Written questions by Cox.

Whether he has undertaken a recent review of the security and defence of the Falkland Islands; and what steps he plans to take to improve the adequacy of the preparedness of the UK to defend them.

The United Kingdom’s position on the Falkland Islands is long‑standing - sovereignty rests with the UK, and the Islanders’ right of self‑determination is paramount. As the Strategic Defence Review set out, a core role for Defence is the protection of the UK’s overseas territories, which includes maintaining a defensive military posture in the Falkland Islands consisting of air, land and maritime forces. We review that posture regularly to ensure it reflects all relevant developments. I am confident that our current military presence is at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Islands.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that rural and coastal self‑catering and tourism businesses in Devon are adequately supported in the context of (a) increased business rates, (b) rising energy costs, and (c) increased wage and National Insurance contribution pressures.

DCMS recognises the vital contribution that rural and coastal self-catering and tourism businesses make to the economy of Devon.On business rates, the Government has introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion, to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills following the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. The Government has also protected the smallest businesses  from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by more than doubling the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. That means more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change in 2025/26. We are also continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector and intend to consult on options to reduce costs and make low carbon heat the economically rational choice for a wider range of businesses.DCMS and VisitBritain are actively working to boost visitor numbers and extend the tourism season for coastal and rural operators. The ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign uses the UK’s film and television heritage to drive international visitors into rural destinations, increasing the profile of areas where many self-catering businesses are located.The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will cement these measures, providing a long term plan to increase visitor flows, maximise sector value, and deliver sustainable growth for our coastal and rural communities.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with rural and coastal self-catering and tourism businesses in Torridge on promoting the sector.

DCMS recognises the vital contribution that tourism and self-catering businesses make to the UK economy, particularly in rural and coastal constituencies such as Torridge.DCMS regularly engages with representatives from across the tourism sector, including those operating in rural and coastal areas, to understand their specific priorities and to support the continued growth of the visitor economy. A few weeks ago I was pleased to participate in a roundtable at Crealy’s Theme Park with representatives from the visitor economy in Devon, hosted by the Devon Association of Tourist Attractions, where we discussed how the government can work with the industry to grow the sector.DCMS also works closely with VisitBritain, VisitEngland, and Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs), including the Devon LVEP, to ensure that the unique challenges and opportunities of coastal and rural tourism are reflected in national policy. We remain committed to working in partnership with the industry to promote the UK’s diverse tourism offering and to ensure that areas like Devon continue to thrive as world-class destinations.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish the number of Catchment Sensitive Farming grant applications in Devon and Cornwall applied for in 2025 that are still to be processed.

Catchment Sensitive Farming acts as an advisory and endorsement route for relevant Farming Grants and includes Capital Grants and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier where applications have included specific items. In the 2025 scheme year, the Rural Payments Agency received 271 Capital Grant and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier applications from farm businesses in Devon and Cornwall that required and had received Catchment Sensitive Farming support from Natural England. Of these, there are three applications that have not been offered an agreement as yet.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussion she has had with Natural England and the Environment Agency to enable Catchment Sensitive Farming teams in Devon and Cornwall to process applications expeditiously.

Following the closure of the 2025 Environmental Land Management Capital Grant, Catchment Sensitive Farming have worked with farmers and land managers to prepare for the 2026 Capital Grants round. Catchment Sensitive Farming advice is very popular and there is the need to prioritise advice and support visits for those who have already requested one. This means Catchment Sensitive Farming are now focusing efforts on those who have already requested a visit to support 24 items in the 2026 Capital Grant offer. Once the offer opens in July Catchment Sensitive Farming will start accepting new requests for advisory visits.

What steps he is taking to ensure that vulnerable and terminally ill residents in rural communities in Devon can rely on the provision of daily phlebotomy services within a reasonable travelling distance.

It is important that people have access to the services they need, and, especially for vulnerable and terminally ill patients, for them to be located in the community, where possible.Community diagnostic centres (CDCs), such as the Devon and Torbay CDC in Torquay, and the Exeter Nightingale CDC, are supporting one of the Government’s top priorities for health, to shift care from the hospital to the community. CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including phlebotomy, closer to home, and greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.The 2025 Spending Review confirmed over £6 billion of additional capital investment over five years across new diagnostic, elective, and urgent care capacity. This money is allocated to systems for them to invest as locally determined.Investment in diagnostic services, including phlebotomy, is delivered through CDCs and local commissioning arrangements. It is up to local systems to determine how investment supports clinic-based services and domiciliary provision.In Devon, the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (RDUH) operates community phlebotomy services across the county, including in rural areas. The service provides planned weekday blood tests across local community hospitals, such as Holsworthy Community Hospital and Torrington Hospital. RDUH provides a "Community Collect" service, while home visits for housebound patients can be arranged. Some general practices in Devon are also providing blood tests for patients, as required for a hospital purpose. Further information on the RDUH is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/services/acute-trust/royal-devon-university-healthcare-nhs-foundation-trust/RH8

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will (a) hold discussions with stakeholders on Dartmoor and (b) attend the forthcoming annual Dartmoor Forum this spring.

