Written questions by Voaden.

What steps her Department is taking to help support small independent lifeboat organisations.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) chairs UK Search and Rescue (UKSAR) on behalf of the Department for Transport. UKSAR supports national volunteer search and rescue groups, including independent lifeboat organisations, on a wide range of issues. The MCA's Rescue Boat Code introduced in 2013 is a key foundation for the safe and effective operation of independent lifeboats. The Code is currently being revised in consultation with all lifeboat operators to better support these organisations and to help clarify the responsibilities and requirements for all rescue boats to safely operate across the UK. Since April 2015, search and rescue charities, including independent lifeboats, may recover VAT on the purchase of goods and services used for their non-business activities.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure the timely completion of payments for Countryside Stewardship agreements.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) understands the importance of cashflow for farmers and rural businesses. For the 2025 scheme year they have once again paid a higher proportion of Countryside Stewardship payments earlier in the payment window. The RPA has taken steps to improve the flow of payments for the schemes they deliver, and the Countryside Stewardship scheme continues to be administered with payment frequency and timeliness in mind.

What recent progress his Department has made on the national roll-out of the Youth Jobs Guarantee.

The Department recently announced that, for national rollout, eligibility for the Jobs Guarantee will be expanded to include 22-24-year-olds, meaning all eligible 18-24-year-olds across Great Britain will benefit from a fully funded six month guaranteed paid employment opportunity. Once fully rolled out, the scheme is expected to support more than 90,000 young people over the next three years. We know that young people need support quickly, which is why delivery of Phase One of the Jobs Guarantee will begin from Spring 2026. The grant application window for Phase One has now closed and applications are being assessed, with successful Delivery Organisations to be announced in due course.This will be followed by national rollout across Great Britain in Autumn 2026. Learning from Phase One will be used to support effective national delivery of the scheme, alongside close working with Delivery Organisations and employers. This will ensure the scheme is delivered as intended for all eligible young people. Further details on delivery will be set out in the coming weeks.

Communities and Local Government, what consideration he has made of the potential merits of extending the Adjustment Support Grant in 2027/28.

On 9 February, the government published the first multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade. Following consultation feedback, the final Settlement included an update to how pooling gains are estimated for transitional arrangements. This was the right approach in order to distribute gains more equitably, improving how representative the assumption is of local arrangements.To help councils adjust for this change, the government provided a one-off Adjustment Support Grant in 2026-27 to authorities who would otherwise see their Core Spending Power reduce in 2026-27, compared to indicative provisional Settlement allocations. The 2027-28 Settlement will be subject to consultation as is the usual process.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing the formula for flood defence and coastal protection in the Local Government Finance Settlement on local authorities.

As set out in the government’s response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0, the Foundation Formula is used to assess relative demand for flood defence and coastal protection, as the government does not consider having a bespoke formula to be proportionate. While expenditure on this service can pose significant revenue costs for a small number of local authorities, nationally this area accounts for less than 1% of total sector expenditure.We have provided support to local authorities acutely affected by flooding through other measures. In 2026-27, the government will continue to provide targeted support for the local authorities which have experienced the most significant increases in Internal Drainage Board special levies.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of defunding the Level 5 Outdoor Learning Specialist Apprenticeship on the outdoor education sector.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 April 2026 to Question UIN 123109.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proportion of fertiliser that is imported on food security.

The fertiliser market is a global one, and the market price in the UK is strongly influenced by international prices for fertiliser and by the value of the pound. We are aware of the current price increase for fertiliser due to the conflict in the Gulf. We are in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and are monitoring overall supply to the UK. Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

The UK is committed to ensuring inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention. The UK believes a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Enrichment Expansion Programme; and how will selected schools be supported to continue their enrichment offer once the programme concludes.

As part of the government’s ambition to halve the participation gap, DCMS, in partnership with DfE,will invest £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP). This funding will support up to 400 schools provide youth-voice led, tailored, and high-quality enrichment offers.Whilst the design of the EEP is ongoing, the department is taking learnings from the Enrichment Pilot Programme around how to ensure long term change in the way schools develop their enrichment offer. DCMS is also working closely with DfE to ensure other programmes complement the EEP and avoid duplication.The EEP will work in tandem with other government initiatives, and participating schools will be supported to link up with local authorities and other local providers and initiatives. As the programme is currently being designed, further details on evaluation plans, impact measurements and indicators of success will be shared in due course and we will commission an evaluation contractor to monitor and assess the EEP.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take with local authorities to (a) join up local enrichment and youth offers and (b) support the implementation of the Enrichment Expansion Programme.

As part of the government’s ambition to halve the participation gap, DCMS, in partnership with DfE,will invest £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP). This funding will support up to 400 schools provide youth-voice led, tailored, and high-quality enrichment offers.Whilst the design of the EEP is ongoing, the department is taking learnings from the Enrichment Pilot Programme around how to ensure long term change in the way schools develop their enrichment offer. DCMS is also working closely with DfE to ensure other programmes complement the EEP and avoid duplication.The EEP will work in tandem with other government initiatives, and participating schools will be supported to link up with local authorities and other local providers and initiatives. As the programme is currently being designed, further details on evaluation plans, impact measurements and indicators of success will be shared in due course and we will commission an evaluation contractor to monitor and assess the EEP.

Media and Sport, a) in what way her Department plans to measure the impact of the Enrichment Expansion Programme, b) what indicators of success her Department will use, and c) what support the 400 selected schools will be given, beyond funding, to ensure effective implementation.

