Written questions by Davies.

What the (a) number of PIP recipients and (b) average PIP award amount received each month is in each (i) local authority area and (ii) constituency in Wales for the most recent period for which data is available.

Data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Cases with Entitlement from 2019’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter to select the latest data available. You can filter by Local Authority and Constituency in Wales by using the ‘Geography’ filter to select either ‘National – Regional – LA – OAs’ or ‘Westminister Parliamentary Constituency 2024’ and to select Wales you will need to filter by ‘DWP policy ownership’ and then select ‘England and Wales’ and then ‘Wales’. To look at the average award amounts, you can use the ‘Measures’ filter to select ‘Financial Award’ to get the award amount received. You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.

What steps he is taking to increase the supply of Creon.

The Department is in regular discussion with the supplier of Creon on the latest stock availability and the actions that are being taken to mitigate the supply issue that is affecting the whole of the United Kingdom. Through these discussions we have managed to secure additional volumes of Creon for 2025 for the UK. We continue to work with all suppliers of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) to understand what more can be done to add further resilience to the market. The Department has also worked with specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed stock to assist in covering the remaining gap in the market.In the longer term, the Department has had interest from non-UK suppliers of PERT wishing to bring their products to the UK and, along with colleagues in the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, we are working with these potential suppliers; if authorised these products could further diversify and strengthen the market.

If she will make an assessment on the potential merits of reviewing Universal Credit rates to provide a protected minimum amount of support based on the cost of essentials.

There are currently no plans to make such an assessment. The Government recognises the critical role Universal Credit has to play in tackling poverty and making work pay and has already taken steps to help those in need.The Fair Repayment Rate, to be introduced from April, will reduce Universal Credit overall cap on deductions from 25% to 15%. This measure will help approximately 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year. Benefit rates are reviewed each year, increasing by 6.7% in April 2024 and by a further 1.7% from April 2025, in line with inflation. Around 5.7 million Universal Credit families are forecast to benefit from uprating in financial year 2025 to 2026, with an average annual gain for a family estimated to be £150.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on (a) the future availability of (i) international rugby tournaments and (b) Six Nations on free-to-air television in Wales and (b) including the Six Nations in Group A of listed sporting events.

I intend to visit Wales in the near future and discuss sporting and other issues with the Welsh Government and other Welsh stakeholders. It is right that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Six Nations Rugby take a considered and balanced approach: recognising the need to achieve reach with existing and new fans, the importance that the Six Nations has for the cultural pride of each of the Home Nations, whilst maximising broadcast revenue. BBC and ITV have now agreed a new four-year deal for the rights to the Six Nations, which will ensure that the Six Nations will remain on free to air television for people to enjoy for the foreseeable future.

With reference to the press notice entitled Major investment to boost growth and cement Britain’s place as cultural powerhouse, published on 20 February 2025, what consequential funding through the Barnett formula will be provided to Wales.

The Barnett formula is applied when departmental budgets change – not when departments announce how they are spending their budgets. The Barnett formula was applied in the usual way, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, when the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s budget changed at Phase 1 of the Spending Review 2025. The Welsh Government’s Phase 1 Spending Review 2025 settlement for 2025-26 is the largest in real terms of any Welsh Government settlement since devolution.  The Welsh Government is receiving at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in England. That translates into over £4 billion more in 2025-26. The published Block Grant Transparency document provides a detailed breakdown of how the block grants are calculated and the next iteration will be published in due course.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a similar scheme to the former Young Audiences Content Fund.

The Government has no plans to re-introduce a similar scheme to the Young Audiences Content Fund, which concluded on 31 March 2022. However, the Government is committed to the success of our world-leading TV production sector. UK-wide television and film tax reliefs, including for children’s television programming, continue to play a vital role in driving production, with over £5.6 billion of expenditure supported in 2024.

Media and Sport, whether her Department's Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum launched on 8 November 2024 will consider Welsh language broadcasting.

The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum includes a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including the Welsh-language broadcaster S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to extend the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme beyond 31 December 2025.

The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and, in England, legislation is in place to close the scheme to English Producer Organisations on 31 December 2025. The Government has committed to championing British farming, whilst protecting the environment, and is currently considering the best way to support our farming sectors in the future, including horticulture.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of not extending the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme on producers in England and Wales.

The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme and, in England, legislation is in place to close the scheme to English Producer Organisations on 31 December 2025. The Government has committed to championing British farming, whilst protecting the environment, and is currently considering the best way to support our farming sectors in the future, including horticulture.

Media and Sport, what recent estimate she has made of the number of households in Wales without a high-speed broadband connection; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of internet only TV distribution on those households.

