Written questions by Snowden.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to protect people's data held by government departments.

All Departments must adhere to the UK Data Protection legislation to protect personal data held by their departments. All departments are controllers of the personal data they hold and are individually responsible for demonstrating compliance with the data protection principles, and take appropriate technical and organisational measures in line with the UK GDPR. Under the same legislation, all departments are required to appoint a data protection officer (DPO), who must be an adequately resourced expert in data protection to monitor internal compliance, inform and advise on the department’s data protection obligations, provide advice regarding Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and act as a contact point for data subjects and the Information Commissioner’s Office.The DPO must be independent and report to the highest management level. To reinforce cross government data sharing for consistent application of safeguards, the Government Digital Service runs the Data Sharing Network of Experts to bring together data protection and data governance professionals. There is also a cross government Data Protection Officers Network.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how he plans to align the ODA budget with the UK’s wider foreign policy objectives in (a) regions where development assistance and diplomatic priorities intersect and (b) other regions.

The alleviation of poverty is the foundation of our development work and the primary focus of our Official Development Assistance spend is always to maximise each pound's impact on those living in poverty.Our development work is also a key part of the UK's foreign policy, delivering both for the UK and for our partners, including through tackling upstream migration, supporting resilience in the world's most vulnerable countries and communities, and mitigating the effects of climate change.The global challenges we face - a volatile global economy, more humanitarian crises, accelerating impacts of the climate and nature crises and global health risks - demand a new approach to development that reflects the international context and the relationship our partners want, as part of our modern partnership approach.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 51548 on Primary Care: Lancashire, whether the pilot programme to screen patients for cardiovascular disease within optometry practices will take place in Fylde constituency.

The optometry pilot is an NHS England programme. The pilot is not taking place in Fylde; in Lancashire and South Cumbria four areas are participating in the pilot which will run until September 2025 (Fleetwood in Wyre; Burnley in East Lancashire; Blackburn in Blackburn with Darwen; and Central Preston).Expressions of interest were open to all areas and the final pilot areas were chosen by NHS England based on prevalence of hypertension and deprivation (IMD 1&2).Further roll out will be dependent on the outcomes of the pilot and future funding.

What steps her Department is taking to help increase the accessibility of transport for people with disabilities in Fylde.

Accessibility and inclusivity are key considerations for the government, especially as we seek to deliver against our key missions, including removing barriers to opportunity and delivering safer streets. The government is committed to making transport safer, more inclusive and accessible to everyone including people who are disabled, to allow them to live healthy lives, making the journeys they want and need. The Department introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December 2024. The Bill will require relevant bus staff to complete both disability awareness and disability assistance training to give them the knowledge, skills and confidence to support every passenger appropriately. It will also require local authorities commissioning the provision of new bus stations and stops or the upgrading of existing ones to pay regard to new stopping place safety and accessibility guidance. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. Local buses are the most commonly used mode of public transport and the purpose of providing free local bus travel England-wide is to ensure that no older or disabled person in England need be prevented from bus travel by cost alone. The Government wants disabled people to be able to travel easily, confidently, and with dignity, which is why we have worked quickly to put accessibility at the heart of our bus and rail reforms. It is important that government, local authorities and transport operators work together to support services that help people to live their lives the way they want to.

Whether her Department plans to provide additional funding for after-school activities in Fylde.

Any future decisions on departmental spending are subject to the spending review process.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help protect small and medium enterprises from cybersecurity threats in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

The cyber security of the UK is a priority for the Government. The Government offers free guidance, tools and training to help businesses improve their cyber resilience. This includes a new Cyber Governance Code of Practice to help boards and directors manage digital risks, and the Cyber Essentials scheme which is highly effective in protecting businesses against cyber attacks. This year the Government will introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to improve UK cyber defences and better secure our essential services and the IT infrastructure they rely upon. The PSTI Act, along with codes of practice on cyber security of AI, software and apps are helping protect organisations at scale by making technology in the UK secure by design.In Lancashire, the Cyber Resilience Centre for the North West is part of a nationwide police-led collaboration helping strengthen cyber resilience in small and medium-sized businesses. The Government’s Stop! Think Fraud campaign provides the public and small businesses with advice on how to prevent fraud and cyber crime.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers to transition to sustainable agricultural practices through the Environmental Land Management schemes in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

