Written questions by Evans.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the statutory role of Sports England consultee in planning decisions on the (a) development of sporting facilities and (b) maintenance of playing fields.

The government is committed to reviewing the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510), we intend to consult on removing a limited number of statutory consultees, including Sports England. We also intend to review the range and type of planning applications on which statutory consultees are required to be consulted and consider whether some types of application could be removed, or addressed by alternative means of engagement and provision of expert advice. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage the (a) development of sporting facilities and (b) maintenance of playing fields through National Planning Policy Guidance.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that access to high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities. The Framework sets out that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision, which plans should then seek to accommodate. It also includes strong protections for existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, setting out that they should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better alternatives are provided, or the development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers greater benefits.

What his planned timeline is for introducing a twice-weekly sitting timetable for the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme Appeal Board.

The Government recognises the profound impact that historic criminal and Service law had on LGBT veterans and is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans affected by the ban receive the recognition they deserve. The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) received a large volume of applications when it opened, and those applicants who are terminally ill, over 80, or in significant financial distress were prioritised. The first payments were issued as planned within 15 weeks of the Scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Applications are now being processed in date order, and we are recruiting additional staff, to speed up the process. As of 8 September 2025, the FRS had made payments of £8.9 million to 237 applicants. Due to the low number of appeals received to date (eight in total), there are currently no plans for the FRS Appeal Board to sit twice weekly. Defence will continue to monitor the number of appeals received and will reassess this approach if required, as was done for the Independent Panel which, due to the volume of applications, now sits twice weekly.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the medicines margin and clawback system in accounting for local variations in prescribing habits.

In reaching a settlement for the 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), detailed discussions were had with Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the representative body of pharmacy contractors, which included the medicine margin arrangements and the long-term financial sustainability of community pharmacies.The CPCF settlement for 2025/26, which was agreed with CPE, increased the allowed medicine margin to £900 million and included writing off £193 million of historic over delivered medicine margin. It was also agreed that should there continue to be further over delivery of medicine margin, requiring downward adjustments to reimbursement, consideration will be given to further strategies to stabilise category M.No assessment has been made specifically on the effectiveness of the medicine margin and clawback system in accounting for local variation in prescribing habits. However, as part of the CPCF settlement for 2025/26, we committed to pursuing a number of reimbursement arrangement developments to support fairer access to medicine margin regardless of local prescribing habits.

Whether he has had recent discussions with Community Pharmacy representatives on the (a) effectiveness of the medicines margin and clawback system and (b) potential impact of the medicines margin and clawback system on the long-term financial sustainability of community pharmacies.

In reaching a settlement for the 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), detailed discussions were had with Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the representative body of pharmacy contractors, which included the medicine margin arrangements and the long-term financial sustainability of community pharmacies.The CPCF settlement for 2025/26, which was agreed with CPE, increased the allowed medicine margin to £900 million and included writing off £193 million of historic over delivered medicine margin. It was also agreed that should there continue to be further over delivery of medicine margin, requiring downward adjustments to reimbursement, consideration will be given to further strategies to stabilise category M.No assessment has been made specifically on the effectiveness of the medicine margin and clawback system in accounting for local variation in prescribing habits. However, as part of the CPCF settlement for 2025/26, we committed to pursuing a number of reimbursement arrangement developments to support fairer access to medicine margin regardless of local prescribing habits.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Councils have effective supply chains in place to enable them to provide a weekly food waste collection service to all households by 31 March 2026.

We are aware of concerns about delivery timelines and pressure on supply chains for vehicles and containers. We are engaging with key stakeholders across the sector and welcome input to help us understand the challenges and ensure successful delivery. Defra is working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to scope interventions to address bottlenecks in supply chains. For instance, WRAP recently published procurement guidance for food waste: Weekly food waste implementation supplementary procurement guidance | WRAP.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64094 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing the payments to Mauritius in advance of the releasing of annual accounts.

Details of payments have already been published in the exchange of letters accompanying the Treaty and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum.

Media and Sport, when she last met the (a) Rugby Football Union and (b) Premiership Rugby; and what issues were discussed.

I met with senior RFU figures while supporting England at the opening fixture of the Women's Rugby World Cup. There I discussed the delivery of the tournament as well as other policy issues, including the demand for women’s sport, government support for women’s sport and the RFU’s legacy programme for the tournament: Impact 25. The Secretary of State and I also attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup 100 ‘Days to go’ launch event in May 2025, where we discussed tournament delivery with senior RFU figures and other stakeholders. I met with Premiership Rugby in November 2024 to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union. Since then, my officials have engaged with Premiership Rugby regularly.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 for ensuring that (a) district and (b) parish councils provide allotments in response to public demand.

Under the Small Holdings and Allotment Act 1908, local authorities have a duty to provide allotments if there is sufficient demand. The responsibility for the running, management, and organisation of these allotments also falls on the local authority. A local authority, when faced with sufficient demand, must acquire suitable land, freehold or leasehold by agreement or, if necessary, by compulsion. At present, we have made no formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Act to ensure demand is met by district and parish councils.We are content with effectiveness of the clearly defined legal process to protect allotments as outlined under the Allotments Act 1925. The National Allotment Society stated that the eight approvals quoted in parliament from July 2024 to July 2025 represented a slight decrease in allotment disposals in recent years, and that it had not challenged any of the applications as they had all met the legal threshold with either low take-up of plots or alternative allotment space provided elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the police of (a) kennelling and (b) court fees for dogs subject to seized dog cases.

