Written questions by Anderson.

Innovation and Technology, how many full-fibre connections have been made in South Shropshire constituency in the last 12 months.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of postal workers in South Shropshire.

As Royal Mail is an independent business, the government is not involved in its operational matters including decisions around recruitment and workforce levels.

What steps he is taking to improve access to support services for veterans in rural areas.

This government is committed to ensuring that veterans and their families are easily able to access support across the country when and where it is needed, including rural or remote areas. Last year we launched a new Veterans Strategy which recognises vet...

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the court backlogs.

This Government has already invested significantly in the system – in uncapped sitting days for 2026/27, court buildings and technology, and in legal professionals with significant investment in legal aid. Only by pulling every lever we have – investment,...

What steps he is taking to ensure patients diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia can access Omavelexolone through the NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new, licensed medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use...

Food and Rural Affairs, what action is being taken to support farming in protected landscapes.

As a result of the 2025 Spending Review, Defra secured a strong financial settlement. The Government has allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This includes funding for the Environmental Land Man...

What steps her Department is taking to prevent potholes in South Shropshire constituency.

The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fix...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support upland farmers in South Shropshire constituency.

Earlier this year, the Government extended the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme for another three years. It includes support for upland farmers and land managers in South Shropshire’s Shropshire Hills National Landscape. Defra’s Environmental Lan...

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress the Environment Agency has made to determine whether emissions from incinerators have an adverse impact on public health in the last 25 years.

The Environment Agency consults the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), as the competent authority on matters of public health, on topics such as the impact of specific industrial activities. The UKHSA has reviewed recent evidence on the potential health ...

What action she is taking to help improve the availability of domestic abuse services in rural areas.

Every victim of violence against women and girls (VAWG), whether in a city or a rural village, should be able to access the help they need. In the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, we committed to reform how victim’s services are commissio...

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help places of worship with the VAT incurred on conservation projects.

In May we opened the £92 million Places of Worship Renewal Fund (PWRF), a new capital scheme to support places of worship as part of the wider £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere package. The Fund will offer grants from £10,000 to £1,000,000 covering a range of ...

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of giving families the right to visit their loved ones in a mortuary.

The Department has not made a specific assessment on the potential merits of introducing a right for families to visit their loved ones in a mortuary. The arrangements that apply in mortuaries undertaking post-mortem examinations are already governed by a...

What steps he is taking to help reduce energy costs for rural businesses.

We are closely monitoring the impact of energy prices on businesses caused by the instability in the Middle East, and much will depend on the length of the ongoing crisis. We are increasing the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant for properties heated by oi...

What proportion of the critical minerals supply chain relies on a single source.

The Department is addressing dependencies on concentrated sources of Critical Minerals likely to be affecting the defence sector by improving visibility and enhancing collaboration with industry and like-minded Allies (including NATO and Australia). Effor...

What progress he has made on diversifying the critical minerals supply chain in the defence industry.

The Department is addressing dependencies on concentrated sources of Critical Minerals likely to be affecting the defence sector by improving visibility and enhancing collaboration with industry and like-minded Allies (including NATO and Australia). Effor...

How his Department determines whether (a) imports and (b) procurement contracts in the defence supply chain impact (i) operational resilience and (ii) freedom of action.

The Ministry of Defence assesses imports and procurement contracts by examining whether they create critical dependencies, single points of failure or reliance on external approval regimes. It considers the impact of disruption on the continuity of milita...

What proportion of the critical minerals supply chain in the defence industry relies on China.

The Department is addressing dependencies on concentrated sources of Critical Minerals likely to be affecting the defence sector by improving visibility and enhancing collaboration with industry and like-minded Allies (including NATO and Australia). Effor...

Pursuant to the answer given on 8 June 2026 to Question 6003, what criteria his Department uses in procurement to determine whether suppliers are high-risk.

The Department does not use a single fixed definition of a “high risk supplier”. Instead, suppliers are assessed case by case against factors including financial fragility, exposure to high-risk geographies, criticality to defence capability, supply chain...

What fiscal steps she is being taken to help support the hospitality sector in South Shropshire constituency.

The Government recognises the important role hospitality businesses play both in terms of its economic contribution but also to our culture.The Chancellor has announced a temporary reduced rate of VAT over the summer holidays on family attractions as well...

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support the sustainability of leisure centres.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities. The ongoing responsibility of providing ac...