At February’s NFU Conference, the Secretary of State announced a raft of new policies to put money in the pockets of farmers in Fylde, Lancashire, and across the country. We remain committed to investing £5 billion of funding in the farming budget over two years and are on track to do so. We will be working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome; and we are making £110 million available for new grant competitions to support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to improve mobile connectivity in (a) rural and (b) semi-rural areas in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

We base our assessment of coverage in rural and urban areas on Ofcom's rurality definition. Ofcom reports that 5G (standalone and non-standalone) is available outside 92% of rural premises in the Fylde constituency from at least one operator. Our ambition is for all populated areas to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030, we continue to work with the mobile industry to achieve this.I have raised my concerns about the accuracy of their coverage reporting with Ofcom and I welcome the improvements they have made to their online coverage checker which will go live in the second half of June.We are working with the Mobile Network Operators to improve poor mobile signal in rural areas. The Shared Rural Network is delivering 4G coverage to places where there is either limited or no 4G coverage at all.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support local sports (a) clubs and (b) initiatives in (i) Fylde and (ii) Lancashire.

This Government recognises that grassroots sports clubs and initiatives are central to communities up and down the country.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. In 2024/25, Sport England invested £11,750 in Fylde constituency and £2,765,589 was invested in Lancashire.The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities. £100 million will be invested into grassroots sport facilities across the UK through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

Communities and Local Government, what funding she has made available to support community-led housing schemes.

Community-led housing schemes can apply for government funding through a range of existing programmes, including the Brownfield Land Release Fund and the Affordable Homes Programme. On 25 March, we announced a £20 million support package for community-led housebuilding groups, including housing co-operatives and community land trusts. This investment, managed by Resonance Ltd, will support the construction of over 2,500 new homes in the next decade, addressing local needs.

How much funding has been allocated to road (a) maintenance and (b) investment in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire in 2025–26.

The Government takes the condition of the country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local highway authorities across the country in maintaining and renewing the local highway network and tackling the maintenance backlog. The Government has already announced a funding uplift of £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Lancashire County Council is the local highway authority for the Fylde constituency and has been allocated up to a maximum of £46.8 million for 2025/26 pending successful completion of the incentive measures announced in March 2025. Funding is not ring-fenced, and it is entirely a matter for Lancashire County Council how it is spent.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing free swimming lessons for young people in coastal areas.

Swimming and water safety lessons are compulsory at key stage 1 and 2 as part of the physical education (PE) national curriculum. Swimming and water safety are vital life skills. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim and know how to keep themselves safe around water by the time they leave primary school.Primary schools can also use the PE and sport premium to fund additional swimming lessons for pupils who do not meet the national curriculum expectations after their core lessons.

What steps she is taking to provide funding for active travel in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Department for Transport recently announced almost £300 million of funding to boost active travel across England, this includes £222.5 million to local authorities outside of London. In 2024/25, Lancashire County Council received over £1.4 million in capital funding and over £800,000 in revenue funding for active travel and has been allocated over £4.5 million in combined funding for 2025/26. In 2023/24, Lancashire County Council received an additional £736,983 to deliver Bikeability cycle training. It is for local authorities to decide on where to prioritise investment in their local transport networks. In 2024, Lancashire County Council published seven Local Walking and Cycling Investment Plans (LCWIPs), including one for Fylde Coast. LCWIPs help local authorities to make a strong case for future investment in active travel infrastructure.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of inflation on the cost of maintaining local roads and highways in Fylde constituency.

The Government takes the condition of the country’s roads very seriously and is committed to supporting local highway authorities across the country in maintaining and renewing the local highway network and tackling the maintenance backlog. The Government has already announced a funding uplift of £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Lancashire County Council is the local highway authority for the Fylde constituency and has been allocated up to a maximum of £46.8 million for 2025/26 pending successful completion of the incentive measures announced in March 2025. This funding increase is more than enough to cover inflationary price rises. Longer-term funding decisions beyond 2025/26 will be determined at the forthcoming Spending Review.

