Written questions by Anderson.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to promote access to grassroots sports in rural areas.

The Government is committed to ensure everyone, regardless of where they live, should have access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities.That is why we provide the majority of support for grassroots sports through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. They invest in over 90 Place Partnerships in various locations across the country, including in rural areas, to promote sport and physical activity.In addition, on 27 January, the Government announced that £85 million of the £400 million package for grassroots sport facilities will be invested in during 2026/27, funding the continuation of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. This funding is designed to increase participation opportunities and benefit the areas most in need, with 50% investment going to the 30% most deprived areas in the UK.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of reducing business rates on hospitality venues that use local food chains.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. The Government is also introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. More broadly, later this year, the Government will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy to reinvigorate our communities. The Government will work with businesses and representative bodies to pull this Strategy together.

What steps he is taking to increase energy security.

The Government is strengthening energy security by reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed up by unabated gas supply to be used only when essential. Delivering the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan will require £40 billion of investment into generation and network projects per year. This includes major upgrades to the electricity grid, expanding the renewable auction process, and speeding up planning decisions to prioritise critical infrastructure. The Government has also launched Great British Energy, which aims to invest in offshore wind, and provide long term support for carbon capture and hydrogen, while ensuring reliable fossil fuel supply.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress her Department has made on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU.

Defra is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and removing trade barriers for British producers and retailers. While those negotiations are ongoing, Defra cannot comment further on the SPS agreement.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that farmers are not adversely impacted by imports.

This Government is backing British farmers to create a productive, profitable and sustainable future for farming. As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, the Government will not lower food standards and will continue to promote the highest standards of food production. The Government recognises concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK. While production methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, the Government will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, we will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors.

What action is being taken to increase employment and training opportunities for young people in rural areas.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 December 2025 to Question UIN 99275.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans for the Border Target Operating Model for equines to go live before a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement is made with the EU.

Following the UK-EU summit on 19 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Devolved Governments have decided to pause implementation of further controls on imports of EU and EFTA live animals, including equines. Compliance with existing Border Target Operating Model controls must continue until further notice because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support culture and heritage in rural areas.

The Government is committed to ensuring everyone has access to culture and heritage, regardless of location.Over the course of this parliament, £1.5 billion will be invested across the arts, culture and heritage providing support to arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. It aims to keep venues open, finance urgent repairs and infrastructure projects, bolster long-term resilience, and widen access to arts and culture in communities that have faced under-investment, including in rural areas. The funding includes £160 million for local and regional museums; £425 million to support approximately 300 capital projects in arts venues; £230 million to support heritage projects, including listed places of worship; and £80 million to support Arts Council England's (ACE) National Portfolio Organisations.ACE plays an important role in supporting arts and culture across the country through its national funding schemes, and is committed to responding to the specific needs of rural areas, supporting artists working in rural areas, improving access for rural audiences and building partnerships for growth. In their 2023–26 investment programme (the ‘National Portfolio’), worth around £440 million a year, investment to cultural organisations in rural areas increased to £44.6 million, benefiting 110 organisations across the country.Historic England (HE) also plays a central role in celebrating and conserving culture and heritage within rural areas. HE supports DEFRA’s Environmental Land Management, Historic Buildings Restoration Grant, and Farming in Protected Landscapes schemes, which help to safeguard, repair and restore historic and archaeological features on farmland. Further information on HE’s work to support rural heritage, as well as guidance material, can be found on their website.

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.

What steps he is taking to improve the sustainability of post office services in rural areas.

As announced in the Government’s recent response to the Green Paper, we are protecting the sustainability of the Post Office network by retaining the minimum 11,500 branches and keeping all geographical Access Criteria. This will ensure that communities across the UK - including rural and remote areas - continue to have local and reliable access to Post Office services.Furthermore, the Government continues to support the rural network by providing an annual network subsidy on the basis that Post Office meets the Government-set Access Criteria. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Government has confirmed that the network subsidy will be up to £83 million.

What action is being taken to increase opportunities for SMEs in defence supply chains.

This Government has already committed to spending £2.5 billion more with defence SMEs. Central to driving this pledge is the recent establishment of the new Office for Small Business Growth which will help simplify and speed up cumbersome processes, provide advice to SMEs and encourage private sector investment. We have also recently announced a £20 million fund to offer accelerated contracts to small, innovative British startups, as well as establishing a protected budget of £400 million for UK Defence Innovation.  We're breaking down barriers and opening new avenues for innovation, ensuring that our SMEs can play a vital role in strengthening our defence capabilities.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide an update, following comments made by the Minister for Rural Affairs to the House on 6 February 2025, on plans for the implementation of the Border Target Operating Model.

Following the UK-EU summit on 19 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Devolved Governments have decided to pause implementation of further controls on imports of EU and EFTA live animals, including equines. Compliance with existing Border Target Operating Model controls must continue until further notice because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected.

How many family hubs there are in a) urban and b) rural areas.

At present, there are 675 Family Hubs in 88 local authorities funded by the department. Of these, based on the Office of National Statistics classification of Rural and Urban, 627 are based in urban areas and 48 are based in rural areas. The department has set a clear ambition for 70% of hubs to be in the 30% most disadvantaged areas. From April we will be rolling out hubs nationally, meaning they will be in every local authority.

