Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to reintroduce a direct train service between Eastbourne and London Bridge.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Operators must make the best use of train paths when planning their timetables to meet current and future demand, while ensuring value for the taxpayer. Govia Thameslink Railway is currently engaging with stakeholders and actively developing proposals for a direct service between Eastbourne and London Bridge and will ensure that stakeholders are kept updated on any progress in this area as soon as possible.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.65 of her Department's document entitled Spring Statement 2025, published on 26 March 2025, when she will publish the reforms to Individual Savings Accounts.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is looking at options for reforms to ISAs that get the balance right between cash and equities to earn better returns for savers, boost the culture of retail investment, and support the growth mission.

The Government keeps all aspects of tax and savings policy under review.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities are transparent with other Councils receiving out-of-area placements.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The legislation and guidance set out that in the first instance, local authorities should try to place individuals within their own area, and when this is not possible, they should place the household as near as possible to the original local authority.

On 11 November 2024 the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all local authority Chief Executives in England about out-of-area accommodation placements, including temporary accommodation and housing offers to end a homelessness duty. This letter referred to section 208 of the Housing Act 1996, and reminded local authorities that they are required by law to notify the receiving local authority of any out-of-area placement and that this should be happening in every case.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are meeting their obligation to support (a) individuals and (b) families placed in temporary accommodation.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has increased funding for homelessness services by £233 million in 2025/26, taking the total to a record £1 billion to prevent increases in the number of individuals and families in temporary accommodation.

As announced at the Spending Review, the government is providing £950 million of investment for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund to increase the supply of good quality accommodation. This follows our programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots, which are working with 20 local authorities with some of the highest levels of B&B use, backed by £8 million to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives to provide more suitable accommodation for homeless families.

Temporary accommodation must be suitable in relation to the applicant and to all members of their household who normally reside with them.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support veterans in (a) Eastbourne and (b) the South East.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, no matter which community they are based in. Across the country, including in Eastbourne and across the South East, a wide range of support is available for Armed Forces personnel as they transition into civilian life. The Veterans Welfare Service is a first port of call for veterans and their families if they are facing challenges and provides support on a wide range of issues.

For support with employment, the Career Transition Partnership is the initial point of provision for those leaving military Service and Op ASCEND is the employment pathway for veterans. Across England, Op RESTORE and Op COURAGE provide physical and mental health specialist services. Housing support is available across the United Kingdom via Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway connecting veterans with support.

We recently announced VALOUR, a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support, which will ensure easier access to essential care and support for veterans across the country. A new regional approach, based on a network of VALOUR recognised support centres and regional field officers, will help to ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. Further details on VALOUR will be announced in due course and more information can be found at the following link:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/valour-information-and-next-steps

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to lower the age of free bus travel eligibility to 60 in (a) Eastbourne and (b) England.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. East Sussex County Council have been allocated £10.3 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what long-term funding her Department has allocated to facilitate (a) cycling and (b) walking in Eastbourne constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

On 12 February, the Department and Active Travel England announced local authority allocations of the Consolidated Active Travel Fund. Of this funding, East Sussex County Council has been awarded £1,110,557 in revenue funding for 2024/25 and capital funding for 2025/26. It will be for East Sussex County Council to allocate this funding in line with local investment priorities, including to support schemes in the Eastbourne constituency.

The Spending Review announced £616 million for active travel infrastructure from 2026-27 to 2029-30, Active Travel England will set out future allocations from this funding in due course.

The Government also announced a further £2.3 billion to local authorities through the Local Transport Grant (LTG). This funding will support local authorities to invest in their local transport priorities, including schemes to support walking and cycling. East Sussex County Council has been awarded over £22 million up to 2029/30 through the LTG.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the levels of air pollution in Eastbourne constituency.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Local authorities review and assess air quality in their areas and publish an annual report on their actions to improve local air quality including local monitoring data which is assessed by Defra. In their most recent report, Eastbourne Borough Council indicated they were monitoring NO2 levels at 21 sites with additional monitoring of particulate matter at 2 sites. No exceedances of the Air Quality Objectives set by Defra for nitrogen dioxide or particulate matter were recorded at any monitoring location. Decrease in NO2 concentrations were seen at all 21 monitoring locations.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help (a) protect and (b) support the South Downs National Park.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government has committed to empower all Protected Landscapes, including the South Downs National Park, to be greener, wilder and more accessible.

