Written questions by Pinkerton.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to community spaces in Surrey Heath constituency.

As I emphasised during a recent Westminster Hall debate, the Government recognises and celebrates the contribution that community spaces make to local people and we have taken steps to support more communities to have access to shared environments. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in December 2024, sets out that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, open space, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments. Libraries form a key example of these community spaces, Surrey County Council has 52 static libraries. The library service previously received £75,000 from the Libraries Improvement Fund to introduce flexible shelving within eight of its libraries (Ashtead, Chertsey, Dittons, Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere, Oxted, and Reigate). This allows libraries to move furniture around to reconfigure spaces and accommodate more events, services, and visitors. Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, includes proposals relating to community facilities. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Charity Commission for England and Wales to investigate undisclosed contingent liabilities within registered charities.

The Charity Commission’s role is to ensure that charity trustees comply with their duties as set out in charity law; that charities further their charitable purposes for the public benefit; and that there is no misconduct or mismanagement. I am confident that it has the ability to do so effectively.Accounting rules cover when contingent liabilities and contingent assets should be disclosed in a charity's accounts, and charity trustees must ensure that they have complied with the requirements of relevant accounting standards. There is no set threshold over which contingent liabilities become a regulatory concern - it is dependent on an individual charity’s circumstances. However, the Charity Commission expects charity trustees or the charity’s auditor to report matters of material significance to the Charity Commission to assess.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of legislating to provide the Charity Commission for England and Wales with additional investigatory powers.

The Government keeps the Charity Commission's powers under regular review and is actively considering what further powers are required to support the Commission in regulating charities. As a non-ministerial department, the Charity Commission receives its funding directly from the Treasury. In the 2025 Spending Review the Charity Commission’s budget increased by over 27% to £37.9m for 2026-27. This will support the Commission to respond to increasing casework demands.The Charity Commission already has the power to disqualify charity trustees whose conduct is damaging to public trust and confidence in charities under section 181A of the Charities Act 2011. As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers will be extended in order to tackle extremist abuse of charities and strengthen the Commission's oversight of the sector. This includes helping the Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred.

Media and Sport, how many complaints relating to the governance of charities were received by the Charity Commission for England and Wales in the past year; and how many of those complaints resulted in a formal investigation.

The Charity Commission does not publish data about categories of complaints, and therefore cannot provide the number of complaints specifically relating to governance received in the past year or how many resulted in a formal investigation.The following table details the number of regulatory concern cases opened by the Charity Commission between 2021-2025, and how many of these relate to public complaints received by the Charity Commission. Data for 2020/21 is not comparable. Year2020/20212021/20222022/20232023/20242024/2025Regulatory concern cases openedN/A2,9173,4144,2154,477Of which is a complaint about a charityN/A2,0292,0763,1203,659

Media and Sport, what level of contingent liabilities charities can accumulate before regulatory intervention from the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

The Charity Commission’s role is to ensure that charity trustees comply with their duties as set out in charity law; that charities further their charitable purposes for the public benefit; and that there is no misconduct or mismanagement. I am confident that it has the ability to do so effectively.Accounting rules cover when contingent liabilities and contingent assets should be disclosed in a charity's accounts, and charity trustees must ensure that they have complied with the requirements of relevant accounting standards. There is no set threshold over which contingent liabilities become a regulatory concern - it is dependent on an individual charity’s circumstances. However, the Charity Commission expects charity trustees or the charity’s auditor to report matters of material significance to the Charity Commission to assess.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to introduce powers enabling the Charity Commission for England and Wales to disqualify charity trustees whose conduct is deemed damaging to (a) public trust and (b) confidence in charities.

The Government keeps the Charity Commission's powers under regular review and is actively considering what further powers are required to support the Commission in regulating charities. As a non-ministerial department, the Charity Commission receives its funding directly from the Treasury. In the 2025 Spending Review the Charity Commission’s budget increased by over 27% to £37.9m for 2026-27. This will support the Commission to respond to increasing casework demands.The Charity Commission already has the power to disqualify charity trustees whose conduct is damaging to public trust and confidence in charities under section 181A of the Charities Act 2011. As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers will be extended in order to tackle extremist abuse of charities and strengthen the Commission's oversight of the sector. This includes helping the Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of resources available to the Charity Commission for England and Wales to conduct investigations.

