Written questions by Morello.

Media and Sport, what progress she has made on the repayment of COVID-19 loans provided to Premiership Rugby Union clubs.

DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity. Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the financial position of Premiership Rugby Union clubs in meeting COVID-19 loan repayment obligations.

DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended. DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity. Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the financial sustainability of grassroots rugby clubs in West Dorset.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and can benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including rugby. We are also committed to supporting the financial sustainability of rugby clubs, and ensuring this translates into tangible outcomes that span grassroots participation through to elite performance. 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, how much COVID-19 loan support is currently outstanding by each Premiership Rugby Union club.

DCMS acted to support Premiership Rugby during the COVID-19 pandemic when their need was most acute. Loan financing was provided on favourable terms to applicant organisations, and DCMS is now collecting those repayments as intended.DCMS is not able to comment on the specifics of individual loans given their commercial sensitivity.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme ending in March 2026 on listed places of worship in West Dorset constituency.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme ending on listed places of worship in the West Dorset constituency. While we have confirmed the extension of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme until 31 March 2026, the future funding of the scheme after this date is being assessed and considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and the Departmental business planning process.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent financial losses on the long-term stability of the Premiership Rugby union.

The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.During the Pandemic, the previous Government loaned £158 million to rugby union to support organisations impacted by COVID-19 restrictions on favourable terms. Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. As with all borrowers, it remains the responsibility of the organisation to ensure their longer term sustainability.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Rugby Football Union about recent financial losses in Premiership Rugby.

The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.During the Pandemic, the previous Government loaned £158 million to rugby union to support organisations impacted by COVID-19 restrictions on favourable terms. Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. As with all borrowers, it remains the responsibility of the organisation to ensure their longer term sustainability.

Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department is taking to support rural listed places of worship in constituencies such as West Dorset if the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is not extended beyond March 2026.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme ending on listed places of worship in the West Dorset constituency. While we have confirmed the extension of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme until 31 March 2026, the future funding of the scheme after this date is being assessed and considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and the Departmental business planning process.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the case for extending the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme beyond March 2026.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme ending on listed places of worship in the West Dorset constituency. While we have confirmed the extension of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme until 31 March 2026, the future funding of the scheme after this date is being assessed and considered as we work through the output of the Spending Review and the Departmental business planning process.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support the financial sustainability of Premiership Rugby clubs.

The governance of rugby union is a matter for the Rugby Football Union (the national governing body for rugby union), which is independent of the Government.The Government monitors the financial situation of rugby union closely and continues to work with the RFU, representatives of Prem and Champ clubs as well as the Tier Two Board, and the wider sport sector to support the ongoing sustainability of elite and community level rugby union.I have met with the RFU and Prem Rugby previously to discuss the long-term financial sustainability of professional rugby union, and my officials regularly engage with the RFU and Prem Rugby on this issue.During the Pandemic, the previous Government loaned £158 million to rugby union to support organisations impacted by COVID-19 restrictions on favourable terms. Sport England, in their role as DCMS’s Loan Agent, regularly engages with borrowers to monitor their financial position, and works with them to help ensure that the loans are repaid, and that borrowers comply with the terms of their loans. As with all borrowers, it remains the responsibility of the organisation to ensure their longer term sustainability.

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

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 she is taking to support grassroots women’s rugby.

We hosted a record breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup, it was a pleasure to attend 4 matches across the country and I congratulate the Red Roses on their well deserved victory. I would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of the Rugby World Cup including the Chair of the Tournament Gill Whitaker and RFU President Deborah Griffin. Major events play an important role in inspiring people to get active.Since last summer we’ve provided £6.7m into the tournament's legacy programme Impact 25 which is reaching 850 clubs and supporting women and girls to get involved in rugby. This included Pontefract RUFC who I recently visited alongside the Foreign Secretary to see the work they are doing to get more women and girls playing Rugby.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with (a) public landowners, (b) the National Trust and (c) Forestry England on the potential impact of cashless-only car parking systems on (i) older people and (ii) people without mobile phones.

No such discussions have taken place. Car parking charges for publicly-owned car parks are primarily a matter for local authorities.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) small and (b) independent hotels in West Dorset constituency during the off-peak season.

