Written questions by Snowden.

Whether British manufacturers will be given priority in new defence infrastructure contracts.

The additional investment in defence announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February 2025 will both protect UK citizens from threats and create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth. This includes maximising jobs, growth, skills and innovation in the UK. This Government is committed to supporting UK based manufacturers and will bring forward a new Defence Industrial Strategy later this year to align the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy. Defence infrastructure projects already make extensive use manufacturers based in the UK, but do also source materials and equipment to be used in contracts from overseas. Allowing sourcing from overseas helps maintains the competitive advantage of UK businesses and can provide better value for money.

With reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, if he will order additional Eurofighter Typhoon jets.

To provide the UK with the most relevant and capable Combat Aircraft force, the Ministry of Defence continually reviews the expected threat and the ability of our forces to counter it. Any further purchases would be set out in the usual way.

What steps she is taking to reduce the cost of rail services in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

We are committed to reforming the overcomplicated fares system with a view to simplifying rail fares across the country. Whilst it is our ambition through public ownership to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. This year's 4.6 per cent increase will be the lowest absolute increase in three years and will support the Government's long-term plan to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the tourism industry in Fylde constituency.

The Government is implementing the most significant overhaul of regional destination management in a generation, creating a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) in partnership with VisitEngland. These LVEPs will provide strong local leadership and governance in tourism destinations all over the country, and Fylde is included in this programme as part of the Marketing Lancashire LVEP. The Marketing Lancashire LVEP works collaboratively with both local authority and private sector partners to communicate investment opportunities and to showcase Lancashire’s strengths as a place to live, work, study and invest in, as well as a premier destination for visitors.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned changes to the Listed Places of Worship grant scheme on listed places of worship in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was established to provide grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship. 94% of applications have been under £25,000, and most claims are for under £5,000.A total of 8 claims have been paid out to Listed Places of Worship located in the Fylde parliamentary constituency, totalling £68,994.54, since August 2022.A total of 388 claims have been paid out to Listed Places of Worship located in the county of Lancashire, totalling £1,492,163.66, since August 2022.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26765 on Soil: Conservation, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of thresholds for Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes; and what plans his Department has to review those thresholds to ensure they can be accessed by small family farms.

The Government continues to roll out ELM schemes, including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), to support farmers in actions including improving soil health and supporting flood and drought resilience. CSHT is in its pre-application phase with applications opening in summer, and the SFI is open for applications. There is no size or income threshold below which a farm would not be eligible to apply for either scheme. For SFI, the requirement that farmers must have been eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in either 2022 or 2023 no longer applies to the expanded SFI offer. This means that groups that were not eligible for BPS are now eligible to apply for the expanded SFI offer. This includes groups such as new entrants, non-farming land managers and smallholders. For CSHT, farmers, foresters or land managers wishing to apply must have management control of the land they want to enter into CSHT actions for the duration of those actions, and cannot be paid twice for the same activity included in other agreements. We have published information that sets out what you can do now to prepare to apply for CSHT. We will publish more details on the timing and approach to widening applications further in 2025. We will also provide more details in February about how other farm and land managers who are not initially invited, but who are interested in applying for CSHT, can contact RPA.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26765 on Soil: Conservation, what steps he is taking to ensure that family farms below the threshold required to access (a) Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and (b) Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes are able to receive support to prevent soil degradation on agricultural land impacted by repeated flooding.

The Government continues to roll out ELM schemes, including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), to support farmers in actions including improving soil health and supporting flood and drought resilience. CSHT is in its pre-application phase with applications opening in summer, and the SFI is open for applications. There is no size or income threshold below which a farm would not be eligible to apply for either scheme. For SFI, the requirement that farmers must have been eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in either 2022 or 2023 no longer applies to the expanded SFI offer. This means that groups that were not eligible for BPS are now eligible to apply for the expanded SFI offer. This includes groups such as new entrants, non-farming land managers and smallholders. For CSHT, farmers, foresters or land managers wishing to apply must have management control of the land they want to enter into CSHT actions for the duration of those actions, and cannot be paid twice for the same activity included in other agreements. We have published information that sets out what you can do now to prepare to apply for CSHT. We will publish more details on the timing and approach to widening applications further in 2025. We will also provide more details in February about how other farm and land managers who are not initially invited, but who are interested in applying for CSHT, can contact RPA.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26765 on Soil: Conservation, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of thresholds for the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier; and what plans his Department has to review schemes to ensure they can be accessed by small family farms.