The Government keeps the Charity Commission's powers under regular review and is actively considering what further powers are required to support the Commission in regulating charities. As a non-ministerial department, the Charity Commission receives its funding directly from the Treasury. In the 2025 Spending Review the Charity Commission’s budget increased by over 27% to £37.9m for 2026-27. This will support the Commission to respond to increasing casework demands.The Charity Commission already has the power to disqualify charity trustees whose conduct is damaging to public trust and confidence in charities under section 181A of the Charities Act 2011. As part of the Government’s action plan for social cohesion we have announced that the Charity Commission’s powers will be extended in order to tackle extremist abuse of charities and strengthen the Commission's oversight of the sector. This includes helping the Commission to disqualify charity trustees who have been excluded from the UK, deprived of British citizenship or are engaged in conduct which promotes violence or hatred.

Media and Sport, how many regulatory intervention cases were opened by the Charity Commission for England and Wales in each of the past five years.

The Charity Commission does not publish data about categories of complaints, and therefore cannot provide the number of complaints specifically relating to governance received in the past year or how many resulted in a formal investigation.The following table details the number of regulatory concern cases opened by the Charity Commission between 2021-2025, and how many of these relate to public complaints received by the Charity Commission. Data for 2020/21 is not comparable. Year2020/20212021/20222022/20232023/20242024/2025Regulatory concern cases openedN/A2,9173,4144,2154,477Of which is a complaint about a charityN/A2,0292,0763,1203,659

Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that people are adequately supported to maintain an active lifestyle at each stage of life in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring people of all ages should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities to maintain an active lifestyle. The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including through campaigns and guidance, providing more opportunities for people of all ages to be active.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the economic contribution of (a) touring musicians and (b) cultural professionals to the UK economy.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recognises that touring musicians and cultural professionals are essential to the United Kingdom’s economic vitality. The Department assesses the economic contribution of these sectors through the DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates, which provide accredited official statistics on Gross Value Added (GVA), employment, and trade, which are available at national and regional levels. These data can be found on the DCMS website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dcms-sectors-economic-estimate. The Government remains committed to supporting these professionals both at home and abroad. We continue to engage with the sector to address barriers to international touring and to ensure a sustainable environment for domestic performance, maintaining the UK’s position as a world-leading hub for the arts.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the (a) voluntary, (b) community and (c) social enterprise sector has access to adequate funding in Surrey Heath constituency.

This government recognises the vital role played by voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in supporting people right across the country. As captured in the Civil Society Covenant, these organisations are integral to our vision for national renewal and delivery of the government’s five national missions. DCMS is providing a range of support for VCSEs across the country. The Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, published in June 2025, set out the next funding tranche of £440 million for England over 2024-28, with £87.5 million of this funding allocated for social investment. We will also deliver up to £500 million through the Better Futures Fund. This is the world’s largest outcomes fund, supporting up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years. It will bring together government, local communities, VCSEs, investors, and philanthropists to give children a brighter future. As part of the National Youth Strategy, we aim to work in a more collaborative, local way and local VCSEs will be at the forefront of driving the action we take to support young people. There are several ways for VCSEs to search for further funding opportunities, including:The VCSE Business Hub launched by this Government in January 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-business-hub)Funding opportunities hosted by The National Lottery Community Fund (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding)

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support grassroots rugby in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including rugby.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.Sport England provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Football Union and £15.7 million to the Rugby Football League between 2022 and 2029, the National Governing Bodies for rugby to support grassroots participation.Since summer 2024, the Government has also provided £6.7 million into the Women’s Rugby World Cup Legacy Programme Impact 25 which has benefited 850 clubs across the country. These clubs have received investment which goes towards supporting girls of all ages to get involved in rugby.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to youth activities for young people in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government recently published ‘Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy’, a 10 year plan to ensure every young person across the country has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them and a community they feel part of. This is backed by over £500 million of new money over the next 3 years from DCMS. We will be designing the funding and programmes in more detail over the next few months and will share more information in due course. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of youth services in their area. We will explore reviewing this duty as part of a wider review of local statutory duties.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase opportunities for (a) children and (b) young people to participate in ice hockey in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including ice hockey, providing more opportunities for children and young people to be active.In the last financial year, 2024-25, Sport England invested £314,995 into the Surrey Heath constituency to improve access to sport and physical activity. Local Authorities in Surrey received a combined total of £1.86m of Sport England Funding in 2024-25.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support horse riding schools in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. 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 in the British Equestrian Federation, which receives up to £6.3 million between 2022-2029 to invest in community horse riding initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of (a) arts, (b) media, and (c) cultural experiences to patient wellbeing in (i) healthcare and (ii) hospice environments in Surrey.