Defra does not hold data on the total cost to the police of kennelling or of court fees for dogs subject to seized dog cases. This information may be collected by individual police forces.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Allotment Act 1925 for protecting allotments from being sold by local authorities.

Under the Small Holdings and Allotment Act 1908, local authorities have a duty to provide allotments if there is sufficient demand. The responsibility for the running, management, and organisation of these allotments also falls on the local authority. A local authority, when faced with sufficient demand, must acquire suitable land, freehold or leasehold by agreement or, if necessary, by compulsion. At present, we have made no formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Act to ensure demand is met by district and parish councils.We are content with effectiveness of the clearly defined legal process to protect allotments as outlined under the Allotments Act 1925. The National Allotment Society stated that the eight approvals quoted in parliament from July 2024 to July 2025 represented a slight decrease in allotment disposals in recent years, and that it had not challenged any of the applications as they had all met the legal threshold with either low take-up of plots or alternative allotment space provided elsewhere.

Communities and Local Government, how many allotment sites have been sold by local authorities with permission from her Department since July 2024.

Provision of allotments is managed by Local Government. The Department does not currently hold data on the total number of allotments within England or by local authority. Since 4 July 2024, the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government has issued 10 approvals for the disposal of allotments under the Allotments Act 1925.Regarding the allotment disposal application for Ravenscroft Allotments, this information is not in the public domain at present so will not be shared at this time. The consent granted by the Secretary of State for the disposal of the allotment is available and in the public domain, I have arranged for a copy of this to be placed in the Library of the House.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees on the ability on non-affluent families to afford private school education.

HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees. This is a comprehensive assessment of the VAT policy, including impacts on individuals and families and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/applying-vat-to-private-school-fees#who-is-likely-to-be-affected.

What his Department’s definition of a working person is for the purposes of policy development in the context of civil service internship schemes.

The refocused Fast Stream Summer Internship scheme will give talented undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to see what a career in the Civil Service is like. We will assess eligibility for the summer internship scheme based on parental occupation at the age of 14. The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) identifies this as the most accurate measure of socio-economic background.

Whether he plans to publish the next report by Alma Economics on the evaluation of the Op FORTITUDE and Reducing Veterans Homelessness programme.

The Government has already published an interim report evaluating these programmes which identified notable successes. As of 24 August 2025, the service has taken over 3,900 referrals and supported 980 veterans into housing. It is the Government's intention to also publish the next evaluation report of these programmes in due course.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on (a) assessing the adequacy and (b) improving the availability of single occupancy for veterans.

This Government is committed to ensuring that veterans have access to the support they need, including with regards to their housing. As the Minister for Veterans and People, I regularly attend the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping which is chaired by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. This group drives progress on Government strategy to get Britain back on track to ending homelessness, ensuring we are working across Government, and in partnership with local authorities and Mayors, to tackle the root causes. I represent the Ministry of Defence at these meetings, ensuring that the needs and experiences of veterans are considered in the development of cross-Government housing and homelessness policy. In response to the second part of the hon. Member's question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 June 2025 to Question 57385.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) representatives of rural communities and (b) third party bodies on including the energy needs of off grid communities within the Warm Homes Plan.

The then Minister for Energy Consumers (Miatta Fahnbulleh) had discussions with industry, local government and devolved governments in the development of the Warm Homes Plan. The Warm Homes Plan will help households, including rural off-gas grid households, take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating. The Department has partnered with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan. The plan will be published by October and will set out our strategy for decarbonising homes, including in rural settings, in more detail.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) representatives of rural communities and (b) third party bodies on including the energy needs of rural communities within the Warm Homes Plan.

The then Minister for Energy Consumers (Miatta Fahnbulleh) had discussions with industry, local government and devolved governments in the development of the Warm Homes Plan. The Warm Homes Plan will help households, including rural off-gas grid households, take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating. The Department has partnered with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan. The plan will be published by October and will set out our strategy for decarbonising homes, including in rural settings, in more detail.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) representatives of rural communities and (b) third party bodies on including the energy needs of canal boat owning communities within the Warm Homes Plan.

The then Minister for Energy Consumers (Miatta Fahnbulleh) had discussions with industry, local government and devolved governments in the development of the Warm Homes Plan. Boat dwellers will not qualify for government energy efficiency schemes as a valid domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating is required to access this support. The Reduced data Standard Assessment Procedure (RdSAP) method does not support the creation of domestic EPCs for houseboats. However, the Warm Homes Plan will help households, including off-gas grid rural households, take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of clause 8 of the Crime and Policing Bill on the number of police interceptions of (a) pedal bikes and (b) e-bikes whose riders are committing antisocial behaviour.

Tackling anti-social behaviour and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. Clause 8 of the Crime and Policing Bill removes the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing a vehicle which is being used anti-socially, including illegally modified e-bikes, under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002. This will allow police to put an immediate stop to offending.The Government has recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles, such as illegally modified e-bikes, which have been used anti-socially. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.These combined measures will strengthen the law and send a clear message that antisocial behaviour involving vehicles will not be tolerated.Section 59 seizure powers apply to motor vehicles only.