Written questions by Anderson.

Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to support conservation projects in churches at risk.

The Department supports the conservation of historic places of worship, including those at risk, through several channels. The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was extended for a further year in January 2025 to March 2026, with a £23 million budget. This scheme helps religious organisations reclaim the VAT costs of eligible repairs and renovations, which supports the conservation of these vital heritage and community assets. In exceptional circumstances, listed places of worship may be eligible for Heritage at Risk funding provided by Historic England. In addition, the Department funded the £15 million Heritage At Risk Capital Fund in the 2025/26 financial year. Out of 37 projects awarded funding through this capital fund, 4 were places of worship, receiving a total of £1,387,842 for their conservation projects.

What action is being taken to support SEND transport costs in South Shropshire constituency.

Central government funding for home-to-school travel is provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement which is administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Settlement for the 2025/26 financial year makes available over £69 billion for local government, a 6.8% cash terms increase in Core Spending Power on 2024/25. To put local government on the road to financial sustainability, the government recently consulted on funding reforms, including a bespoke relative needs formula for home-to-school transport. The consultation response was published here on 20 November:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-fair-funding-review-20. Challenges in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system are creating pressure on home-to-school travel. We have committed to reform the SEND system to enable more children to thrive in local mainstream settings. These reforms will be set out in a Schools White Paper early in the new year.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of community diagnostic hubs in South Shropshire constituency.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are delivering additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity in England, providing patients with a co-ordinated set of tests in the community in as few visits as possible, to enable fast and accurate diagnosesCDCs help to separate urgent and elective care, providing additional capacity in the community and relieving pressure on hospitals.As of September 2025, CDCs are now delivering additional tests and checks on 170 sites across the country and have delivered over 9.4 million tests, checks and scans, including large, standard, and hub and spoke models, since July 2024.The Elective Reform Plan sets out that the Government will deliver additional CDC capacity in 2025/26 by expanding a number of existing CDCs and building up to five new CDCs. The locations of both new and expanded CDC schemes will be confirmed in due course. This is funded as part of the £600 million of capital investment for diagnostics in 2025/26, which my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out in the June 2025 statement.There are no CDCs in the South Shropshire constituency. However, there is a CDC in Telford, the Shropshire CDC. Constituents may also have access to diagnostic services at the Royal Shrewsbury and Robert and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospitals. Diagnostic services are also available in the community hospitals run by the Shrewsbury Community Health NHS Trust in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, and Whitchurch, as well as the health centre in Oswestry.CDCs, even if not local to a constituent, will add capacity to the wider integrated care system. They, therefore, benefit more than just those patients immediately close to them.

Food and Rural Affairs, what action is being taken to improve food security in South Shropshire constituency and the West Midlands.

Food security is monitored via the UK Food Security Report, produced every three years (most recently December 2024). This gives an international, national, and household food security assessment. Additionally, we will be publishing an annual food security digest report in the years in between. The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Imports supplements domestic production, helping manage seasonality and ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in the cost of shotgun licences on funding for youth activities.

On 5 February 2025, increased fees came into effect to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications processed by police forces. This was the first increase in fees for 10 years and we intend to undertake more regular reviews in the future.The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.It is important that the additional revenue from firearms licensing fees is used to support improvements in police force firearms licensing teams, and my predecessor, Dame Diana Johnson MP, wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the increased fees must be used for this purpose.Whilst the Government’s manifesto commitment referred to the money raised by full cost recovery fees being used to support youth interventions to prevent serious violence, it was decided instead ahead of the February 2025 increase to fees, that firearms fees income must be retained by police forces to support improvements in police firearms licensing.

What action is being taken to increase scam awareness in rural communities.

Whilst it is vital we continue to target the criminals behind fraud and make it harder for them to operate, we want to increase awareness across all communities to help people.We are working with City of London Police (CoLP) to support their coordination of the Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public, including those in rural communities.Additionally, the Government has continued to fund the national ‘Stop! Think Fraud’ awareness campaign to equip the public with useful protective behaviours against fraud. The campaign, and supporting website, make it easier for the public to recognise fraud and take steps to protect themselves, their family and friends.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements during corporate restructuring in safety-critical sectors in the context of the Employment Tribunal correction in Unite v MAEL.