Thinkbroadband estimates that, as of 24 February 2025, 97.5% of premises in Wales can access a superfast (30 Mbps and faster) connection, which in many cases is likely to be sufficient for those wishing to watch online. In addition, they estimate that 79.6% of premises in Wales can access a gigabit connection. These higher speeds are likely to provide for the best viewing experiences.Parliament has already legislated to secure the continuity of digital terrestrial television until at least 2034. DCMS is currently undertaking a project to evaluate the future distribution of television as the sector continues to evolve over the next decade. Before any decision is made in relation to the availability of services beyond 2034, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on digital terrestrial television as their primary means of watching television.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 30533 on Coal: Mining, whether his Department has plans to ban licences on remaining coal tips.

The recovery of coal from former coal tips does not require licenses from the Mining Remediation Authority, formerly the Coal Authority. The majority of coal tips are in local authority or private ownership which includes legal responsibilities for their safety. Local authorities are the primary authority for coal recovery schemes from tips through planning permission and enforcement. Previous question for reference Question To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing. Answer The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 30533 on Coal: Mining, what his planned timetable is to introduce legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines.

The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215 This will be taken forward when timing allows. Previous questionUIN 30533, tabled on 10 February 2025Ann Davies Plaid Cymru Caerfyrddin CommonsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing.Answered on 13 February 2025Michael Shanks Labour Rutherglen CommonsThe Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215

If he will meet with coal tip safety groups in Wales to discuss his Department's proposals to ban future coal licences.

The responsibility for ensuring the safety of coal tips is a matter for the landowners and/or the Local Authority in most instances and is separate to the coal licensing duties in the 1994 Coal Industry Act. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring coal tip safety and just how much this issue resonates with local communities, particularly in the South Wales valleys, that is why the Government announced funding of £25m in 25/26 to the Welsh Government in the Budget, for making coal tips safe.

Whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing.

The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on the potential merits of devolving powers related to the administration of the social security system to Wales.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Welsh Government about the devolution of the administration of the social security system to Wales.The Government’s commitments on further devolution were outlined in our manifesto. We have no plans to devolve the administration of social security to Wales.

If he will make it his policy to replicate the changes announced for the Mineworkers Pension Scheme to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

I refer the honourable member to the response from my honourable friend the Minister for Industry on 29 January 2025 (UIN 25410).

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the electrification of the rail network in Wales to the same level as England on rail journey times in Wales.

Electrification of the rail network is one of a number of factors, including timetables, rolling stock and possible infrastructure works, which can improve journeys. The Wales Rail Board is responsible for assessing and recommending rail investments to support improved services and deliver Net Zero decarbonisation obligations, working in partnership with the two governments and the transport industry.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to support farm-to-fork initiatives on publicly-owned land.

The Government recently announced a series of reforms for delivering on the Government’s New Deal for Farmers including backing British produce by monitoring food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from this will make it easier for British farmers to win a share of the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts. The Government also announced how it would boost profitability through fair competition across the supply chain. New rules for the pig sector will come this spring, ensuring contracts clearly set out expectations and changes can only be made if agreed by all parties. Similar regulations for eggs and fresh produce sectors will follow with the Government ready to intervene with other sectors if needed.

Whether her Department has plans to take steps to help lower the price of healthy food.

Steps to improve the affordability, availability, and accessibility of healthy foods are being considered as part of both the Child Poverty Strategy, due to be published in spring, as well as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs-led Food Strategy, for which further updates will be released in due course.The Government is committed to increasing access to healthy foods for vulnerable populations by rolling out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools. This also supports free school meals, where under current programmes, 2.1 million of the most disadvantaged school pupils are registered to receive benefits-related free school meals, and a further 90,000 students in further education receive free lunches on the basis of low family income. Also, approximately 1.3 million infant pupils in reception, year one and year two, receive free lunches as part of the universal infant free school meals policy.We also have schemes to support those on low incomes such as Healthy Start, which reached over 354,000 vulnerable people in December 2024. Healthy Start supports a healthy diet for pregnant women, babies, and young children under four years old from very low-income households by providing vouchers for fresh, frozen, or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, milk, and infant formula. Healthy Start beneficiaries also have access to free Healthy Start vitamins for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children aged under four years old.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing the value of a primary residential property be included within Family Visa minimum financial requirement calculations.

Those using the family route to come to the UK must be capable of being independently supported by their sponsor. A couple’s income or cash savings are the most reliable and practicable indicator of their financial status and independence for the purposes of this requirement.Equity in a property cannot be used to meet the MIR. Owning a capital asset does not in itself provide any means to support a partner. However, any income received from the rent of a property can be counted towards the requirement, provided the property is not, or will not be, the couple’s main residence in the UK.On 10 September 2024, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.There will be no changes to the current threshold of £29,000, or the ways in which the Minimum Income Requirement can be met, until the MAC review is complete.