In the 25-26 financial year, we are providing £9.6 million of core resource funding to South Downs National Park Authority, alongside £2 million capital investment. We have also extended programmes such as Farming in Protected Landscapes, providing £30 million to support projects in our National Landscapes and National Parks, until March 2026. In 25-26, the overall Farming in Protected Landscapes allocation to the South Downs National Park is £756,488.

On the 16 December we committed to strengthen their underpinning legislation and governance. We will co-design the new legislation with partners but intend to strengthen the statutory purposes of National Landscapes and National Parks to give them a clear mandate to recover nature. Through this recovery, Protected Landscapes will fight climate change, foster a thriving green economy, and support the mental and physical health of the nation.

The legislation will also update their governance to ensure it creates the conditions for success, innovation and collaboration. This will include providing National Park Authorities with a general power of competence – which will clarify their legal framework and remove barriers to integrated delivery.

We have also published guidance for relevant authorities to make expectations clear in relation to their duty to seek to further the purposes of Protected Landscapes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a reduction in the annual tax-free cash ISA allowance on people in (a) Eastbourne and (b) the UK.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to incentivising greater saving and investment. Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) help people save for their future goals and build greater financial resilience.

The Government recognises the important role that cash savings play in helping households build a financial buffer for a rainy day. The Government also wants to see more consumers participate in capital markets and benefit from the long-term financial security and returns that investing can provide.

The impact of any changes to ISAs would be set out in a tax information impact note. The Government continues to keep all aspects of savings policy under review.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect seaside towns from coastal erosion.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are committed to supporting coastal communities and ensuring flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future.

Delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change, this Government is investing a record £2.65 billion over 2024/25 and 2025/26 for the construction of new flood schemes, and the maintenance and repair of existing ones.

With this funding, 1,000 flood schemes have been or will continue to be supported, better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026.

The Government launched a consultation 3 June on proposals to reform the way we fund flood and coastal defences. We want to ensure funding for flood defences is distributed more effectively across the country – to protect properties across all communities including in rural, coastal, and poorer areas. The 8-week consultation is open to everyone and all stakeholders, including organisations that play a role in flood resilience, community groups and members of the public, are invited to be part of the consultation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the water quality on beaches in Eastbourne constituency.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency (EA) is responsible for monitoring the water quality of designated bathing water sites, reporting bathing water quality, informing the public of pollution which could affect bathing waters and investigating and identifying actions to improve bathing water quality. Throughout the bathing season (May to September), the EA takes up to 20 water samples at each of England's designated bathing waters and tests them for two bacteria, E. coli and intestinal enterococci, which can indicate pollution that can pose a risk to bathers' health.

There is one designated bathing water in the Eastbourne constituency – Eastbourne bathing water, which is currently classified as ‘Good’. The EA SWIMFO website, shows the latest water quality sample results for all the bathing waters in England. So far this season, all results have been within the excellent threshold for Eastbourne bathing water.

Introduction of the Hillsborough Law and the 36th anniversary

Post Offices in rural areas

Equitable national prostate cancer screening

Immigration application fees for young adults and children

Palantir Technologies, Peter Thiel and the NHS (No. 2)

Found: Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum Miller Charlotte Cane Mr Angus MacDonald Ian Roome Josh Babarinde

Found: Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum Miller Charlotte Cane Mr Angus MacDonald Ian Roome Josh Babarinde

Found: Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum Miller Charlotte Cane Mr Angus MacDonald Ian Roome Josh Babarinde

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Found: Daisy Cooper Christine Jardine Helen Morgan Caroline Voaden Charlotte Cane Anna Sabine Josh Babarinde

Found: Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum Miller Charlotte Cane Mr Angus MacDonald Ian Roome Josh Babarinde

Found: Dr Roz Savage Christine Jardine Helen Morgan Caroline Voaden Charlotte Cane Anna Sabine Josh Babarinde

Found: Gilmour Tom Gordon Martin Wrigley Calum Miller Charlotte Cane Mr Angus MacDonald Ian Roome Josh Babarinde

Found: Not called_158 Lisa Smart Josh Babarinde Christine Jardine Ben Maguire Luke Taylor Vikki Slade