Media and Sport, what action is being taken to support heritage within historic market towns.

Market towns are an important part of our national story. In March of last year, Minister Peacock responded to the Westminster Hall Debate on the Cultural Heritage of Market Towns outlining this importance. Heritage funding can be accessed for projects in market towns and is administered through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Arms-Length Bodies. The National Lottery Heritage Fund provides grants of £10,000 to £10 million for heritage projects. Similarly, Historic England can provide grants, funding and advice. In January 2026, the Secretary of State announced nearly £200 million of new heritage funding will be made available over the next 4 years. This includes £60 million for for at risk heritage which provides grants towards repairs and conservation of historic buildings, £41 million for the Heritage Revival Fund which helps communities to take control of and look after local heritage and bring buildings back into public use and £92 million for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, a new capital scheme to support places of worship.

What steps he is taking to support British SMEs in public procurement.

This Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses, especially SMEs. Since coming into office, this Government has published a new, more ambitious, National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) setting out our vision for public procurement. The NPPS requires contracting authorities to consider ways to increase procurement spend with SMEs and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). We have also introduced changes allowing local councils to reserve over one billion pounds worth of lower value contracts to suppliers based locally or within the UK which has recently become law, a step strongly supported by SMEs. We will set out further reforms, including the response to the recent public procurement consultation, in due course.

What progress she has made on the delivery of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee in South Shropshire constituency.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee set out commitments for police forces to implement, by July 2025, and by the end of Parliament. Forces are now delivering on the Guarantee across England and Wales to ensure consistent and high-quality neighbourhood policing, including in South Shropshire.West Mercia Police now have named, contactable neighbourhood officers, dedicated to addressing local issues. The force guarantees a 72-hour response to neighbourhood queries, provides regular engagement opportunities including beat meetings, maintains up to date online information on neighbourhood policing teams, and has a designated anti-social behaviour lead. These measures ensure a consistent, visible and responsive neighbourhood policing across the area.Based on their £3,108,283 allocation from the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, West Mercia Police are projected to grow by 51 FTE NHP officers in 2025-26. As at 30 September 2025, West Mercia Police have grown by 36 (FTE) Neighbourhood Policing officers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what action is being taken to increase the redistribution of surplus food.

Under the ‘Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate’ scheme, the Government has allocated grants totalling £13.5 million to 11 charities across England. This will help them to redistribute surplus produce from farms and into the charitable sector to provide a discounted or free food offer. The funding is going towards purchasing new packaging and labelling equipment and vehicles to move goods from farms to redistribution organisations, as well as new equipment, like fridges or freezers, to safely store the surplus food collected and ensure it lasts longer. Defra also funds the groundbreaking UK Food and Drink Pact, a voluntary agreement with industry to tackle food waste. Through the Pact, Defra engages a working group of industry and redistribution sector organisations to develop best practice on how to redistribute surplus quickly and safely. The Pact also supports delivery of the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap, which helps businesses to identify and measure their surplus and waste and take action to reduce it. This Target Measure Act approach enables food businesses to get more surplus to the redistribution sector.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support communities impacted by flooding in South Shropshire constituency.

Government support for communities affected by flooding is assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the scale and nature of the impact on the affected area. In the first instance, local authorities are expected to have well-established contingency arrangements in place and therefore be able to support their local communities from within their existing budgets. The Flood Recovery Framework (the Framework) is typically deployed following severe weather incidents with significant flood impacts across multiple local authority areas.

What support is available for community transport schemes in rural areas.

The Government recognises the vital role community transport operators play in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services such as healthcare, including in rural areas.The Department makes up to £3.8 million available each year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to community transport operators. An uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2026. This means community transport operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.The Government is also providing over £3 billion for bus services from 2026/27 over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes nearly £700 million per year for local authorities through the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG). The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services. Shropshire Council will be allocated £13.1 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £4.5 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. This could include supporting some community transport services.

What steps he is taking to support older people in rural areas.

The Government is committed to supporting pensioners and ensuring they have financial security and dignity in retirement. The State Pension remains the foundation of our support for pensioners. In April this year, both the basic and new State Pensions will increase by 4.8%, benefitting over 12 million pensioners by up to £575. Our commitment to maintain the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament – helping to raise the value of the State Pension over time – will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £2,100.Pension Credit continues to provide vital financial support for pensioners who, for whatever reason, find themselves on a low income. It does this by guaranteeing a minimum level of income – called the Standard Minimum Guarantee – which will also increase in April by 4.8%, protecting the most vulnerable pensioners.Crucially, receipt of Pension Credit opens the door to additional support, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax support, help with NHS costs, help with fuel bills, and a free TV licence for those aged over 75. Maximising Pension Credit take-up remains a key departmental priority, which is why we have run the biggest campaign to date across Great Britain encouraging pensioners and their families to check their eligibility and to apply.Around nine million pensioners in England and Wales with an income of £35,000 or less also receive additional support through the Winter Fuel Payment. Housing Benefit continues to support pensioners who rent, and pensioner homeowners on income-related benefits, including Pension Credit, may receive Support for Mortgage Interest to help with interest on eligible secured loans.The Household Support Fund remains available for those facing financial hardship, with funding running until March 2026. From April 2026, the new Crisis and Resilience Fund will provide a long-term mechanism for local authorities to support vulnerable households with essential costs such as food and energy.