MHCLG has made over £1 million available to monitor incidents of Islamophobia and provide support to victims. We also fund True Vision, an online hate crime reporting portal designed so that victims of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report.

In response to public disorder in August which targeted Muslims and mosques, the Government introduced a rapid protective security response process for places of worship. We have provided security to more than 700 additional places of worship during this period. Protective security continues to be a priority, with up to £29.4 million per year being made available for protective security at mosques and Muslim faith schools from 2024/25 to 2027/28.

We are finalising our renewed, more strategic approach to tackling Islamophobia, working in partnership with communities, and will provide further updates shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's joint publication Fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing blocks of flats - Code of practice, published in January 2022, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Code of Practice. \p Alex Norris: MHCLG and Home Office have jointly commissioned the British Standards Institution (BSI), who developed the Fire risk appraisal of external wall construction and cladding of existing blocks of flats - Code of practice (known as PAS 9980) to review it to make sure it still meets the needs of the market, captures any new best practice, and make revisions as required. BSI has commenced work and anticipate the review, including a 6-weeks public consultation, will be complete in early 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to improve the capacity of local authorities to rebuild public buildings affected by arson. \p Jim McMahon: The government understands the impact that deliberate fire setting has on people and the communities in which they live and work.

The Local Government Finance Settlement available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

Councils can also finance capital expenditure from their revenue budgets, reserves or capital receipts to meet rebuilding and repair costs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Josh MacAlister:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies offers employees who are foster carers (i) flexible working, (ii) paid time off for (A) training and (B) settling a new child into their home and (iii) other support. \p Alex Norris: At MHCLG:

(i) Employees have a statutory right to request flexible working which applies from the first day of employment. Employees can make two statutory requests for flexible working in any 12-month period. This will include requests to support employees who undertake foster caring outside of their employment. In addition, foster carers may apply for flexible working when settling a new child into their home.

(ii) We do not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for fosters carers for (A) training. (B) Up to 10 days in a 12-month rolling period can be taken at the start of a planned permanent placement to help the child settle. If both parents are employed by the department, one parent would receive up to 10 days and the other up to 5 days.

Employees are able to take annual and flexi leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take upto 15 days paid time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.

(iii) Prospective adopters under a 'fostering to adopt' arrangement, can take up to 5 days paid leave in a rolling 12 month period. Employees can also take 5 days special leave without pay to attend meetings, training, unforeseen emergencies relating to their fostering role or to accommodate an emergency placement. In addition, we also allow employees to take up to 5 days paid special leave to attend non emergency medical appointments for dependants where these cannot be booked in working time.

Employees of Arms Length Bodies are able to take annual leave as required and request flexible working. In addition, employees are able to take time off work to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. Other paid or unpaid time off provisions vary between each individual employer.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) Freedom of Information and (b) Environmental Information Regulation responses her Department has issued to consultations in the last 36 months. \p Alex Norris: It is not normal practice to release individual consultation responses because of data protection considerations. Requesters are pointed instead to the Department's published summary response when that becomes available.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 2635 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Expenditure, if she will provide a breakdown of the £5 million saving in legal fees. \p Alex Norris: The £5 million was a contingency in case an organisation or group named as “extremist” brought a successful defamation claim, obtaining damages and costs against the department. It was an overall figure so no further breakdown is available. As the department is no longer expecting to name any organisations or groups as “extremist”, this contingency is no longer needed.
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David Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the number of vape shops on high streets in Hertfordshire on the prosperity of those high streets. \p Alex Norris: The quality of the public realm and the prosperity of high streets and town centres is of vital importance. The Government is supporting local efforts to reduce vacancy on high streets, including through High Street Rental Auctions, because of the damaging effect persistently empty shops can have on the vitality of town centres.

