Written questions by Anderson.

When the Member for South Shropshire might expect to receive a reply to Written Question 107746 tabled on 22 January 2026.

I responded to the hon. Member on 24 April 2026.

When she plans to respond to Question 87070 from the hon. Member for South Shropshire.

The response to Written Parliamentary Question 87070 was published on 22 April 2026.

What estimate she has made of the effect of the THINK campaign on the number of road deaths of young people aged 17 to 25.

The primary audience for the THINK! campaign is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over. In recognition of this, THINK! works with a wide range of road safety behavioural experts and stakeholders to design and execute campaigns that have the best chance of changing attitudes and behaviours amongst this highly at risk group. Against a backdrop of consistent long-term funding for THINK! campaigns, the number of killed or seriously injured casualties involving a young car driver has fallen 61% in the last 20 years, from 12,190 in 2004 to 4,740 in 2024. Whilst it is not possible to directly attribute changes in road deaths to any single factor, research shows high levels of self-reported action amongst young people as a result of seeing a THINK! campaign with 9 in 10 reporting frequently taking an action, including changing their own driving behaviour.

What steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry in South Shropshire constituency.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. For the South Shropshire constituency, this is the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB.The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. 1.8 million additional courses of National Health Service dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election.We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. From April 2026, we began introducing a package of reforms to address some of the pressing issues that dentists and dental teams have been experiencing.These reforms will prioritise those with the greatest need, shifting care away from clinically unnecessary check-ups.The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most. We have reduced the NHS dentistry underspend from £392 million in 2023/24 to £36 million in 2024/25.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the progress of the roll out of Project Gigabit in South Shropshire constituency.

Through Project Gigabit, we are delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises not included in suppliers’ commercial delivery plans, predominately in rural areas.We expect approximately 7,640 premises in South Shropshire constituency to benefit from gigabit coverage through Project Gigabit’s cross regional framework contract with Openreach.Additionally, approximately 4,950 premises in South Shropshire constituency have received a gigabit-capable connection through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which is part of Project Gigabit.

What action is being taken to help improve the availability of domestic abuse services in rural areas.

In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, 'Freedom from Violence and Abuse’, we committed to developing a new cross-government statement on the commissioning of VAWG services. This will update the National Statement of Expectation, refresh the VAWG Commissioning Toolkit, and will improve the quality of commissioning. For England, the Safe Accommodation Duty for victims of domestic abuse, and the upcoming Duty to Collaborate for victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and serious violence, will ensure local areas are able to tailor their provision to their local community and duty holders should consider the needs of rural victims as part of this.This financial year (2025/26) the Home Office has invested £6m into specialist helplines to support victims in their greatest time of need. The VAWG Helplines are established to be accessible wherever you are across England and Wales. They provide advice and support to victims and assist in signposting and referrals to appropriate local services.Last year, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) commenced a call for evidence across a network of rural stakeholders to inform understanding of the availability of support services and delivery methodologies that might be effective in rural areas. Defra will work to understand the findings of this evidence to help to confront the disparities in the provision of support so that every victim, whether in a city or a rural village, can access the help they need.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the competitiveness of British egg producers in the context of the proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.

In preparation for the recent consultation on laying hen cage reform, the Government carried out an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to laying hen welfare policy on UK egg producers and, as part of the consultation, sought views on that assessment. The Government is now analysing the consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course. As set out in the UK’s trade strategy, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at its disposal to protect the UK’s most sensitive sectors.

Media and Sport, what action is being taken to help places of worship with the VAT incurred on conservation projects.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will have a budget of £23 million per year. The Places of Worship Renewal Fund will award grants for projects to cover capital works, rather than just the VAT element of a project, as is the case with the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. In some cases the amount granted could be greater than just the VAT element currently funded.In addition to the forthcoming Places of Worship Renewal Fund there is other funding available via DCMS and the Department’s arm’s length bodies. Between 2024 and 2027 the National Lottery Heritage Fund expects to have invested around £100m in places of worship. Around £30m a year is available through their National Lottery Heritage Grants open programme and an additional £15million is available through a strategic initiative to provide targeted support to build capacity in the sector. Additionally, and in exceptional circumstances, some listed places of worship in England may be eligible for Heritage at Risk funding via Historic England.

What action is being taken to support the hospitality sector in South Shropshire.