The Government continues to roll out ELM schemes, including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), to support farmers in actions including improving soil health and supporting flood and drought resilience. CSHT is in its pre-application phase with applications opening in summer, and the SFI is open for applications. There is no size or income threshold below which a farm would not be eligible to apply for either scheme. For SFI, the requirement that farmers must have been eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in either 2022 or 2023 no longer applies to the expanded SFI offer. This means that groups that were not eligible for BPS are now eligible to apply for the expanded SFI offer. This includes groups such as new entrants, non-farming land managers and smallholders. For CSHT, farmers, foresters or land managers wishing to apply must have management control of the land they want to enter into CSHT actions for the duration of those actions, and cannot be paid twice for the same activity included in other agreements. We have published information that sets out what you can do now to prepare to apply for CSHT. We will publish more details on the timing and approach to widening applications further in 2025. We will also provide more details in February about how other farm and land managers who are not initially invited, but who are interested in applying for CSHT, can contact RPA.

If she will make an estimate of the revenue from applying VAT to independent schools in Fylde constituency in the next financial year.

The Government does not have an estimate of the revenue from this measure specifically from the Fylde constituency. At the Autumn Budget the Government published a detailed response to the consultation conducted between July and September. Annexed to this is the costing methodology used to calculate the total revenue generated by this policy. Included is a breakdown of the exchequer impact by year, including 2025/26. This was published online and can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6734864af6920bfb5abc7a29/Government_Response_to_the_Technical_Note_on_Applying_VAT_to_Private_School_Fees_and_Removing_the_Business_Rates_Charitable_Rate_Relief.pdf

If she will make an estimate of the revenue from applying business rates to independent schools in Fylde constituency in the next financial year.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government reconfirmed that it is removing private schools’ eligibility for charitable rate relief under business rates in England from April 2025. This intervention will raise around £140 million per year.Business rates retention means that local authorities retain a proportion of all business rates revenue. As such, the increase in rates receipts due to the reduction in charitable rate relief for private schools will be shared between central and local government.

How many people in Fylde constituency are awaiting winter fuel payments for 2024-25.

We do not hold the data requested at constituency level. However, where the customer is eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment, the Department aims to make this payment within 2 weeks of the award of their qualifying benefit. Customers won't miss out on Winter Fuel Payments even if their qualifying benefit takes longer to process than usual. Statistics on Winter Fuel Payments are published annually. The latest publication contains data on Winter Fuel Payments made in 2023/24.

What the change is in the rate of unemployment in Fylde since the Autumn Budget 2024.

No estimate is available of the unemployment rate in Fylde since the Autumn Budget 2024. The latest estimates of unemployment, covers the period October 2023 – September 2024. This is available via ONS Nomisweb site: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp Guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward legislation on sustainable drainage systems.

The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place. We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increasing SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilize SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. We will review the planning system holistically and consider whether further changes are required to address SuDS when we consult on further planning reform, including national policy related to decision making, in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support is available from his Department to set up a new Internal Drainage Board for the Fylde coast.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDB) are local independent statutory public bodies, mainly funded by the beneficiaries of their work; this includes farmers who pay drainage rates and local authorities that pay special levies. Determining where new IDBs should be created is a matter of local choice, and the Government will only consider proposals where there is clear local support, including from local authorities and farmers. Defra is addressing the current barrier to establishing new IDBs and expanding existing ones. Changes were made to the Land Drainage Act 1991, via the Environment Act 2021, enabling new IDBs to be created and existing IDBs to expand their boundaries. Defra will bring forward the necessary statutory instrument when Parliamentary time allows.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent soil degradation on agricultural land impacted by repeated flooding.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive provides payments for several actions to improve soil health, including herbal leys and multi-species cover crops. Healthy soils have improved resilience to extreme weather and will recover faster from flood events. Sustainable Farming Incentive actions can also be used to slow down the flow of water within catchments, helping to mitigate wider catchment flood risk. We have also recently announced a significant expansion of the flood and drought resilience offer within Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier with new actions to store water, which can be used to protect agricultural land from flooding.

