Written questions by Riddell-Carpenter.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the role of pubs as community hubs in rural areas.

The Government recognises the vital role of pubs in rural areas, supporting local economies, providing spaces for people to come together, and offering essential services for local people. Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we will introduce a new community right to buy to empower local people to bring valued assets such as pubs into community ownership and protect them for the benefit of the wider community. Our £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme will support investment in valued local assets. The selection methodology for the programme targets need across all communities, including rural areas.

What guidance his Department has issued on whether frontline staff are able to provide covid-19 vaccinations to unpaid carers who are present during home vaccination visits.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI advised in its autumn 2024 advice that, in the current era of high population immunity to COVID-19 and with all cases due to Omicron sub-lineages of COVID-19, currently available COVID-19 vaccines provide limited protection against transmission and mild or asymptomatic disease. The JCVI therefore advised that the focus of the programme should be on offering vaccination where it directly protects an individual at higher risk. In line with this advice, unpaid carers as well as household contacts of the immunosuppressed ceased to be offered COVID-19 vaccination from autumn 2024.In line with the advice the JCVI gave for 2025 and spring 2026, a COVID-19 vaccination will be offered this spring to the following groups:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults; andindividuals aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed.The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing unpaid family carers to receive Covid-19 booster vaccinations alongside the person they care for where a home vaccination visit is already taking place.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI advised in its autumn 2024 advice that, in the current era of high population immunity to COVID-19 and with all cases due to Omicron sub-lineages of COVID-19, currently available COVID-19 vaccines provide limited protection against transmission and mild or asymptomatic disease. The JCVI therefore advised that the focus of the programme should be on offering vaccination where it directly protects an individual at higher risk. In line with this advice, unpaid carers as well as household contacts of the immunosuppressed ceased to be offered COVID-19 vaccination from autumn 2024.In line with the advice the JCVI gave for 2025 and spring 2026, a COVID-19 vaccination will be offered this spring to the following groups:adults aged 75 years old and over;residents in care homes for older adults; andindividuals aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed.The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

What steps her Department is taking to close illicit (a) mini‑marts, (b) barbers, (c) vape shops and (d) other similar outlets.

The Government is committed to working with partners to tackle high street illegality from businesses such as mini marts, barbers, vape shops and similar outlets.Building on recent operational activity (Operation MACHINIZE), led by the National Crime Agency in conjunction with National Police Chief’s Council, in the 2025 Autumn Budget, the Government allocated £10 million per year for three years to tackle high street illegality. This funding includes the creation of the High Streets Illegality Taskforce, enhancements to Trading Standards capabilities and support for at least 45 additional law enforcement officers.Hosted by the Home Office, the cross-government Taskforce is now operational and is working to develop a strategic long-term policy response to money laundering and associated illegality on UK high streets, including other forms of economic crime, tax evasion, and illegal working, tackling the systemic vulnerabilities that criminals exploit.More broadly, following the completion of Economic Crime Plan 2 in March 2026, we expect to publish a new Economic Crime Plan in 2026. Developed jointly with HMT and in partnership with the private sector, the Plan will set a clear direction for strengthening the UK’s approach to tackling money laundering and boosting asset recovery.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure landlord and property rules to hold directors owners accountable.

Building owners are responsible for managing and addressing fire and structural safety risks in their buildings. They are required to apply for a Building Assessment Certificate (BAC), which includes an assessment by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) of whether they understand and are managing their building safety risks to an acceptable standard.Where a BAC is rejected by the BSR, the building owner will be notified by the Regulator of the issues they need to fix, and the deadline they must fix them by. The BSR can also take further enforcement action for non-compliance. The building owner is often the principal accountable person. Where the principal accountable person is not meeting their duties, residents should raise a complaint to them directly. If the resident is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, they can contact the Building Safety Regulator.One of the significant challenges local regulators (local authorities and fire and rescue authorities) can face in relation to building safety, is identifying who is practically responsible for each building. While determining the legal owner is usually straightforward, the identity of the parent company, which makes decisions and benefits financially, is often hidden behind layers of corporate ownership. This obfuscation makes it difficult to pinpoint where the real decision-making power lies.To address this issue, the government is proposing legislation that will provide regulators with the powers to compel the disclosure of full ownership structures. This measure aims to enhance transparency and ensure that enforcement bodies can hold the appropriate parties accountable. This legislation will be brought forward in the Remediation Bill, when parliamentary time allows.