The Government cannot comment on individual cases. In addition, the Government is unable to assess sector-based trends on the use of non-disclosure agreements as they are private contractual agreements and data on their use is not collected.

When she plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for South Shropshire dated 19 June 2025 with case reference number SA34564.

The Government is committed to transparency and accountability, including through clear and timely responses to correspondence. Your correspondence dated 19 June was passed to the Equalities Minister responsible for the UK equality framework; you should have now received the reply.

Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to support community libraries.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within available resources, including how community libraries may form a part of that. Where a community library is part of the Local Authority service statutory network it can benefit from wider government initiatives such as the improved Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26, and could also benefit from library specific funding such as the Libraries Improvement Fund.The Secretary of State announced in February 2025 a further £5.5 million of this Libraries Improvement Fund for 2025-26 to councils across England to invest in their library service and fund a range of projects to upgrade buildings and technology. This can include bids to benefit community managed branches within the statutory network.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support community ownership.

Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we are introducing a new community right to buy to give communities stronger powers to take ownership of a range of assets which are important to them and protect them for future community use. Communities will be given the right of first refusal on the purchase of registered assets of community value when they are put up for sale and a longer timeframe to raise funds to purchase the asset.

What steps the Government is taking to support community pubs.

We recognise the vital role pubs play as social hubs within communities, fostering connections while driving local economies and supporting high streets. That’s why we’re investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.We are planning on introducing reforms to premises licensing to simplify outdated rules, making it easier and more affordable to run hospitality venues and to allow communities to thrive. These proposals will include a National Licensing Policy Framework. A Call for Evidence closed on 6 November. We are now analysing responses at pace.We are also creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value and through the English Devolution Bill, we have introduced a strong new ‘right to buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets, empowering local communities to reclaim and revitalise empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to revamp our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises.We continue to work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council, working together to address the challenges facing all hospitality businesses.

What steps the Government is taking to support independent specialist education colleges.

The department recognises the role special post-16 institutions play in providing specialist education in the further education (FE) sector, catering for young people whose needs cannot be met in general FE colleges.We have been clear that a more inclusive education system is needed to give children and young people the opportunities they need to achieve and thrive. There remains a crucial role for specialist providers, not only in supporting children and young people with particularly complex needs, but also in building capability across the system. The department supports independent specialist education colleges through regulatory approval, funding and guidance. Colleges can apply to join the Section 41 approved list, giving families the right to request them in an education, health and care plan and ensuring compliance with the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice. The department also provides high-needs funding for eligible institutions, alongside local authority contributions, and issues guidance on safeguarding, governance and curriculum standards.

What steps the Government is taking to strengthen UK civil defence and resilience.

The Government is clear on the importance of implementing a whole-of-society approach to strengthen defence and our resilience to the threats we face, including those below and above the threshold of an armed attack. The Ministry of Defence, together with the Cabinet Office led cross-Whitehall Home Defence Programme, is delivering the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommendations supporting this approach. This includes drafting legislative measures to improve defence readiness; making better use of the reserves; increasing public engagement and understanding of defence; and improving the defence and resilience of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).Through the UK Government's Resilience Action Plan, we outline how we will enable the whole of society to increase their resilience, including taking action to prepare for emergencies as set out on the GOV.UK/Prepare website.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential for economic growth in rural areas.

Delivering secure, strong and sustainable growth to boost prosperity and living standards across the UK is the Government’s priority mission, as set out in the Plan for Change. Forecasting the economy is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which published its latest forecast on 26 March 2025. The next OBR forecast is due to be published on 26 November. We know that rural areas offer significant potential for growth. In 2023, rural areas contributed £259 billion to England’s Gross Value Added (GVA), representing 12.2% of the total GVA for England. However, at the same time overall productivity in the most rural areas is typically lower than urban areas and is only 82% of the average for England excluding London.

What discussions he has had with the Royal Mail on tackling postal delays in rural communities.

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider to ensure that service standards are upheld across all regions, including rural areas. It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to monitor Royal Mail’s service standards. The regulator sets Royal Mail enforceable targets to deliver a certain proportion of items on time each year. Ofcom takes compliance with its regulatory targets seriously and this involves conducting thorough investigations where failures have been identified.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the visitor economy in South Shropshire constituency.