DCMS has undertaken extensive research into the impact of arts and creativity on health. Through the Culture and Heritage Capital (CHC) Programme, the Department published a 2024 study monetising the health and wellbeing benefits of cultural and heritage engagement. Our analysis has found that even general adult engagement in culture contributes around £8 billion in health related benefits for our society each year. This evidence helps explain continued Government investment in the sector, with one third of organisations funded through Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Investment Programme (334 organisations) reporting delivery of creative health activity.Arts Council England has invested nearly £1 million in National Lottery Project Grants to artists and organisations delivering creative health work in Surrey over the last three years. In addition, Arts Council England provides over £3 million per annum to National Portfolio Organisations (2023 – 2026) in Surrey that deliver creative health programmes, such as The Lightbox, an award winning gallery and museum in Woking that puts wellbeing at the centre of its mission. Initiatives such as Art in Mind dementia workshops and Open Mind tours with local mental health partners provide safe, welcoming spaces where participants can connect with others, build confidence, and engage in creative activities to support their mental health and resilience.In addition, the benefits of using heritage sites and projects to reduce isolation and improve quality of life are increasingly being explored and integrated. The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting such projects in Surrey, with recent grants including £100k to the heritage and wellbeing partnership project What Keeps Us Well in conjunction with Surrey Heritage, and a grant of over £780,000 to the Cranleigh Heritage Trust to transform Cranleigh Cottage Hospital into a multi-purpose heritage and wellbeing community hub.

Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with charitable organisations working on loneliness among older people in Surrey Heath constituency.

From a government perspective, social connection is the golden thread running through much of our work. It will help us to achieve ambitions including creating a healthier society, more connected communities and ensuring opportunities for all. This government also recognises the social benefits and connections that volunteering can offer to all, including older people. That is why DCMS is supporting the launch of The Big Help Out 2026, which this year will be running alongside the Big Lunch, bringing more people together including in Surrey Heath.Government alone cannot improve social connection; collaboration is required across the public, private and civil society sectors. Charitable organisations have a key role to play. The government provides funding for the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online forum for people including voluntary community groups, working to reduce loneliness and isolation to come together and share insights, research and best practice.

Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the hospitality industry in Surrey Heath constituency on staffing levels in the hotel sector.

DCMS regularly engages with representatives of the hospitality industry, both nationally and regionally, to understand current challenges and opportunities in the sector, including staffing levels.While we have not had discussions specifically with businesses in the Surrey Heath constituency, we work closely with industry bodies such as UKHospitality, which represent employers across the country (including those in Surrey Heath). Through these forums, the Government has listened to concerns about recruitment and retention, and continues to respond through a range of measures.We will also set out our vision and ambition for the sector in our forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Plan.

Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to increase access to grassroots multi-sport facilities in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to increasing access to high-quality grassroots sports facilities across the UK, which is why we are investing £98 million in 2025/26 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Projects funded through the programme include new and upgraded artificial grass pitches, changing pavilions and floodlights.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.The Government has announced that at least £400 million will be invested in grassroots sports facilities across the UK over the next four years, ensuring we can continue to deliver high-quality multi-sport facilities in areas that require them to increase participation and allow people to be active.

Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps to help improve the financial sustainability of football clubs in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government monitors the financial situation of football closely and is committed to working with the FA, leagues and clubs to support the ongoing economic sustainability of football at all levels of the pyramid.This year we have delivered the Football Governance Act and established the Independent Football Regulator, which will introduce new regulation to improve the financial resilience of clubs in the top five tiers, including Woking FC.The FA is independent of the Government and is responsible for protecting and promoting the financial sustainability of other football clubs.