What assessment she has made of the contribution of regional brewers on local economies and tourism.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the beer and pub sector remains diverse, competitive and rooted in local communities, supporting investment and growth across towns and villages. The manufacture of alcoholic beverages supports jobs across the country with over 75% of employees working outside of London and the South East in 2024. Small Producer Relief (SPR) supports SMEs and new entrants by permitting smaller producers who make 4,500 hectolitres or fewer of alcohol per year to pay reduced duty rates on all products below 8.5% ABV. At Budget 2025, the government increased the cash discount provided to small producers, maintaining the relative value of SPR compared to the main duty rates. In addition, the Government has conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries from accessing pubs, the findings from which are currently being reviewed. We will be announcing the outcome of the review in due course. More broadly, we are keen to ensure that Britain’s coastline – including the Suffolk coast – remain an attraction to domestic and international visitors. The Government has set an ambitious goal to grow annual inbound tourism to 50 million visitors by 2030. To help achieve this, we have established a new Visitor Economy Advisory Council, which is currently helping to co-create a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy. The Strategy endeavours to share the benefits of tourism across every nation and region, including coastal and seaside areas.

Whether her Department has considered extending Section 33 VAT refunds to Further Education colleges.

Further Education (FE) funding is vital to ensure people are being trained in the skills they need to thrive in the modern labour market. The 2025 Spending Review provided an additional £1.2 billion per year by 2028-29 for skills and £1.7 billion of capital funding to help colleges maintain the condition of their estate. In addition, the Government is providing £375 million of capital investment to support the FE system to accommodate increasing student numbers. For their non-business activity, FE colleges are unable to reclaim VAT incurred. We operate several VAT refund schemes for schools and academies which are designed variously to ensure that VAT is not a burden on local taxation, and that academies are not disincentivised to leave LA control. FE colleges do not meet the criteria for either scheme. In relation to business activity, FE colleges enjoy an exemption from VAT which means that they do not have to charge VAT to students but cannot recover it either.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the VAT treatment of Further Education colleges on learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Further Education (FE) funding is vital to ensure people are being trained in the skills they need to thrive in the modern labour market. The 2025 Spending Review provided an additional £1.2 billion per year by 2028-29 for skills and £1.7 billion of capital funding to help colleges maintain the condition of their estate. In addition, the Government is providing £375 million of capital investment to support the FE system to accommodate increasing student numbers. For their non-business activity, FE colleges are unable to reclaim VAT incurred. We operate several VAT refund schemes for schools and academies which are designed variously to ensure that VAT is not a burden on local taxation, and that academies are not disincentivised to leave LA control. FE colleges do not meet the criteria for either scheme. In relation to business activity, FE colleges enjoy an exemption from VAT which means that they do not have to charge VAT to students but cannot recover it either.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of irrecoverable VAT on Further Education colleges’ ability to invest in teaching facilities, specialist equipment and skills provision.

Further Education (FE) funding is vital to ensure people are being trained in the skills they need to thrive in the modern labour market. The 2025 Spending Review provided an additional £1.2 billion per year by 2028-29 for skills and £1.7 billion of capital funding to help colleges maintain the condition of their estate. In addition, the Government is providing £375 million of capital investment to support the FE system to accommodate increasing student numbers. For their non-business activity, FE colleges are unable to reclaim VAT incurred. We operate several VAT refund schemes for schools and academies which are designed variously to ensure that VAT is not a burden on local taxation, and that academies are not disincentivised to leave LA control. FE colleges do not meet the criteria for either scheme. In relation to business activity, FE colleges enjoy an exemption from VAT which means that they do not have to charge VAT to students but cannot recover it either.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Business Rates policy on employment in hospitality-dependent areas.

The Government has announced a £4.3 billion business rates support package to protect ratepayers from large overnight increases in bills.In addition, the Government is introducing permanently lower tax rates for eligible RHL properties. These are worth almost £1 billion per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties.On top of this, pubs and live music venues will also benefit from 15% off their new business rates bills, ahead of their bills being frozen in real terms for a further two years.As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases next year, including 23% seeing their bills go down. Government support also means that most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

What estimate he has made of the number of pensioners living in rural, off-grid homes who are ineligible for Pension Credit but are in fuel poverty due to reliance on heating oil; and whether he plans to (a) review eligibility thresholds and (b) introduce targeted support for such households.

Pension Credit provides direct financial support to pensioner households on the lowest incomes, ensuring that they receive a guaranteed minimum level of income – the Standard Minimum Guarantee (SMG). The Standard Minimum Guarantee is subject to the Secretary of State’s annual statutory review of State Pension and benefit rates, and it will increase this year by 4.8% from April.

What steps her Department has taken to ensure timely and accessible communication of changes to travel and entry requirements for dual nationals, including communication aimed at families with children and non-English speakers.