As part of the government’s ambition to halve the participation gap, DCMS, in partnership with DfE,will invest £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP). This funding will support up to 400 schools provide youth-voice led, tailored, and high-quality enrichment offers.Whilst the design of the EEP is ongoing, the department is taking learnings from the Enrichment Pilot Programme around how to ensure long term change in the way schools develop their enrichment offer. DCMS is also working closely with DfE to ensure other programmes complement the EEP and avoid duplication.The EEP will work in tandem with other government initiatives, and participating schools will be supported to link up with local authorities and other local providers and initiatives. As the programme is currently being designed, further details on evaluation plans, impact measurements and indicators of success will be shared in due course and we will commission an evaluation contractor to monitor and assess the EEP.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of using parenting programmes such as that implemented in Australia to support parents in managing their children’s screen time.

The department is monitoring policies put in place in other countries, including Australia, and we are working with counterparts there to share learnings and best practice. Ministers at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will also be visiting Australia to understand the approach taken.Last month, the government announced a package of measures to improve children’s relationship with mobile phones and social media, including a commitment to produce evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16. This builds on ongoing work to develop screen time guidance for parents 0 to 5 year-olds.The government also announced that we will be launching a consultation and national conversation on further measures to ensure technology is enriching children’s lives. The consultation will include exploring the option of banning social media for children below a certain age, alongside a range of other measures.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a national rollout of parenting programmes, such as Triple P and Incredible Years, on levels of stigma associated with seeking parenting support.

The government is committed to expanding access to high-quality, evidence‑based parenting and home learning support as part of the Best Start in Life Strategy, delivered through the national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs.Local authorities are expected to commission from departmental menus of programmes with the strongest evidence base, which include both in-person and digital options.Delivering these programmes through open-access models within Best Start Family Hubs, aims to normalise parenting support by making it widely available and integrated within a broader system of help for families. This approach is intended to broaden access, ensure families can seek support in a non‑judgemental, accessible environment and reduce barriers, including stigma.The department will continue to evaluate the impact of Best Start Family Hubs to ensure they are delivering positive outcomes for children and families and informing future policy development.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that households in areas with poor mobile signal are not excluded from smart meters.

The Data Communications Company (DCC) - the licensed body that is responsible for the provision of communication and data services for smart metering in GB - is obligated under the conditions of its licence to provide smart meter network coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain, and to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage. The Government is working closely with the DCC and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved properties as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, due to be trialled imminently, will involve VWAN - a new option that, with their consent, uses customers’ broadband connections to carry smart metering communications.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to improve communication with rural communities about Project Gigabit rollout timelines.

Suppliers are responsible for creating a network design plan and delivery schedule for their Project Gigabit contracts. Therefore, updates on delivery timescales for specific areas are often provided by suppliers through their own websites and fibre checker tools. Building Digital UK (BDUK) also works with suppliers and local councils to support communications about Project Gigabit contracts throughout their delivery.Additionally, communities can check if their premises is included in BDUK plans using the following link: September 2025 OMR and premises in BDUK plans (England and Wales) - GOV.UK. Delivery progress can also be found via BDUK’s monthly data reporting, which shows the number of premises passed under each Project Gigabit contract. The latest edition of this data is available here: Premises contracted and built, Project Gigabit contracts - GOV.UK.

Innovation and Technology, when the Project Gigabit voucher scheme will reopen to communities in South Devon constituency.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) engaged suppliers at the end of 2025 on the potential for further Project Gigabit delivery, and several voucher suppliers expressed interest in delivering more voucher projects in South Devon. BDUK will make premises available to be covered by voucher projects where there is a prospect of viable projects being proposed by suppliers.The scheme is due to end in March 2028 and therefore projects will need to be approved by August this year. The Government would encourage suppliers to engage directly with BDUK, if they believe there is an opportunity to develop a new project targeted at a specific area.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for trends in the number of long-term empty homes.

There are numerous reasons that homes are left empty, including probate and homes falling into disrepair. The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country. Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years. They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund. Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here. The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024. Further details will be set out in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Water Restoration Fund will open for new applications in 2026.

The Water Restoration Fund, funded by water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023, is now delivering on-the-ground improvements for water quality through 51 projects, directly benefitting the communities and the environment which have been harmed by water company rule breaking. The programme runs for 3 years from FY 2025-26 until 2027-28.At Budget the Government confirmed the next tranche of water company fines money would provide additional funding to support local water improvement projects.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the fishing industry following recent changes to the EU regulations for UK vessels operating in EU waters.

The changes to the EU Control Regulation apply to all vessels fishing in EU waters including those of EU member states and the UK. All UK vessels licensed to fish in EU waters have been notified of the impending changes and further detail and guidance on their interpretation has been issued, along with contact details should vessel owners and operators have further queries. We continue to engage with the Commission to clarify points of the legislation and will issue further guidance on these points as it becomes available. In the meantime, we have engaged with individual member states to push for a pragmatic approach to enforcement while UK vessels adapt to the new regulations.

What recent discussions she has had with OFCOM on levels of compliance of delivery companies with consumer rights legislation.

I have recently met with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the seller is responsible for the delivery of goods bought online until they are in the consumer's physical possession and is thus responsible if anything goes wrong with the consumer's parcel, including goods delivered damaged or lost in transit.Ofcom requires that all operators have a straightforward, accessible, and affordable complaints process.