Written questions by Smith.

How much funding had been allocated by the Treasury for the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme scheme by 2 July 2024.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.There are two New Hospital Programme schemes in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the scheme for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Preston Hospital, and the scheme for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Up to the end of the 2023/24, both trusts received £6.7 million each for their new hospital schemes.The breakdown of how much the trusts received for their new hospital schemes is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023Both schemes are at Pre-Consultation Business Case stage, and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

How much funding the Lancashire and South Cumbria New Hospitals Programme scheme had received up to the end of the 2023-24 financial year.

The standard process confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.There are two New Hospital Programme schemes in Lancashire and South Cumbria, the scheme for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Preston Hospital, and the scheme for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust at Royal Lancaster Infirmary. Up to the end of the 2023/24, both trusts received £6.7 million each for their new hospital schemes.The breakdown of how much the trusts received for their new hospital schemes is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023Both schemes are at Pre-Consultation Business Case stage, and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of access to tennis facilities on the physical activity levels of (a) older people, (b) disabled people, (c) women and girls and (d) other less active groups.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help increase access to (a) affordable and (b) covered or indoor community tennis courts.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of (a) indoor and (b) covered tennis facilities, in the context of her Department's target for increasing the number of people who are physically active by 2030.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of accessible (a) indoor and (b) covered tennis courts in underserved communities.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has provided for (a) covered and (b) indoor (i) tennis and (ii) padel courts in each of the last five years.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, how much funding her Department plans to provide for tennis facilities in each of the next three financial years.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of access to indoor tennis facilities on the level of participation in disability tennis.

The Government is committed to doing more to ensure that everyone, including older people, girls and women and those with disabilities, all have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in sport and to boost diversity at a grassroots level to give more and better opportunities to all.Sport England provides long term investment to the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis in Britain, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives that will benefit everyone, including disabled people, women and girls and older people.Sport England also works to ensure that each of their programmes impact directly on disabled people and those with a long-term health condition, with initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign and partnerships with disability organisations.Decisions with regards to future departmental budgets will be made as part of the upcoming spending review process.