The Government also recognises public sentiment about the value of some high street businesses will be mixed. Occupation of vacant units must in general be preferred to the alternative, including because of the benefits to high street footfall. The government encourages local partnership working between landlords, local government, businesses and residents to develop a unique vision for their high street. The planning system provides some tools to support these efforts, including the emphasis placed on local plans and diversification of primary shopping areas in the National Planning Policy Framework.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22042 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Consultants, what firms have had their consultancy (a) work and (b) contracts discontinued since 5 July 2024; and what her Department's monetary target is for reduction in spending on consultancy fees in 2024-25. \p Alex Norris: Addressing our biggest consultancy spends, since 5 July 2024 we have: a) achieved significant reductions in expenditure ahead of re-procuring our Neighbourhood Planning contract; b) we have also chosen not to re-procure another large spending contract for the Community Ownership Fund. Concerning the future publication of the corresponding MHCLG annual consultancy spend, I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave to UIN 22042 on 14 January 2025. C) In line with the Government’s overall ambition, we are targeting a 50% reduction in consulting spend by the end of financial year 2025-26, and we expect to be able to demonstrate material progress towards achieving this at the end of financial year 2024-25.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23915 on Islamophobia, what her planned timetable is for providing further detail on the Government’s approach to tackling Islamophobia. \p Alex Norris: Ensuring that British Muslims are safe, and feel safe, and standing up to Islamophobia is a top priority for this Government. Careful thought and continued community engagement is required to achieve this.

We will set out further plans in due course.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which Department is responsible for policy on tackling antisemitism; and what role the Home Office plays on that issue. \p Alex Norris: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for addressing racial and religious hate crime, including antisemitism.

Tackling antisemitism in all parts of our society requires a cross-Government effort. The Home Office provide funding of £18 million per year for the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant which provides security measures for synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites. The Department for Education is providing £7 million of funding to educate people about antisemitism and better equip schools, colleges and universities to stamp out antisemitic abuse.

The Government is absolutely committed to rooting out antisemitism wherever it manifests.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 9072 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private Offices, if she will provide a breakdown of the £33,790.50. \p Alex Norris: Since the dissolution of the last Parliament, MHCLG has spent £13,938.05 on furniture and fittings, and a further £3,297.56 on electrical improvements in the Ministerial offices in 2 Marsham Street, the Department’s London HQ

We spent no money on refurbishments in Ministerial offices in Wolverhampton, the Department’s second HQ. We also spent £16,554.89 on furniture to make meeting rooms suitable for use by Ministers in the Department’s office in Piccadilly Gate, Manchester.

A breakdown of items is in the table below.

Item

Cost

Desk, Tables & Chairs

£8,848.31

Electrical Improvements

£3,297.56

Manchester Ministerial Office Creation

£16,554.89

Other furniture and improvements

£5,089.74
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to increase regulation of private car park companies. \p Alex Norris: The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is working with both consumer groups and the two parking trade associations to raise standards and deliver better protection and support for motorists.

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The Government will announce plans for the Code of Practice in due course.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the Government will appoint a Minister for Coastal Communities. \p Alex Norris: As the Minister for Local Growth my role is to promote economic growth in all parts of the country including coastal communities. Our coastal economies and communities add unique value to the country and offer significant growth potential.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper we will give local leaders powers to drive forward Local Growth Plans to accelerate regional growth and productivity. This will drive the government’s central mission of economic growth and put more money in people’s pockets.
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Chris Coghlan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the ongoing consultation entitled Jointly owned properties, if she will (a) review the interpretation of joint ownership within the Building Safety Act 2022 and (b) amend that Act to ensure equitable treatment of leaseholders. \p Alex Norris: A call for evidence on jointly owned residential leasehold properties was undertaken by the previous government between Thursday 21 March 2024 to Sunday 7 April 2024. That call for evidence is, therefore, complete. The Government is, however, reviewing how to better protect leaseholders from costs relating to building safety.

Currently, two individuals who own all of their properties jointly will be capped at three properties but two individuals who own all or some property individually will be capped at six if they live separately, and five if they live together in one property.

Those who jointly own properties will always have their principal residence protected to reflect this position.
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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to issue new guidance to help reduce Building Safety Regulator workload. \p Alex Norris: We are aware that there have been delays for applicants using the building regulation approval process for Higher Risk Buildings. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has told applicants to currently plan on the basis of 20 weeks to clear gateway two, although we are seeing signs that this processing time is improving. This is compared to the Service Level Agreement (SLA) of 12 weeks for new builds.

We recognise that changes are still bedding in and the BSR is a regulator in its infancy. However, it is clear that the sector must also take responsibility for the projects they deliver. We understand the BSR have rejected a significant number of Gateway Two applications for failing to meet the building safety regulatory standards. The BSR continue to support applicants to ensure they are meeting the functional requirements of the building regulations and guidance is available to support them in understanding their duties.

