Written questions by French.

Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Government teams up with experts to supercharge women’s sport by the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup, published on 8 September 2025, what steps her Department is taking to ensure those objectives are met by 2035.

The Women's Sport Taskforce was recently launched to drive a Decade of Change in women’s sport.The Government is working across five key pillars in order to ensure this objective is met. We are ensuring equal access to sport, with an independent expert-led review of the curriculum to ensure all children engage with PE and sport, a new School Sport Partnerships model, and the This Girl Can campaign by Sport England.We are committed to delivering best in class facilities, with the significant investment of £98 million in 2025/26 and a further £400 million in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, doubling priority slots for women and girls.We are acting on recommendations from the Karen Carney Review of Women's Football and utilising the Women's Football Taskforce and Women’s Sport Taskforce to support world-leading professional environments. Further to this, we are increasing visibility of women’s sport, including delivering a drumbeat of UK hosted major events, with the recent Women's Rugby World Cup 2025, Women's T20 Cricket World Cup 2026, and the Tour de France/Tour de Femmes 2027, while also supporting the bid for the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Impact 25 legacy programme.

Since July 2024 the Government has invested £6.7m into the £14.5m Impact 25 programme which is pivotal in cementing rugby as a game for all. The programme has reached 850 clubs as more female-friendly facilities have been built all over the country encouraging female participation in rugby. The programme has trained 3,385 new female coaches and match officials, making coaching sessions and matches more accessible. Impact 25 has contributed to a 35% increase in female age grade registrations in England rising from 17,700 places in 2022 to 23,900 in 2025. To assess progress against Impact 25’s outcomes the RFU uses a range of data sources which are reported on as part of the programme. We will work with the RFU, Sport England and UK Sport to monitor progress against these outcomes and the RFU’s long term goal of having 100,000 female players in England. The programme has provided over £5,000 of investment to Dartfordians RFC and Sidcup RFC in Old Bexley and Sidcup. Both clubs have received sanitary product packages which are made freely available in club restrooms as well as kits for their u12s team and access to coaching and match official courses for their members.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) horseracing, (b) the equine sector and (c) the rural economy.

Defra regularly engages with other Departments including The Treasury to ensure our interests, including in rural areas, are not overlooked. The Spending Review settlement outlined the Government’s support for the rural economy and to protect the countryside. Defra will confirm detailed allocations for other programmes through this round of business planning. We know that rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy, contributing over £259 billion a year to England alone. This Government is committed to improving quality of life for people in rural areas, to realise the full potential of rural business and communities. Defra recognises the importance of the equine sector to the economy. Defra engages with the industry on protecting public health, managing disease outbreak, and ensuring welfare and biosecurity, and works across Government on broader issues, such as domestic business and international trade. DCMS lead on engagement with the Treasury on support for the horseracing sector. Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct Government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport. This year’s levy yield is set to be around £108 million which, if confirmed, exceeds the previous year's figure of £105 million.

What support she is providing for the rehabilitation of injured police officers.

This Government greatly values the service and sacrifices made by our police officers and it is vital that they receive the right support when injured in the line of duty.The Government is committed to supporting the mental and physical health and wellbeing of those who work in policing through the Police Covenant and has provided ongoing funding for the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS). The NPWS ensures police officers and staff have access to the health and wellbeing support they need. This includes measures to ensure that all forces meet national standards for occupational health provision and that they continually develop and improve upon those standards. The wellbeing service has also developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Independent Football Regulator on (a) the regulation of away ticket prices and (b) the potential impacts of regulating away ticket pricing.

Football ticket price limits are commercial decisions and a matter for football clubs. The Independent Football Regulator will consider the pertinent factors to club sustainability as part of its first State of the Game report. This report must be completed within 18 months of the Secretary of State laying secondary legislation specificing the competitions in scope of the regime.

What discussions she has had with (a) the Betting and Gaming Council, (b) the British Horseracing Authority and (c) the Jockey Club on proposals to equalise betting duty.

As part of the consultation process, the Government engaged with a wide range of stakeholders. We are working with representatives of the horseracing industry to identify any potential unintended consequences for the sector, and how they might be mitigated.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) children, (b) young people and (c) vulnerable adults are safeguarded while participating in (i) regulated and (ii) unregulated (A) grassroots sports, (B) civil society groups and (C) religious groups.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone is vitally important. In sport, National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, including through adherence to statutory safeguarding guidance. Our Arm’s Length Body Sport England funds the Child Protection in Sport Unit and Ann Craft Trust to provide guidance and support for the sector regarding safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.For civil society groups, The Charity Commission provides clear guidance on the safeguarding responsibilities of registered charities, and the Government works in partnership with charities and regulators to raise awareness about safeguarding.The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) also provides guidance to all voluntary organisations, including religious groups, on their legal safeguarding responsibilities when working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ticket price limits on the sustainability of football in England.