Tourism contributes to growth and jobs across all parts of the country particularly in rural constituencies like South Shropshire, home to historical sites such as Ludlow castle and the diverse landscapes of the Shropshire Hills.DCMS works with VisitBritain and VisitEngland to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience with the aim of ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are felt by all regions and nations.The Telford and Shropshire Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) has an important role to play in supporting the development of local tourism products and packages that meet the needs of visitors and benefit local communities to the area.The Government is committed to supporting the sector through the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Plan, which will set out a long term plan to increase visitor flows across the UK, boost value, and deliver sustainable growth.

What guidance his Department has issued to closed mortuaries on family visiting arrangements.

The Department has not issued specific guidance to closed mortuaries on family visiting arrangements. The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is responsible for licensing mortuaries in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland which undertake post-mortem examinations. The Human Tissue Act 2004 and the HTA's Codes of Practice govern the standards in these mortuaries.HTA licensing standards require establishments to have in place documented policies for the viewing of bodies by family members and others, such as the Police. However, there is no obligation for HTA licensed mortuaries in the post mortem sector to provide viewings for families. Establishments are required to have controlled access to body storage areas, arrangements to protect against unauthorised access, and must ensure oversight of visitors and contractors. Most post-mortem examinations are conducted under the authority of a coroner. The access to and use of bodies under the authority of HM Coroner by the Police are at the coroner’s discretion.

What steps she is taking to ensure the provision of childcare in all rural areas.

In our Plan for Change we have set a milestone of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn. We will measure our progress through 75% of children at the end of reception reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028.The government has committed to working with the sector to better support parents in poorer and rural areas. We have announced over £400 million of funding to create tens of thousands of places in new and expanded school-based nurseries to help ensure more children can access the quality early education where it is needed and get the best start in life. The first phase of the programme is creating up to 6,000 new nursery places, with schools reporting over 5,000 have been made available in September 2025.The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action they are taking to address those issues and, where needed, support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that veterans have access to childcare options.

It is the department’s ambition that all families, including those from Armed Forces and Veteran communities, have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.In April 2026, over 200 new Best Start Family Hubs in areas not previously funded are now open to families, backed by over £900 million of investment. These hubs act as welcoming, one-stop shops rooted in local communities, supporting families from pregnancy through to early childhood with everything from infant feeding support and parenting advice to help with the cost of living and early identification of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Support will also extend beyond dedicated hubs into up to 2,000 community venues, known as Best Start Network Sites, by 2028, ensuring families can access help.The department's guidance for Best Start Family Hubs sets out minimum expectations for supporting Armed Forces and Veteran families. Hub staff are expected to be aware of the unique challenges these families can face, including the cumulative impact of mobility, separation, deployment, life after service and bereavement, and to signpost families to relevant support services including the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Education Advisory Team and the dedicated Armed Forces Families Federations.Best Start Family Hub staff are also expected to be familiar with the joint non-statutory guidance 'Service Pupils in Schools' (April 2025) and the MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP) principles for supporting Service children with SEND through school transitions. The guidance also encourages the establishment of a dedicated military champion in every hub, linked to existing Armed Forces Covenant commitments.Veteran families who are based in England can apply for government funded childcare through the Childcare Service or through their local authorities. Families may also be eligible for support if they receive Universal Credit.Current service families may be eligible for 30 hours (over 38 weeks of the year) funded childcare support, which is available to eligible working parents from the term after their child turns nine months old until they start school. Parents must earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum wage and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year to be eligible. In a two-parent household, both parents must meet the eligibility criteria.All three- and four-year-olds are eligible for 15 hours free early education per week (over 38 weeks of the year), regardless of family circumstances. This is available the term after the child’s third birthday. Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare are also available to families to help with childcare costs.The department wants to ensure that parents are aware of and are accessing all the government funded childcare support they are eligible for. The department is raising awareness of the government funded childcare support available via the Best Start in Life Parent Hub website to stimulate increased take up by eligible families, because we know this could make a significant financial difference to families. The website can be accessed here: https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/.

What assessment her Department has made of the ability of police forces to implement the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee set out commitments for police forces to implement by July 2025. Forces are now delivering on the Guarantee across England and Wales to ensure consistent and high-quality neighbourhood policing. Every neighbourhood now has named, contactable officers.Additionally, the Government has made £200 million available in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of this Parliament, including up to 3000 additional neighbourhood officers by March 2026