The Home Office has embedded clear messaging for dual nationals across the ETA communications campaign, and published comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK setting out clearly what dual citizens need to do.  We have published an ETA guide for dual nationals on gov.uk, including at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-guide-for-dual-citizens . There is also guidance on GOV.UK to help people determine whether they or their family members qualify for British citizenship at: https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship.We have provided explicit written and spoken guidance to people who naturalise or register as British citizens, including through their application and at citizenship ceremonies, and since the start of the year we have also emailed people who have registered or naturalised in the last 10 years where we hold useable contact details, to alert them to the changing requirements.

Whether her Department has carried out an impact assessment for rules on family visits between the UK and EU member states.

Impact Assessments are published within the Explanatory Memoranda of Statements of Changes to the Immigration Rules on gov.uk: www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-rules-statement-of-changesNo recent changes have been made to the Immigration Rules for EU nationals coming to the UK to visit family via the Standard Visitor route.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the requirement for dual nationals to enter the UK on a British passport on children and families.

We have been clear on the requirement for dual British citizens, including children and families, to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens. We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes. In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s eligibility to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required. This may include assessing an applicant’s claims to hold the right of abode in the UK against existing guidance.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that information on rules for dual nationals and the Electronic Travel Authorisation system is clearly signposted on relevant government webpages.

The Home Office has embedded clear messaging for dual nationals across the ETA communications campaign, and published comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK setting out clearly what dual citizens need to do.  We have published an ETA guide for dual nationals on gov.uk, including at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electronic-travel-authorisation-eta-guide-for-dual-citizens . There is also guidance on GOV.UK to help people determine whether they or their family members qualify for British citizenship at: https://www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship.We have provided explicit written and spoken guidance to people who naturalise or register as British citizens, including through their application and at citizenship ceremonies, and since the start of the year we have also emailed people who have registered or naturalised in the last 10 years where we hold useable contact details, to alert them to the changing requirements.

What guidance Border Force officers have been issued on handling cases where children arrive at UK ports of entry without British passports but may be entitled to British citizenship by descent.

We have been clear on the requirement for dual British citizens, including children and families, to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens. We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes. In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s eligibility to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required. This may include assessing an applicant’s claims to hold the right of abode in the UK against existing guidance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 103561 on Anti-social Behaviour, what steps her Department is taking to tackle barriers faced by county councils in using (a) closure notices and (b) closure orders under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 in areas where district councils exist.

Referring to the response to question 103561, county councils may already issue a closure notice and apply directly for closure orders in England and Wales providing that there is no district council in the area. Where there is a district council in the area, the county council would be expected to work with the relevant district council to issue the closure notice. Closure orders are made by Magistrates courts, not local councils.We are taking steps, through the Crime and Policing Bill, to enhance the closure power. We are extending the timeframe that relevant agencies can apply to a magistrates’ court for a closure order from 48 hours after service of a closure notice to 72 hours. This will give agencies more time to progress an application for a closure order, protecting the victim and community in the interim while a closure order is sought.We are also extending the power to issue closure notices to registered social housing providers. Currently only local authorities and police can issue closure notices. This is despite registered social housing providers often being the first agency to be aware of the ASB in question. Extending this power to social housing providers helps ensure that the right agencies have the right tools to tackle ASB quickly and effectively, saving police and local authorities time as housing providers will be able to make applications directly.

What steps her Department is taking to help county councils in using closure notices and closure orders under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The closure power, under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, enables police or local councils to quickly close premises which are causing or likely to cause nuisance or disorder.County councils may issue a closure notice and apply directly for closure orders in England and Wales providing that there is no district council in the area.The closure power, along with all the powers in the 2014 Act, is deliberately local in nature, and it is for the relevant local agencies to determine whether its use is appropriate in the specific circumstances.

What steps he is taking to improve cross-Government coordination on the delivery of Government priorities in rural areas.

Since coming into office, this Government has taken action to ensure rural communities begin to feel the benefits of change they voted for at the last election. We have allocated £1.9 billion into broadband and 4G connectivity, and £2.3 billion of transport funding for local places, across rural communities. The Cabinet Office plays an important role in convening Ministers across Government and deploying the record £10.5 billion we have invested in flood defences; and to support rural communities through our Flood Resilience Partnership.

Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Charity Commission on adopting a more proportionate approach to regulatory and audit requirements for small and medium-sized charities, to help reduce administrative burdens and additional compliance costs at lower income levels.

DCMS is working closely with the Charity Commission to reduce administrative burdens for charities. On 31 October 2025 we published our response to the consultation on financial thresholds in charity law; setting out how we will reduce burdens for charities, while ensuring appropriate scrutiny and oversight. The changes, which should be implemented later this year, will save charities an estimated £47m per year.