MHCLG and BSR have taken the following actions, which are embedding, to enable applications to be processed more efficiently: The BSR has recruited additional personnel and they are starting to process applications; the department has granted funding to HSE this financial year to improve its infrastructure, training and processes to maximise the BSR’s efficiency and effectiveness; MHCLG and the BSR are also reviewing how the multidisciplinary teams which assess applications are resourced to enable faster stand-up times; the Government has invested in new local authority building control inspectors to support the BSR; the Government has provided funding to support additional Fire and Rescue (FRS) staff to support the BSR and work to recruit and train these additional staff is well underway.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help local authorities scruitnise the work of property developers. \p Alex Norris: Building control assure compliance with the building regulations and have powers to intervene where it is found that buildings are in breach of the Building Regulations. It is an important function for local authorities, protecting the health and safety of residents and enabling economic activity.

We have invested £16.5 million to support capacity building in local authority building control teams and continue to encourage authorities to invest in this service.

The Building Safety Regulator is implementing Operational Standards Rules, which define minimum performance standards that building control bodies must meet and will improve outcomes across the sector.

The Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report recommended the appointment of a panel to consider delivery models and commercial interest in building control. We are considering the recommendations and will respond shortly.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the Flood Recovery Framework was not activated following the flooding on 1 January 2025 in Stockport. \p Alex Norris: My thoughts remain with all householders and business owners impacted by flooding at the end of December last year and early in January 2025; flooding is a devastating experience for all those affected.

Government recovery support in the aftermath of flooding is only provided in exceptional circumstances. The scale of impacts in early January were not significant enough for the Flood Recovery Framework to be activated in any area. For comparison, when the Framework was activated following Storms Babet in October 2023 and Henk in January 2024, together over 8,500 homes and businesses were impacted across England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Dr Ben Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility to people who are digitally excluded of the consultation on Funding arrangements for the Homelessness Prevention Grant from 2026-27 onwards. \p Rushanara Ali: The department issued an open consultation on Funding arrangements for the Homelessness Prevention Grant from 2026/27 onwards.

Details of how to respond, including by post, can be found under the ‘Basic Information’ section of the consultation document.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to tackle youth homelessness in Devon. \p Rushanara Ali: Homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth homelessness as we develop our long-term, cross-government strategy working with Mayors and councils across the country, to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

As announced at the Budget on 30 October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. The Homelessness Prevention Grant is allocated to councils across England based on local homelessness pressures and is used to meet local needs. Councils across Devon will receive £5,731,182 for 2025/26 through the Homelessness Prevention Grant.
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Rachel Blake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress her Department has made on setting out a timeline for the commencement of the repeal of the Vagrancy Act 1824. \p Rushanara Ali: We are carefully considering the Vagrancy Act and other relevant legislation in developing our new cross-government strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 24225 on Conditions of Employment: Departmental Responsibilities, whether her Department has plans to recruit individuals to advise on (a) employment law and (b) industrial relations. \p Alex Norris: Strengthening employment rights is a key priority across Government. The Deputy Prime Minister is the Chair of the Future of Work Cabinet Committee, which is responsible for considering and taking decisions on matters related to the Make Work Pay package of reforms to the Employment Law framework. The department, alongside the Department for Business and Trade, and other Government departments will ensure the Deputy Prime Minister has the necessary support to carry out that role.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_25

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will take steps with voluntary organisations to help increase the number of adult volunteers in (a) uniformed youth activity groups and (b) Scouts. \p Stephanie Peacock: To date, the DCMS Uniformed Youth Fund has enabled Uniformed Youth organisations to recruit over 4,200 adult volunteers in hundreds of new or expanded units across England, and created over 20,500 new places for young people. This includes over 1,000 new volunteers who have been recruited by the Scouts.

In line with the National Youth Strategy announcement in November 2024, the Government has committed to continue funding Uniformed Youth organisations in 2025/26 to ensure young people can continue to access opportunities outside of school in all parts of the country. More details will be shared in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_26

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to tackle loneliness in rural communities. \p Stephanie Peacock: This Government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural communities. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s current work to tackle loneliness includes supporting a range of organisations through the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness (including those based in rural areas); working to improve the evidence base around loneliness; and providing advice through the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign’s advice pages.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_27

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to increase youth services provision in Bromsgrove constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: Local Authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area.We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to ensure a youth offer which addresses the needs of young people and delivers on government priorities.