Football ticket price limits are commercial decisions and a matter for football clubs. The Independent Football Regulator will consider the pertinent factors to club sustainability as part of its first State of the Game report. This report must be completed within 18 months of the Secretary of State laying secondary legislation specificing the competitions in scope of the regime.

How many meetings Ministers in her Department have had with the Police Federation since 4 July 2024; and when she plans to meet the Police Federation.

Home Office Ministers have regular meetings as part of the process of policy development and delivery.As part of Government transparency they are published on a quarterly basis on gov.ukThe Police Act 1996 establishes the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) as the representative body for police officers in the federated ranks in England and Wales.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of harmonising betting duty rates on (a) the number of jobs in the economy, (b) the tax revenue raised and (c) the rural economy.

The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the consultation will be published at Autumn Budget 2025.If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.

What discussions she has had with local authorities on the publication of safeguarding data; and if he will make it his policy to require all local authorities publish their safeguarding data annually.

Local Authorities currently submit annual data to the department on all ‘children in need’ and ‘children looked after’ in their authorities. This includes information on Section 47 enquiries, initial child protection conferences and children with child protection plans and is published on the department’s ‘Explore Education Statistics’ website. This contains statistics on serious incidents involving children that local authorities have notified to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Safeguarding partners also complete annual reports which focus on multi-agency priorities, learning, impact, evidence, and improvement. These are subsequently sent to the department and National Panel and published in the public domain.

What representations she has received from Cabinet colleagues on her proposals to harmonise betting duty rates.

The Chancellor discusses a variety of issues with Ministers from other government departments throughout the year, including the run up to Budget.

Media and Sport, what the differences are between the (a) Women’s Sport Taskforce, announced in 2025 and (b) the National Physical Activity Taskforce, established in 2023.

The Women’s Sport Taskforce convenes a group of industry experts which aim to understand opportunities and break down barriers to deliver equal access, best in class facilities, ongoing professionalisation of women’s sport, visible role models to inspire future generations of girls and a strong pipeline of UK hosted major events by the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.The National Physical Activity Taskforce (NPAT) was established in 2023 under a previous government to monitor the delivery of the sport strategy Get Active, which went beyond women’s sport in its focus. This group has now closed.

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.

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.

Media and Sport, when she last met with her preferred candidate for the Chair of the Independent Football Regulator; and when she next plans to meet with him.

David Kogan has now been appointed as Chair of the Independent Football Regulator and the Secretary of State and I had a formal introductory meeting with him on 14 October.

Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to continue the Future of Cricket Fund.

The Government has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to support the growth of cricket through its recent announcement of funding for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB, the national governing body for cricket) to build two new indoor cricket domes in Farington (near Preston) and Luton. The Future of Cricket ‘Fund’ was an announcement made by the previous Government, which was entirely unfunded. This funding for cricket centres is in addition the £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation which was announced following the Spending Review.We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans. I met with the ECB, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.This includes long term investment to the ECB which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives.

Media and Sport, what plans she has to invest in grassroots cricket.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.This already includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the National Governing Body for cricket, which receives up to £11.6 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives.The Government also announced another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the nation following the Spending Review. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans. I met with the England and Wales Cricket Board, among other sports, to discuss this last week.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) a National Lido Strategy and (b) a National Lido Fund.

T​he Government has made no assessment ​on the potential merits of a National Lido Strategy or a National Lido Fund. The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.Sports facilities, such as swimming pools and lidos, provide important community hubs for people of all ages to be active and connect people to the places in which they live.The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, and the Government continues to encourage local authorities to invest in leisure facilities. We are committed to supporting Local Government, recognising the significant financial challenges faced by the sector and by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most through the Local Government Finance Settlement.We will continue to engage with Swim England, ukactive, and other key stakeholders to explore how we can work towards securing a vibrant future for swimming pools and lidos, enabling them to continue delivering their full potential for public health, economic growth, and the wellbeing of our communities. Last month, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

With reference to the 10 Year Health Plan for England, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using (a) chiropractors and (b) other wider healthcare professionals to support the NHS in delivering neighbourhood health centres.

Neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps, and patients will be treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of healthcare professionals.We have launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). The NNHIP will support systems across the country to test new ways of working, share learning, and scale what works. This programme will inform future strategy and policy development, and outcome metrics will be rigorously monitored.

Media and Sport, whether the funding announced for her Department in the Spending Review 2025 is (a) new funding and (b) was funding allocated to the Department by the previous Government.

Spending Review 2025 (SR25) formally set all Departmental budgets for the upcoming SR period, no budgets had been formally set before for this period. As such, all SR25 funding was agreed by the current government.