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy and visitor offer. We are introducing permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, alongside a new Licensing Taskforce to cut red tape. Targeted initiatives include a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme and the Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, helping over 600 SMEs cut costs and emissions. Through ongoing collaboration with the Hospitality Sector Council, we are strengthening productivity and resilience across the sector.DCMS works closely with VisitEngland, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and industry to support small and independent accommodation providers, including hotels in West Dorset. Targeted marketing campaigns encourage off-peak domestic breaks, while LVEPs like Visit Dorset improve local coordination and promote year-round tourism. These efforts, alongside the upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, help sustain the competitiveness of hotels and hospitality businesses throughout the year.

Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the hospitality industry in West Dorset 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 West Dorset constituency, we work closely with industry bodies such as UKHospitality, which represent employers across the country (including those in West Dorset). 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 Strategy later this year.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of hotels in West Dorset constituency on the local tourism economy.

DCMS works closely with VisitEngland and local authorities to understand the contribution of tourism assets across England, including accommodation providers such as hotels. While we have not carried out a constituency-specific economic assessment for West Dorset, DCMS recognises that hotels provide direct employment and support local supply chains, and they enable visitor spending across the local economy, including restaurants, attractions, shops, and transport.In Dorset, hotels play an important role in supporting domestic and international tourism, particularly linked to coastal and countryside destinations such as the Jurassic Coast, which help to sustain year-round economic activity in local communities. DCMS, in partnership with VisitEngland, works with Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (such as Visit Dorset) to promote destinations and develop initiatives to maximise the economic impact of tourism throughout the county.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure youth work funding is distributed (a) across the country and (b) rural areas.

Local Authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area. Local Authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Finance Settlement in line with local need. To support Local Authorities, we launched the £8 million Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities across the country to build back capability to improve local youth offers. The selected local authorities for the pilot include a mix of urban and rural areas.In addition, we are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy. The strategy will support better coordination of youth services across the country and will increase access to opportunities, in particular in underserved areas. The Strategy will be published in Autumn and will be supported by funding, across the SR period to develop new youth facilities and improve existing ones, as well as further funding to support local youth service provision.

Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of youth work on (a) the wellbeing of and (b) employment outcomes for young people.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We know the impact that youth work has on young people’s life chances, including on their wellbeing and their employment outcomes. That is why we are co-producing an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, with young people, sector experts and cross-government colleagues.The Strategy will better coordinate youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level, moving away from siloed working - ensuring we are better coordinated and more than the sum of our parts. We will publish the Strategy in the Autumn.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism in (a) West Dorset constituency and (b) other rural constituencies.

The Government recognises that our National Landscapes, such as the Dorset National Landscape, are among our nation's greatest assets and are significant drivers of domestic and international tourism for rural communities.No assessment has been made on the impact of national landscapes on levels of tourism. The Office for National Statistics has published data sets on business activity including tourism, Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks, which can be found at Enterprises in National Landscapes, Trails and Parks 2023 - Office for National StatisticsDetails of tourism and visitor management undertaken by Dorset National Landscape in the West Dorset constituency can be found at Tourism and Visitor Management | Dorset National LandscapeWe continue to work with VisitEngland to promote rural and coastal destinations and support the work of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships, such as the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, in developing and marketing their local visitor offer, in which National Landscapes play a crucial role.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with stakeholders on (a) the Eden Portland project and (b) its potential contribution to (i) biodiversity education, (ii) scientific learning and (iii) tourism.

The Department welcomes the ambition of the Eden Project Portland and its stated aims to contribute to tourism, biodiversity education, and scientific learning on the Jurassic Coast.In relation to departmental support, officials discussed the project with representatives of the Eden Portland Project on 22 April 2025. It was explained that while primary responsibility for considering central Government funding for a project of this nature rests with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my department would be happy to engage with them to express our support for the project’s significant cultural, heritage, and tourism contributions.I remain focussed on creating the conditions for the visitor economy to thrive. My department is working closely with the sector to draft a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, which we anticipate publishing later this year. We encourage projects like Eden Portland to engage with their Local Visitor Economy Partnership, in this case the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, to ensure they are aligned with and can benefit from this important work.