This government has also committed to co-producing a new National Youth Strategy. As part of the Strategy, we will be consulting closely with young people and the youth sector. The Strategy will be published this summer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_28

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of mandating the flying of the Union Flag on all (a) schools and (b) public buildings. \p Stephanie Peacock: Flag flying guidance is issued each year for Government buildings. However we currently have no further plans to consider the requirement for schools or other public buildings to fly the Union Flag.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_29

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support local museums. \p Chris Bryant: Local museums animate towns, high streets and rural communities across the country. Their programmes and activities promote education, entertainment and wellbeing, and play an important role in delivering the government’s agenda.

The Government, with Arts Council England (ACE), supports local museums through the ACE 2023-26 National Portfolio supporting 80 museum organisations with £37m annually, and a further £3m annually is invested in the Museum Development Network. The Government also funds regional museums maintenance through the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), with £86.6 million committed to date, and provides tax incentives through both the Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief, and the VAT Refund Scheme for museums. We hope to announce more soon.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_30

Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with ticket vendors on the potential impact of the use of apps for purchasing tickets for events on (a) all digitally-excluded people, (b) people with disabilities and (c) people without access to smartphones. \p Chris Bryant: Provided consumers are not misled and are able to make informed decisions, firms should be free to offer their products and services under conditions of their choosing. To support digital inclusion the Government encourages businesses to provide alternatives to digital purchases, where possible, for consumers who do not have access to a mobile phone.

It is important that consumers experience openness and transparency when buying tickets. The Government has launched a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, which closes on 4 April 2025. We are seeking evidence on the impact of current pricing practices on consumers and businesses and whether the current legal framework provides sufficient protection. The Government wants to ensure access and fairness for fans purchasing tickets for events, and we welcome responses to the call for evidence on these issues. We are engaging with ticketing platforms on issues covered in the call for evidence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_31

Lincoln Jopp:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to help protect small music venues. \p Chris Bryant: The Government response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's report on grassroots music venues sets out our commitment to working with the sector to support the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. In particular, the Government is urging the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector.

The Government has also announced £2.5m of continued funding for the Arts Council England’s Supporting Grassroots Music Fund for 2025-26. This enables grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals to apply for grants of up to £40,000 to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for music lovers across the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_32

Bradley Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent trends in the level of funding for the Listed Places of Worship Scheme on the VAT rebate threshold for large church restoration projects. \p Chris Bryant: On the 22nd of January, I was pleased to announce that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme would continue from March 2025 to March 2026 with a budget of £23m.

Further details can be found here in the Written Statement.

As I said in his Westminster Hall debate on the subject, based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by the change.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_33

David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on (a) contested heritage and (b) retain and explain. \p Chris Bryant: The policy relating to contested heritage is set out in the 2023 Guidance for custodians on how to deal with commemorative heritage assets that have become contested which was published under the previous government. I have no plans to change the guidance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_34

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to implement funding for the Listed Places of Worship Scheme beyond 2026. \p Chris Bryant: Future Government spending is a matter for the 2026 Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_35

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish an impact assessment of the introduction of the new cap of £25,000 to the Listed Places of Worship Scheme. \p Chris Bryant: We do not have any plans to publish an impact assessment. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by the change.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_36

Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on the cultural sector in the West Midlands. \p Chris Bryant: The Government highly values the cultural sector and its positive contribution across the country, including in the West Midlands.

Due to the difficult economic inheritance from the previous government, we had to take a number of difficult decisions on tax, welfare and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability. The Government has considered the implication of this policy change, and the impacts were published in the usual way by HMRC as part of the Autumn Budget process. The cultural sector also benefits from the expenditure on public services that the Budget has enabled.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN), which gives a clear explanation of the policy objective and an assessment of the impacts was published alongside the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill on 13 November 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_37

Lincoln Jopp:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will visit Shepperton Studios. \p Chris Bryant: Yes, ministers are keen to visit studios across the country, including Shepperton, and to continue to support the UK’s incredible film and HETV sector, which contributes billions to our economy, fuels tens of thousands of jobs and is a huge source of soft power on the global stage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-14 conversation_38

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average daily cost is of electronic tagging. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The average cost for an individual subject to electronic monitoring (EM) is approximately c.£9 per day.

It is important to note the above figure does not include the average cost of a probation or police officer supervising an individual with EM. For information relating to the additional supervision costs of managing an individual with EM please refer to the following: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament