Written questions by French.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 84932 on Business and Tourism: Greater London, if she will make an assessment of the potential economic impact of organised protests on tourism and businesses in London.

The Home Office does not plan to make a formal assessment of the potential economic impact of organised protests on tourism or businesses in London. Responsibility for tourism policy rests primarily with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, while business resilience and economic analysis are led by the Department for Business and Trade.The Government continues to work closely with police to ensure their public order powers are used effectively and we continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police Service and to ensure that lawful protest is facilitated while minimising disruption to the public and economic activity.

What assessment he has made of the causes of the increase in Universal Credit claimants who are not required to work; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of Universal Credit claimants who are not required to work.

The vast majority of the increase in the UC Health caseload is because the decision was taken by the last government to move sick and disabled people from Employment and Support Allowance onto Universal Credit at scale - a transition we inherited, along with a system where the incentives were wrong and health claims had been growing since 2019.We’re determined to fix the broken system we inherited and are removing the financial incentives in Universal Credit that discourage work, and we have redeployed 1,000 work coaches to help thousands of sick and disabled people who were previously left without contact for years.

Media and Sport, (a) if there will be exemptions made to her ticket price cap policy and (b) what criteria is used to judge this.

As set out in our response to the consultation on the resale of live events tickets, published last month, the Government believes that a good case can be made for narrow exemptions to the price cap in the case of resale for charitable purposes and the resale of debentures tickets. This issue was explored in the consultation, and a number of responses made the case for exemptions of this kind. We recognise that any exemptions must be tightly drawn to avoid potential abuse and we will continue to examine how these exemptions could be defined and administered in a way that does not risk undermining the overall effectiveness of the price cap, before legislation is brought forward.

Media and Sport, if she will provide a breakdown of the costs incurred by her Department, from 4 July 2024 to date, in the establishment of the Independent Football Regulator.

Details on DCMS’s public spending can be found in DCMS’s Annual Report and Accounts, available on GOV.UK. Spending on the passage of the Football Governance Act and the establishment of the Independent Football Regulator is a subset of the reported spend of the Sport and Gambling Directorate. All relevant costs relating to the creation of the Independent Football Regulator will be recovered from clubs via a levy, ensuring that there is nil cost to the public purse.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the emigration of (a) 18-25, (b) 26-35, (c) 36-49, and (d) 50+ years old on (i) the levels of revenue raised through taxation and (ii) the sustainability of the public finances.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the government's official forecaster and is responsible for assessing the UK’s economic and fiscal outlook.The OBR assesses the fiscal implications of migration as part of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook and long-term fiscal projections.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 24 November to question 92054 on Independent Football Regulator: Political Parties, if she will publish the data on the additional political donations made by David Kogan.

All political donations required to be declared by the Governance Code on Public Appointments are publicly disclosed on the Electoral Commission donation register. The additional donations, beneath the thresholds required by the Governance Code, disclosed by Mr Kogan when he appeared before the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 07 May 2025, are recorded in the transcript of that hearing.

Of recent illegal working arrests, how many have been removed from the United Kingdom.

Details of Immigration Enforcement activity to tackle illegal employment in the UK can be found in the Home Office’s published transparency data: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of September 2025 - GOV.UKReturns data can also be found in the Home Office’s published transparency data. This is not broken down by arrest location: Returns from the UK and enforcement activity - GOV.UKOfficial statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of business or employment tax rises on (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools, and (c) leisure centres.

The Government recognises the important contribution that sport and physical activity make to health and wellbeing in the UK.At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties, including those in the hospitality sector as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties, including gyms, swimming pools, and leisure centres. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties.Additionally, businesses and other organisations providing these services can continue to benefit from measures including the increase in the Employment Allowance to £10,500 and the Government remains committed to the small profits rate, under which companies with profits of £50,000 or less are subject to a 19 per cent rate. Marginal relief for companies with profits of between £50,000 and £250,000 means only around 10 per cent of actively trading companies pay the full main rate of 25 per cent. This means gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres whose companies meet these conditions will continue to face lower effective corporation tax rates.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding the inclusion of physical activity and exercise-based solutions within programmes aimed at reducing ill health as a cause of worklessness.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. The improvements to individual wellbeing is valued at £96.7 billion a year, and the wider value to society through savings to the health and care system is £10.5 billion a year. We are working closely with other Government Departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions and Health and Social Care to develop a cross government approach to tackling physical inactivity and improving health outcomes. As part of this, we are working on a national plan for physical activity as set out in the 10 Year Health Plan. In June, following the Spending Review we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health and wellbeing, and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

If she will make it her policy to hypothecate revenue raised from a Visitor Levy in London to support the visitor economy in London.

The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose. We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders. The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 November to question 92601 on Tourism: Taxation, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Visitor Levies in other jurisdictions on the hospitality sector.

The Scottish and Welsh Governments have published their own impact assessments to accompany legislation for the introduction of their visitor levies.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the use of (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools, and (c) leisure centres alongside weight-loss drugs.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. The improvements to individual wellbeing is valued at £96.7 billion a year, and the wider value to society through savings to the health and care system is £10.5 billion a year. We are working closely with other Government Departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions and Health and Social Care to develop a cross government approach to tackling physical inactivity and improving health outcomes. As part of this, we are working on a national plan for physical activity as set out in the 10 Year Health Plan. In June, following the Spending Review we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health and wellbeing, and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

What steps he is taking to reduce the number of foreign nationals claiming welfare benefits.

On 20 November the Home Secretary launched a consultation on proposals for a fairer pathway to settlement, the point at which foreign nationals generally gain access to public funds. These plans include doubling the standard qualifying period for settlement from 5 to 10 years, with the opportunity to reduce this period based on their contributions to the UK economy and society and longer periods for those who contribute less. The consultation also covers proposals that benefits might not be available to those who have settled status, reserving them, instead, for those who have earned British citizenship. You can find more details in here: “Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy (accessible)”,(opens in a new tab) and in “Open consultation: Earned settlement(opens in a new tab)”. In conjunction with these reforms, my Department will consult in due course on a change to taxpayer-funded benefits to prioritise access for those who are making an economic contribution to the UK.

If he will take steps to ensure that the State Pension Benefit will be available under the current conditions to those entering the workforce in the financial year 2025-2026.

The Government is committed to maintaining a fair and sustainable State Pension system that provides security in retirement. The new State Pension, introduced in April 2016, offers a clear and predictable foundation for individuals’ retirement planning.Entitlement to the State Pension continues to be based on National Insurance contributions and credits, ensuring that those who contribute throughout their working lives are able to build qualifying years.To ensure today’s workers and tomorrow’s pensioners have security in retirement, we have launched the Pensions Commission to consider what is needed for a stronger, fairer and more sustainable pensions framework. The Commission will examine how to improve outcomes, particularly for those on the lowest incomes and at greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.

What impact miles driven abroad will have on the calculation of the amount of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty payable per vehicle.

As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that EVs (electric vehicles) contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty. The Government has ruled out charging tax based on when or where people drive to protect motorists’ privacy. This means non-UK mileage driven by UK registered cars will fall into scope of eVED, as with fuel duty, which does not vary by basis of where a car is driven. The vast majority of eVED will be paid on travel in the UK; there were an estimated 225 billion car miles in Great Britain in 2024, and over nine billion miles travelled by car in Northern Ireland in 2023. The government has published a consultation on GOV.UK, which provides further detail on how eVED is intended to work and seeks views on its implementation: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69282ac1a245b0985f034197/eVED_Consultation.pdf

If she will make it her policy to split revenue raised from a Visitor Levy in London between the Mayor of London and London boroughs.

The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy, if they so choose. We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders. The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.

Media and Sport, if she will publish a timeline for allocating expenditure of the £400 million capital funding for grassroots sporting facilities.

The Government's announcement that at least £400 million will be invested into grassroots sport over the next four years will ensure that we promote health, wellbeing and community cohesion and deliver high-quality facilities in the areas that need them most. The investment will also remove barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups such as women and girls, people with disabilities, and ethnic minority communities. To ensure we best serve communities across the UK, we are now working with the sports sector and local leaders to develop plans for delivering this funding and further details will be announced in due course.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that (a) gyms, (b) swimming pools, and (c) leisure centres are used to help reduce (i) health and (ii) socioeconomic inequalities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. The benefits to individual wellbeing through sport and physical activity are valued at £96.7 billion a year, and the wider value to society through savings to the health and care system is £10.5 billion a year.In June, following the Spending Review we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health and wellbeing, and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

If she will make it her policy to cease the purchasing of non-essential items, including vapes, for illegal migrants.

The Home Office does not purchase vapes for people held in immigration detention, and no public money is spent on the purchase of these or any other goods sold at immigration removal centres.Following a comprehensive review of asylum support, we have taken decisive action to block spending on non-essential goods and services on ASPEN cards and implement enhanced due diligence measures.

What steps she is taking to combat antisemitism (a) in secondary schools, (b) in colleges, and (c) on university campuses.

We must tackle antisemitism in every form to root this hatred out of our society. Education is critical to this. The department has committed £7 million to fund projects and programmes to improve confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities. Universities should have robust processes in place to deal with acts of harassment and abuse on campus. We have called on universities to use every tool available to protect Jewish students from antisemitism. The department is providing £2 million to the Holocaust Educational Trust to deliver the ‘Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching’ programme. Teaching about antisemitism is integral to teaching this event. The department supports teachers through our Educate Against Hate website, which provides teachers with a range of free, quality-assured resources, including on building resilience to antisemitism, teaching about tolerance and rejecting discrimination.