The Government is committed to supporting our Protected Landscapes, including Dartmoor, recognising their vital importance to national priorities. The Secretary of State will continue to engage with a wide range of partners and stakeholders on Dartmoor as part of this work. The Dartmoor Land Use Management Group has been established to provide a collaborative and co-ordinated approach to land management on Dartmoor. Its purpose is to bring together farmers, conservation bodies, public agencies, and other stakeholders to help rebuild trust and improve working relationships. The Secretary of State recently announced a new partnership between Dartmoor, Defra and social entrepreneur Dr Hilary Cottam OBE, working to transform the way uplands land can support food production and create new income opportunities, alongside wider public benefits. I would be happy to attend the Dartmoor Forum this spring subject to confirmation of the date.

What her timetable is for notifying local authorities of their multi‑year allocations for the Local Authority Bus Grants.

Multi-year allocations of the Local Authority Bus Grant allocations were published on GOV.UK on 5 December 2025.

Whether (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had recent discussions with dental schools in the South West on encouraging newly qualified dentists to work in NHS‑providing dental practices in rural communities, such as Torridge.

On 10 December, I met with several Members of Parliament from the South West to discuss their proposal to expand the number of Government-funded places provided to Peninsula Dental School. Tackling the geographical disparities in access to National Health Service dentistry is vital, and I welcome efforts which strive to help deliver this ambition.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period. We intend this minimum period to be at least three years. That will mean more NHS dentists, more NHS appointments, and better oral health.Integrated care boards are continuing to recruit dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. The scheme offers a £20,000 recruitment incentive payment to dentists to work in those areas that need them most. The scheme remains a national priority.

What discussions he has had with the Devon Integrated Care Board on access to non-emergency NHS dental appointments for (a) children and (b) elderly people in Torridge.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a National Health Service dentist across the country, and we are taking steps to address this, including by increasing the availability of urgent dental care and reforming the dental contract.The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. There are a number of forums for engagement, and NHS England regions lead on engagement with ICBs. For Torridge, this is NHS England South West.We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent, non-emergency, dental appointments to make sure that patients can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra urgent dental appointments available since April 2025. NHS Devon ICB, which includes the Torridge and Tavistock constituency, has been asked to deliver 24,269 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with Sport England on the (a) promotion and (b) development of (i) padel and (ii) pickleball as national sports.

The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Sport England, on a range of topics including the promotion and development of the sporting offer across England. Whilst we haven’t discussed these sports specifically, DCMS officials have discussed the promotion and development padel and pickleball with Sport England.It is positive to see the growth of many emerging sports such as padel and pickleball.

What steps he is taking to ensure that rural hospitality businesses are adequately supported in the context of (a) rising wholesale food prices, (b) energy costs, (c) increased (i) wage and (ii) NIC pressures and (d) insurance premiums.

Government fully recognises the importance of hospitality businesses in rural communities, that’s why we’re providing support through a range of measures to ease pressures.We continue to monitor key agricultural commodities and work with the hospitality sector, supported by the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which tracks prices, supply, inputs, trade, and recent developments.  The Zero Carbon Services Hospitality trial offers free energy and carbon-reduction advice. We will introduce permanently lower business rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. The Employment Allowance has been increased to £10,500, meaning 865,000 employers will pay no National Insurance Contributions enabling businesses to employ up to four full-time staff on the National Living Wage without incurring employer NIC costs. While insurers make commercial decisions based on risk assessments, the Financial Conduct Authority requires firms to offer fair value and monitors compliance, acting where necessary.

How many meetings (a) she has and (b) Ministers in her Department have had with hon. Members from (i) her party and (ii) other parties on rail infrastructure projects in their constituencies.

Ministers meet regularly with MPs of all parties to discuss rail infrastructure projects at surgeries.

Communities and Local Government, if she will exclude (a) Dartmoor, (b) the Tamar Valley and (c) other environmentally protected and low-density settlement areas in West Devon from her Department’s methodology for determining the required number of new affordable homes; and if she will adopt the relevant local authority's baseline figure.

The government implemented a new standard method for assessing housing need via the revised National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024. The revised method aligns with our ambition to deliver 1.5 million safe and decent homes this parliament and better directs new homes to where they are most needed and least affordable. National policy is clear that the standard method should be used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should make an assessment of the amount of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability and constraints on development, such as National Landscapes, and any other relevant matters. Planning Practice Guidance makes clear that where strategic policy-making authorities do not align with local authority boundaries, or where the data used in the method is not available, such as in National Parks, an alternative approach may have to be used. In these instances, authorities may continue to identify a housing need figure using a method determined locally. Local authorities should also make their own assessment of size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups in their local communities, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. This can draw on locally held data such as the number of homeless households or those in temporary accommodation.