What steps he is taking to ensure women presenting symptoms of endometriosis receive sufficient care during early stages of diagnosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis. Several measures are in place to raise awareness of endometriosis among clinicians and support diagnosis and care.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. In November 2024, NICE published updated recommendations on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of endometriosis. These are available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73Endometriosis is included in the core curriculum for general practitioners, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The General Medical Council is introducing the Medical Licensing Assessment for most incoming doctors, including all medical students graduating from academic year 2024/25 and onwards. Within this assessment are several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of endometriosis among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom.Never again will women’s health be neglected. We will prioritise women’s health as we reform the NHS and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions.

What the membership is of the motor insurance taskforce announced on 16 October 2024; and what progress the taskforce has made.

The cross-government Motor Insurance Taskforce is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector. The Government is committed to tackling high costs as part of our Plan for Change to raise living standards across Britain and we will provide updates on the taskforce’s work in due course.

Whether proposals to temporarily close parts of St Anne’s beach to lay cables to connect the Morgan and Morecambe windfarm to its substations includes provisions to compensate affected business owners.

All relevant information on the Morgan and Morecambe transmission assets can be found on the appropriate project page of the Planning Inspectorate website. The developers set out their proposals for a contingency fund to address temporary business disruptions caused by necessary construction works in their Development Consent Order Application documents.[1] [1] https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN020032/EN020032-000632-D1.1_MMTA_Annex%201%20Morgan%20Offshore%20Wind%20Limited%20Property%20Cost%20Estimate.pdf

What steps she is taking to support the uptake of apprenticeships and technical education.

The department wants apprenticeships and technical education to be part of career conversations in every school so that young people can access the opportunities they deserve. We have set clear requirements through strengthened legislation and statutory guidance, backed by over £30 million of investment in 2024/25 to support schools and colleges to improve careers provision for young people.Since January 2023, schools have been required to offer at least six opportunities for pupils to meet providers of technical education or apprenticeships, during years 8 to 13.We promote apprenticeships in schools and colleges through our Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge Programme (ASK). During the 2023/24 academic year, ASK engaged with 2,366 schools and colleges. The ASK sessions, spanning awareness assemblies, mock assessment centres and interview workshops, reached over 575,000 students, as well as almost 37,000 parents and carers.Young people aged 13 to 18 can discover their career options via the National Careers Service website, which can be accessed at https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ and includes around 800 job profiles. Young people can access information and advice via webchat and a telephone helpline which is supported by local community-based career advisers. This is supported by the Skills for Life campaign, ‘It all starts with skills’, which promotes a range of priority skills programmes to young people, including apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications. We have collaborated with UCAS so that pupils can now explore apprenticeship vacancies alongside university courses on the service. We are confident this is responding to demand, with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) reporting that nearly three in five young people in years 9-12 are considering apprenticeships.These interventions are part of a national careers system that is driving improvements in careers advice and work experience for young people. 93% of secondary schools and colleges are in a Careers Hub, linking with networks of employers and apprenticeship providers.Through Careers Hubs, we are using data and front-line insight to support conversations about what is preventing the take-up of technical and vocational pathways at the local level, enabling solutions to be devised by local partners.Ofsted’s review of careers, published in 2023, found that most providers are making good progress towards improving students’ access to options such as apprenticeships and technical qualifications. In addition, the latest data from a survey of the career readiness of 230,000 students shows that they are more than twice as likely to understand apprenticeships by the time they take their GCSEs, compared to students in year 7. Awareness of year 11 students is 80% and almost on a par with A Levels at 84%.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact on the area’s badger population of proposals for the Morgan and Morecambe (a) cabling corridor and (b) substations.

National Energy System Operator considered the onshore and offshore impacts of the proposals for the Morgan and Morecambe windfarms cable corridor and substation on sensitive habitats as part of its Holistic Network Design.[1] Following this, the developers BP and EnBW submitted detailed environmental assessments as part of the project planning application, which include assessment of the impacts on specific species such as badgers.[2] [1] https://www.neso.energy/publications/beyond-2030/holistic-network-design-offshore-wind[2] https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/EN020032/documents?date-to-day=6&date-to-month=12&date-to-year=2024&itemsPerPage=25&lang=en&page=8