What steps she is taking to support victims of domestic abuse in (a) Fylde and (b) other rural and coastal areas.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all victims of domestic abuse, including those in rural and coastal areas such as Fylde, can access the support they need. Through the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, we are strengthening the rights of all victims and improving their access to services, such as consulting on a new and improved Victims’ Code, or introducing a duty on local commissioners to better collaborate when commissioning victim support services.The Ministry of Justice provides funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission local victims support services tailored to community needs, allowing PCCs in rural and coastal communities to best support victims in their area. This includes Lancashire PCC, which currently funds 15 domestic abuse organisations, five of which cover the Fylde constituency and other rural areas. These include;Victim Support – National organisation with services across England, including Lancashire and Fylde.Fylde Coast Women’s Aid (FCWA) – Explicitly supports victims of domestic abuse in Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde.Empowerment – Provides a range of services across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, including mental health, advocacy, and domestic abuse support.Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Covers the Fylde coast area, including Fylde.Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board – Oversees health services across the region, including Fylde and other rural areas.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of inflation on school budgets in Fylde constituency.

Having prioritised spending to meet the teachers pay award, schools will now be receiving £65.3 billion in 2025/26 compared to £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.The local authority that covers Fylde is Lancashire, and Lancashire is receiving £1.1 billion through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) for mainstream schools in the 2025/26 financial year. This represents a 2.4% increase in per pupil funding compared to the 2024/25 financial year (including premises but excluding growth funding). The additional funding being provided following the teacher pay announcement is on top of what is being provided through the DSG in the 2025/26 financial year.The department recognises that most schools will need to supplement the new funding they receive in the 2025/26 financial year with improved productivity and smarter spending. However, schools are not alone in their efforts to better manage their spending. The department will be further developing the current suite of initiatives to support schools with their workforce, commercial and asset management. Schools are already making savings and bringing core operating costs down. For example, the 400 schools who participated in the department’s new energy for schools offer will save 36% on average compared to their previous contracts.

What steps his Department is taking to help support care homes to (a) address workforce shortages and (b) provide high-quality care for elderly people in Fylde constituency.

English local authorities have responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to meet social care needs and statutory guidance directs them to ensure there is sufficient workforce in adult social care (ASC).The Government recognises the scale of reforms needed to make the ASC sector attractive, to support sustainable workforce growth and improve the recruitment and retention of the domestic workforce. This is why we are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the ASC sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. CQC Regulation 18 states that providers must deploy “sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to enable them to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times”. Where the CQC finds a breach in this regulation, it can take regulatory action to ensure the safety of people drawing on care and support.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce court backlogs for residents in Fylde constituency.

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. For this financial year (25/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded. However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve.That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of efficiency that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.In civil justice, courts and tribunals are sitting at, or close to maximum judicial capacity in every jurisdiction.In the Fylde constituency:Crown Jurisdiction:We continue to operate all 13 Crown courtrooms across the Lancashire estate to maximise use of sitting days. Along with a robust case management approach Lancashire runs an Expedited Domestic Abuse trial scheme where Domestic Abuse cases are prioritised and given a trial date within 16 weeks.Magistrates Jurisdiction:Over the last 12 months we have successfully recruited 6 Trainee Legal Advisers which has meant we have been able to increase the number of courts held each week from 30 to 65, reducing waiting times across Lancashire.Family Jurisdiction:Our focus across Lancashire is to progress the family cases in as timely a way as possible whilst balancing the individual circumstances and needs of each case. The Designated Family Judge, along with HMCTS, has implemented a robust case progression initiative. Cases are reviewed and cases that are suitable for the hearing date to be brought forward are prioritised. This is achieved by utilising courtroom capacity that becomes available from other cases resolving.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent funding he has provided to local authorities in Fylde constituency to help tackle (a) water pollution and (b) storm overflows into the Ribble Estuary.

Water and sewerage companies are responsible for the maintenance of storm overflows and other assets. The Water (Special Measures) Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry and the Independent Water Commission will make recommendations to shape and transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025 to 2030, Ofwat are allowing United Utilities £2.5 billion to reduce the use of storm overflows by at least 33%. During this period, UU will be improving eight storm overflows in the Fylde constituency to reduce how often they discharge, in order to improve both river and coastal water quality. Monitoring investigations are being undertaken in the Ribble catchment to inform future actions to improve bathing water quality at designated bathing waters on the River Ribble and Fylde coast, including St Annes.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate (a) infrastructure is and (b) public services are in place before the approval of large-scale housing developments in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.