When her Department plans to provide funding to Tavistock College under the school rebuilding programme.

School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future. That is why we remain committed to improving the condition of the school estate, and the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) continues as part of that.The department wrote to Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust in July 2023, to inform them that Tavistock College has been placed in Group 2 of the SRP. Projects have been prioritised according to the condition of their buildings and other relevant criteria. We anticipate that Tavistock College will commence with planning and feasibility work early in 2026. SRP projects typically take between two and five years to deliver.Specific start dates will be communicated to the school and responsible body at least a month in advance of project start and, where possible, we will bring projects forward if we are able to do so. The scope of the works will be discussed with the school and responsible body once the project enters delivery.

Whether his Department has considered providing access to post boxes in new housing developments.

The government is not responsible for providing access to post boxes. Section 29(6) of the Postal Services Act 2011 requires Ofcom, as the independent regulator, to secure the provision of sufficient access points. Royal Mail is currently required by Ofcom’s Designated Universal Service Provider (DUSP) condition 1.8.1 to provide a post box within half a mile, by straight line distance, of the premises of at least 98% of users of postal services.

With reference to his oral statement of 20 January 2025 on New Hospital Programme Review, Official Report, columns 748-750, whether he considered (a) the remoteness of and (b) recent trends of deprivation in Torridge and Tavistock constituency when deciding which hospital redevelopment projects would be included in Waves (i), (ii) and (iii) of the new hospitals development programme.

I refer the Rt. Hon. member to the answers I gave to Questions 34236 and 34237 on 7 March 2025.Additionally, as set out in the Plan for Implementation, the New Hospital Programme (NHP) review used a range of data to assess in scope schemes including the North Devon District Hospital scheme. This included assessing each scheme under criteria for mitigated risk, including health deprivation, deliverability and transformation opportunity.As part of this process, the review also used professional expertise and judgment of clinical, programme, construction and finance colleagues from within the NHP, the Department and NHS England to identify and overlay other factors of concern before the schemes were prioritised.

With reference to his oral statement of 20 January 2025 on New Hospital Programme Review, Official Report, column 750, if his Department will make short-term capital funding available to help ensure the safety of North Devon District Hospital.

The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is a top priority for the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a vital part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future.Integrated care boards (ICBs) will collectively receive over £4 billion in annual capital allocations in 2025/26, which will be managed locally, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including ensuring safety at New Hospital Programme sites. Devon ICB, responsible for North Devon District Hospital has been allocated £104 million in operational capital for 2025/26.Recently published NHS planning guidance set out the NHS’s operational capital envelopes, national capital programmes and allocation processes for 2025/26. This includes a £750 million estates safety fund to help ensure hospitals are safe and sustainable, of which £11 million has been provisionally allocated to Devon ICB. I would encourage Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to discuss options with Devon ICB, to allocate operational capital and national capital programme allocations towards safety works at their sites.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the new timetable for the redevelopment of North Devon District Hospital on (a) patient outcomes and (b) service capacity.

An equality impact assessment was carried out for the review into the New Hospital Programme, which included assessing the extent to which service users might be impacted by these delivery proposals, with specific reference to the impact that these might have on relevant protected characteristics. This was laid in the House Library and published on 20 January, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-equality-impact-assessment We know that delivering high quality National Health Service healthcare services requires safe and effective infrastructure. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a vital part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future. The Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB), responsible for the North Devon District Hospital, has been allocated £104 million in operational capital for 2025/26 which will be managed locally, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including ensuring safety at hospital sites. Recently published NHS planning guidance set out a £750 million estates safety fund for 2025/26 to help ensure hospitals are safe and sustainable, £11 million of which has been provisionally allocated to the Devon ICB.

What steps he plans to take to ensure the provision of (a) safe and (b) effective care for patients in Torridge and North Devon, in the context of the new timetable for the redevelopment of North Devon District Hospital.

An equality impact assessment was carried out for the review into the New Hospital Programme, which included assessing the extent to which service users might be impacted by these delivery proposals, with specific reference to the impact that these might have on relevant protected characteristics. This was laid in the House Library and published on 20 January, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-equality-impact-assessment We know that delivering high quality National Health Service healthcare services requires safe and effective infrastructure. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a vital part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future. The Devon Integrated Care Board (ICB), responsible for the North Devon District Hospital, has been allocated £104 million in operational capital for 2025/26 which will be managed locally, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including ensuring safety at hospital sites. Recently published NHS planning guidance set out a £750 million estates safety fund for 2025/26 to help ensure hospitals are safe and sustainable, £11 million of which has been provisionally allocated to the Devon ICB.