The Government is taking decisive action to support pubs and the wider hospitality sector. Following the Budget, we announced an additional 15% cut for pubs in England alongside a two‑year real‑terms freeze, building on wider reforms to business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.We recognise that 2026 revaluation has increased bills for some businesses, which is why we are providing £4.3 billion over three years in transitional relief to support ratepayers facing higher bills at revaluation and protect businesses from sharp increases. We are also launching a review of how pubs are valued for business rates, with changes intended to take effect from the next revaluation.Alongside this, we have expanded licencing responsibilities, doubled the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million, and will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy later this year to help reinvigorate local communities.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of permitted development rights on the rural economy.

My Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of permitted development rights on the rural economy. The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.

What support is in place for those facing increases to the price of heating oil.

The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. We recognise that wholesale oil price volatility is placing pressure on domestic heating oil costs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour. We are keeping under review whether any further support or action is needed to protect consumers.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to help increase productivity.

Since the General Election, productivity has risen by more than twice as much as it did in the whole of the last Parliament. The Government has increased capital spending by an additional £120 billion - the highest level in four decades – delivering major new investment in transport, housing, energy and R&D. Departments are set to deliver nearly £14 billion of efficiency savings by 2028-29.

What steps he is taking to help support hairdressing businesses.

The hair and beauty sector play an important role in supporting jobs, high streets and local economies. We’ve introduced permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties and have provided £4.3bn to shield ratepayers from bill increases. We continue to back employers who take on apprentices, by providing £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16-19; employers are not required to pay National Insurance Contributions for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year). Additionally, the government pays the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care, when their employer has fewer than 50 employees. I will continue to engage closely with the sector, including through the Personal Care Roundtables, to ensure the industry’s long-term growth. This includes working with hair and beauty businesses as we bring forward a new High Streets Strategy later this year.

What steps she is taking to increase reading for fun in South Shropshire constituency.

The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change, during 2026 and beyond. It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year.We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.The Reading Agency are also providing public libraries with resources, toolkits and print and digital materials to activate the National Year of Reading. Schools and Early Years settings in South Shropshire and across the UK can access a range of engaging online webinars, resources and activities throughout the year. More information can be found at: https://goallin.org.uk/get-involved/schools/.This government is also providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure, as well as committing over £10 million in funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this Parliament.

What steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dentistry in South Shropshire constituency.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. For the South Shropshire constituency, this is the NHS Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB.The Government is committed to ensuring people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. 1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April 2024 to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election. We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December, we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. More information is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to localise food supply chains.

The good food cycle recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to enable an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. Connecting local communities can be a key vehicle for achieving this outcome and for harnessing a stronger food culture. As Defra develop a food strategy, the Government will be considering how we can better support local and place-based initiatives, to deliver the changes needed to deliver our outcomes.

What steps are being taken to improve road safety for older drivers.

On 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all road users including older drivers. Alongside the strategy, we launched a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.We will also develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers, recognising that people’s fitness to drive can deteriorate as they get older. These measures aim to reduce deaths and injuries involving older drivers, without unnecessarily restricting their mobility and personal freedom.

What steps he is taking to encourage people to shop locally.

We are supporting local shopping through targeted campaigns, business rates relief and programmes that help high streets adapt and thrive; and by backing initiatives that encourage people to shop locally. Initiatives such as Small Business Saturday highlight the vital role small firms play in their communities and help drive footfall to local shops.Later this year we will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy, to reinvigorate our communities. We will work with businesses and representative bodies to pull this Strategy together. It will be a cross-government strategy, and we will be look at what more government can do to support our high streets.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help increase the number of youth workers in rural areas.

As announced in the National Youth Strategy, we are investing £15 million over the next 3 years in youth workers, volunteers, and other trusted adults to upskill the existing youth sector workforce and increase the number of trusted adults, including youth workers, providing safe support to young people. This will provide funding to youth organisations to help them get and keep the staff and volunteers they need, covering training and qualification bursaries, volunteer support, safeguarding, and new ways to help adults navigate the benefits and challenges of the digital world for young people.​​Further work is underway to develop detailed plans for our future workforce funding, in partnership with the youth sector and with young people. This includes consideration of how to ensure young people in underserved communities have access to the support they need.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support innovation on UK farms.

Farmers will benefit from £120 million of investment in farm innovation in 2026. This includes £70 million for the Farming Innovation Programme to support practical research and development, which forms part of the Government’s commitment to invest at least £200 million in agricultural innovation by 2030, and £50 million for the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) to help farmers adopt new technology, cut emissions and boost productivity. Applications for FETF open from 17th March. Farmers, growers and foresters can apply for grants of up to £25,000 to invest in innovative equipment that can help businesses improve productivity and protect profits.